ONE in 10 homes used for temporary accommodation in Scotland are lying empty, according to the latest figures.
Statistics released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday reveal 783 properties were vacant as of March 2024.
The figure is more than five times higher than the vacancy rate for regular council housing, which stood at 1.9%.
The Government said the difference could be due to the higher turnover in temporary accommodation and the need to have housing supply on demand for emergencies.
However, the total number of housing stock owned by councils being recorded as vacant over the last three years was also at its highest level since 2005. Since 2022, 3.6% of all local authority properties were vacant, compared with 3.8% 19 years ago.
Of the properties used for temporary accommodation that are lying empty, 9% did so for between 26 weeks and two years, while 4% did so for more than two years.
Another 27% were vacant for fewer than two weeks, 32% between two and six weeks and 28% between six and 26 weeks.
The figures come amid a record number of homeless Scots in temporary accommodation.
As of March this year, 16,300 households were in the system – the highest since the Scottish Government’s records began in 2002.
Those figures, released in September, also showed the number of children awaiting a permanent home surged to more than 10,000 – the highest on record.
Housing minister Paul McLennan described the homeless statistics at the time as “deeply concerning”.
Those placed in temporary accommodation were there on average for 226 days, but that number increased to 507 for Edinburgh residents.
Since 2023, the Scottish Government and at least a dozen councils have declared a housing emergency as services struggle to cope with demand.
Amid a lack of available homes, the number of B&Bs being used as temporary housing rose 12% since 2023, accounting for 16% of all placements.
Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland, said the Scottish Government will need to increase social house building by 40% every month if they are to deliver on their promise to build 77,000 homes for social rent by 2032.
“Building more social homes is the only way to end the housing emergency, and the government knows this,” she said.
“We welcomed Shona Robison’s decision in the latest Scottish budget to reverse last year’s devastating 24% cut to the social housing budget. Today’s numbers show the impact that has had with a 22% drop in the number of new affordable homes completed in the year to the end of September 2024.
“That is why the money must be matched with action. Action to make better use of existing homes, to buy homes for rent and action to speed up planning and construction in the areas most impacted by the housing emergency.”
Watson added: “More than 10,000 children will wake up facing the trauma of homelessness this Christmas - the highest number on record and more than double the figure from a decade ago. Their only wish is for a warm, safe and secure place to call home.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
