Homelessness in
Glasgow
Catherine Jamieson
Head of the Homelessness Partnership
Glasgow City Council
Context - National
Scottish Legislative Framework
Ongoing improvements over last 5 years
National Task Force on Homelessness
(2001) with 59 recommendations
Legal duties for the Council
International Human Rights Award for
Homelessness (Scotland) Act 2003
Context - Glasgow
Street Homelessness Review Team Report
(2000) with 11 recommendations
Establishment of Homelessness Partnership
Glasgow City Council
Greater Glasgow Health Board
Voluntary Sector
Scottish Executive
Glasgow’s Homelessness
Strategy
Prevent homelessness
Alleviate homelessness for those who
experience it
Eliminate the need to sleep rough in Glasgow
Secure joint work and service delivery to provide
user/needs led service
Key Aim – to provide homelessness services at a local
level
Developed from detailed analysis of causes, nature &
extent of homelessness
Change in Service
Providing beds
Providing homes
Providing support to change people’s lives
Underlying causes of homelessness are
complex and all need to be dealt with to
prevent it happening again.
Glasgow’s Priorities
12,500 applications
Single male - 52%
Single female - 15%
Single parents - 21%
Couple no children - 3%
Couple children - 4%
Other households - 4%
Assessed as homeless and in priority need 8,369(70%)
Rough Sleeping
National priority to reduce levels
1100 service users reported a member of
household had slept rough in previous 3
months
Specific projects funded to work with
rough sleepers including Street Teams
Types of Temporary
Accommodation
Large scale hostels (male & female) – being
phased out
Temporary furnished flats across City
Bed & breakfast accommodation – being
phased out for families with children
Women’s Aid refugees
Assessment centres
– General single homeless
– Young single homeless (16+17 year olds)
Key Support Services -1
Integrated assessment at point of application to
determine housing and support needs
A range of integrated health & homelessness
services
Assessment & Diversion Team – who prevent
homeless people using hostels
Key Support Services -2
A range of support services including :
– Housing support in hostels and temporary
accommodation
– Floating support for service users with
learning disabilities, mental illness, older
people, continuing drinkers
– Enhanced personal support service
– Homecare & enhanced homecare
Key Support Services -3
New Accommodation Projects :
– Supported accommodation for continuing drinkers
– Small scale resettlement projects for hostel residents
– Rehabilitation services for alcohol/drug addictions
– Supported accommodation for young people (18-25)
with complex needs
– Supported accommodation for older people with
alcohol related brain damage
– Move on accommodation for homeless drug users
Key Support Services -4
Increased social care assessment staff at
local level across the City
Joint training
Links to training, education & employment
for service users
Prevention work
– Housing Information & Advice Strategy
– Access to Housing Support
Prevention
Early identification of those getting into housing
difficulties
Advice, information and support available for
those getting into difficulties at an early stage
More effective care management and review
(Social Services)
Sensitive arrears management and anti-social
behaviour policies of landlords
Education in schools and through Youth
Services
What does Glasgow have to offer?
Most joined up approach
Striving to meet key goals in Homelessness
Strategy
Vibrant mixed economy of services
Significant role for voluntary sector
Clear goal of integration with mainstream
services
Local and national political commitment