A demonstration is to take place today demanding action to prevent further deaths of the homeless this winter as one charity revealed that calls to its emergency hotline have risen tenfold in just a year.
Some 200 are expected at a demonstration in the heart of Glasgow as housing campaigners fear the worst this winter after it was estimated more than 14 people have died every month in Scotland while homeless since the pandemic hit, despite the offer of hotel accommodation to prevent deaths.
The data compiled by the Dying Homeless Project overseen by the Museum of Homelessness (MoH) showed that more than 520 homeless people have died in the past three years, including more than 165 in Glasgow alone.
The analysis revealed that there were more than 160 homeless deaths across Scotland in 2022. That's more than 20 than the 18 month period to March, 2019 when the investigation first started but 19 fewer than in 2020.
The Homeless Project Scotland (HPS) charity which is one of the organisers of today's rally in George Square said calls to their homeless hotline giving advice to those who need help has soared from 100 a week a year ago to 1000 now.
READ MORE: SNP's 'transformative' homeless prevention plan needs funding
The Glasgow-based charity believes that there are as many as 80 rough sleepers in Glasgow alone - more than double the number they were seeing last year.
And they say the number of hot meals a month it is distributing has soared from 34,000 a month last year to 55,000 a month this year.
"It is a horrific situation at the moment. The councils and the government need to provide the necessary resources to people in need to ensure they have a roof over their head," said the charity's chairman and co-founder Colin McInnes.
"These people are looking for advice because they don't know where to go. They want help with accommodation. It is so frustrating."
The Scottish Tenants' Organisation (STO), which is also supporting the protest added: "The stark reality is that we are facing many more homeless people dying on Scotland’s streets this winter unless the Scottish Government start building thousands of social homes and bringing thousands of empty homes back into circulation by having them retrofitted.
"This is the only way to solve the homelessness catastrophe before us."
The protest comes in the wake of concerns that homelessness in Scotland has surged higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Official figures show more children than ever are homeless and living in temporary accommodation in Scotland.
As of March this year, 9,595 youngsters were in the system - the highest since Scottish government records began in 2002.
HPS says that homelessness had reached a breaking point in Glasgow, with "dire consequences looming" on the horizon.
"The winter months are fast approaching and we cannot stand by while more homeless individuals succumb to the harsh realities of life on the streets," they said. "It is time for immediate and decisive action to end the homelessness crisis and prevent further tragic loss of life."
The charity said the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership - the amalgamation of Glasgow City Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which delivers community health and social care services - need to act now or more homeless people would die this winter.
They say that they must uphold their "obligation" to provide care and shelter to those in need.
In total, there were 29,652 open homelessness cases across Scotland in March, which was a 15% rise on last year.
Meanwhile, homelessness applications increased by 9% in 2022-23 while there was a 1% drop in cases being closed.
Sean Clerkin, campaign co-ordinator of the STO added: "We are in the middle of a homelessness tsunami in Scotland due to the cost of living crisis with a large surge in numbers of homeless people seeking accommodation and yet the Scottish Government can only repeat the same mantra time after time that they are helping with existing resources that do not match the scale of the problem."
It comes as Glasgow warned it faces an "unprecedented" rise in homelessness applications as the Home Office tries to clear a backlog of asylum claims.
Glasgow City Council says it could result in 1,400 successful applicants who need help with housing this year.
Modelling suggests the council would need to find another 1,100 properties and face an extra £27m in costs.
The UK government has not pledged additional funding for councils.
Housing minister Paul McLennan said: “We are committed to preventing homelessness. In addition to the local government settlement, we are providing local authorities with £30.5 million annually for their work to prevent homelessness. Separately, we are providing a total of £100 million from our multi-year Ending Homelessness Together fund.
“We are strengthening partnerships between health and homelessness services to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and multiple complex needs, including substance use.
“Scotland has led the UK in providing affordable housing, having delivered 123,985 affordable homes since 2007. We are making available £3.5 billion over this parliamentary term to support the delivery of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, 70% of which will be for social rent.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “Homelessness services in Glasgow face unprecedented pressure due to the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and rampant inflation on the poorest and most vulnerable, and increased numbers of people coming to the city in search of accommodation, work and access to services.
“Imminent changes to the UK asylum system risk compounding those pressures many times over. The council and its partners are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and to seek the additional resources necessary to address them.”
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