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Measures outlined in Programme for Government.

A new prevention-focused approach and rapid rehousing will be at the heart of work reduce homelessness in Scotland over the next five years.

The Scottish Government unveiled plans for a shift in approach from crisis management to prevention as part of this year’s Programme for Government.

Measures to tackle homelessness include:

• an additional 1,500 Housing First tenancies, supporting people with complex care needs into permanent housing
• continued roll-out of the Homelessness Prevention Fund of £50 million over 10 years
• £1 million from the Homelessness Prevention Fund for the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland to strengthen tenancy sustainment activity by registered social landlords in Glasgow
• £2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme to become permanent, offering support for women and children to leave an abusive partner.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing Shirley-Anne Somerville visited homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland in Edinburgh, which is involved in two Scottish Government prevention pilot projects.

One is in partnership with Police Scotland while the other is in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service - which will enable police officers and ambulance staff to identify housing instability and homelessness risk and provide tailored individual support.

Ms Somerville said:

“The best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. That is why we are shifting our approach from crisis management to prevention and rapid rehousing. We will do all we can over this Parliament to help people off the streets and end the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation.

“I was pleased to meet staff and tenants at Simon Community Scotland Streetreads library to hear first-hand how their early identification of housing problems is helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. Their homelessness prevention pilots are generating valuable learning and knowledge transfer, and we want to replicate this across the country.

“Over the next five years we will drive progress through our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund, our Housing First programme which will provide 1,500 permanent tenancies for people experiencing homelessness, and our £2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme which supports women to leave an abusive partner. Our record investment of up to £4.9 billion over the next five years will deliver around 36,000 affordable homes.”

Background

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot