Homelessness in Scotland has increased again, with the latest “shameful” figures showing a record number of households living in temporary accommodation.
With 53,842 people assessed as being homelessness in 2025-26, official figures also revealed that as of March 31 this year there were 10,715 children living in temporary accommodation.
This was up 535 (5%) from the total in 2025 to the highest number on record.
These children were part of the 19,004 households in temporary accommodation on March 31, 2026 – with this up 10% from the previous year.
A range of different types of properties can be used as temporary accommodation and the data showed an increase in the use of bed and breakfasts.
Fourteen per cent of households in temporary accommodation were in B&Bs in March 2025 and this increased to 18% in 2026.
The proportion of homeless households with children in B&Bs also rose over the same period, from 3% to 4%.
In 2025-26 there were 35,002 households assessed as homeless – comprising 39,420 adults and 14,422 children – with this the highest since 2011-12.
The number of households sleeping rough the night before applying for help with their housing increased from 2,464 in 2024-25 to 2,949 in 2025-26.
Although the number of British and Europeans applying for help with homelessness fell, the report noted there were “increases from those who are not nationals of one of the above countries, but are lawfully present in the UK (eg because they have been granted refugee status or leave to remain)”.
With many refugees and asylum seekers housed in Glasgow, Gordon Llewellyn-MacRae, interim director at Shelter Scotland, said the situation in the city “needs a national response”.
He called for “investment from the Scottish and UK governments until the asylum backlog declines”.
A record number of children in Scotland are stuck in temporary accommodation without the safe, secure home they deserve
Mr Llewellyn-MacRae also said homes must be delivered quicker “to lift people – especially children – out of temporary accommodation”.
Opposition politicians demanded action from the Scottish Government in the wake of the figures, branding them “shameful”, “disgraceful” and “abominable”.
Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin said: “These shameful figures demand urgent action from all of us across the Scottish Parliament.
“Once again a record number of children in Scotland are stuck in temporary accommodation without the safe, secure home they deserve.
“Thousands of Scots are being failed in a time of crisis and communities are being put under huge pressure.”
Scottish Conservative housing spokesman James Adams accused Holyrood ministers of “presiding over a housing emergency”, and said First Minister John Swinney “should hang his head in shame at these disgraceful figures”.
He added: “More than 10,000 children are trapped in temporary accommodation, rough sleeping is rising and a record 19,000 households are stuck waiting for a proper home.
“SNP ministers must finally outline a proper plan to meet Scotland’s housing needs, otherwise this emergency situation will only continue to spiral.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat housing spokeswoman Morven-May MacCallum branded the figures “abominable” and said they are “a worrying sign that the SNP Government is failing vulnerable people across Scotland”.
Ms MacCallum said: “Across a range of measures, levels of homelessness are now at their worst ever. The Scottish Government need to start using the many powers at their disposal to change things.”
Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the Government is “taking decisive action to tackle homelessness and increase the supply of affordable homes across Scotland”, but she acknowledged the latest homelessness figures “remain far too high”.
Ms Somerville said ministers are “determined to reduce homeless rates and are shifting our approach from crisis management to prevention and rapid rehousing”.
She said: “Our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund, £2 million Fund to Leave scheme for victims of abuse, and delivery of 1,500 Housing First tenancies all look to support people before they reach crisis point.
“We will continue to work with third sector organisations to aid early intervention, including our recent £2 million investment for Social Bite’s work to end homelessness.”
With homelessness “persistently high across the UK”, she said the UK Government must take action in next month’s Budget by ending the freeze on the Local Housing Allowance and providing councils with “further funding to address repeated Home Office policy failures”.
The minister added: “We will continue to do everything we can to tackle homelessness with the powers we have, including investing a record £4.9 billion for affordable homes over the next four years.
“This will enable us to build on our success of delivering 146,000 affordable homes since 2007. Between 2007 and 2025, Scotland’s affordable housing supply per head of population was, on average, 45% higher than in England and 69% higher than in Wales.”