Scotland faces housing crisis as child homelessness reaches record levels

A new campaign, ‘Building Hope: A Home for Every Child’, has been launched by Shelter Scotland and Fife Gingerbread to address the rising number of children in temporary accommodation. More than 10,000 children in Scotland are currently living in temporary housing, a record high. Campaigners report that families spend an average of 386 days in such settings, with some households remaining in temporary accommodation for over two years.

In Edinburgh, the housing crisis has intensified, with homelessness rising by 75 per cent in recent years. A policy introduced by the City of Edinburgh Council in April 2025 allowed asylum seekers with approved claims to receive priority for council housing, which local critics say has impacted the wider waiting list. Asylum seekers now account for more than 16 per cent of temporary accommodation placements in the city, up from 1 per cent in 2023. Following local debate, councillors voted to reinstate the previous system, though the change is not expected to take effect until October.