Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003
Milestone 6: Reducing the number of households with children, and particularly families with children, living in temporary accommodation
This milestone is measured by means of a snapshot count of the number of households in temporary accommodation carried out by the Scottish Executive at the end of March, June, September and December. The information is collected from local authorities under the homeless persons legislation and relates only to those households who secured temporary accommodation under the legislation.
Applicants for assistance under the homelessness legislation may be placed in temporary accommodation either as the outcome of the application, or as a temporary measure until the council can complete their assessment and identify suitable permanent accommodation for the applicant. In 2001, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation which placed additional duties on councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as homeless. In particular, from September 2002, councils have been required to provide temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to non-priority applicants who in the past would have received advice and assistance only.
Temporary accommodation
Coinciding with the change in legislation, there has been an increase in the total number of households and households with dependent children in temporary accommodation over the last 12 months. However, since 2001, there has been a fall in households with dependent children as a proportion of all households living in temporary accommodation.
Chart 6a: Number of households with dependent children in temporary accommodation by type of accommodation, June 2001 - March 2003
Source: Scottish Executive
Since the information was first collected, the total number of households with dependent children in temporary accommodation has increased from some 1,400 in June 2001 to some 1,600 in March 2003. This increase of some 16 per cent has occurred over the last 12 months. Since 2001, there has been a fall from 35 per cent to 29 per cent in households with dependent children as a proportion of all households living in temporary accommodation. The number of households with dependent children in Bed and Breakfast accommodation as a percentage of all households with dependent children in temporary accommodation has remained fairly steady at some 7 per cent since 2001.
Background data
Table 6b: Households in temporary accommodation, 2001 - 2003
Period | Total Households | Households with dependent children | Households with dependent children as a percentage of all households |
| Number | Number | Percentage |
as at 31 March 2001 | 4,060 | 1,438 | 35 |
as at 30 June 2001 | 4,002 | 1,405 | 35 |
as at 30 September 2001 | 3,924 | 1,370 | 35 |
as at 31 December 2001 | 3,913 | 1,169 | 30 |
as at 31 March 2002 | 4,153 | 1,329 | 32 |
as at 30 June 2002 | 4,420 | 1,503 | 34 |
as at 30 September 2002 | 4,704 | 1,490 | 32 |
as at 31 December 2002 | 5,047 | 1,457 | 29 |
as at 31 March 2003 | 5,496 | 1,620 | 29 |
Source: Scottish ExecutiveTable 6c: Households with children and number of children living in temporary accommodation by accommodation type, 2001 - 2003
Household type | Local authority dwelling | Hostel | Bed & Breakfast | Other | Total |
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
Households with dependent children |
as at 30 June 2001 | 1,166 | 83 | 101 | 7 | 88 | 6 | 50 | 4 | 1,405 | 100 |
as at 30 Sept 2001 | 1,160 | 85 | 86 | 6 | 76 | 6 | 48 | 4 | 1,370 | 100 |
as at 31 Dec 2001 | 1,024 | 88 | 58 | 5 | 48 | 4 | 39 | 3 | 1,169 | 100 |
as at 31 March 2002 | 1,107 | 83 | 103 | 8 | 94 | 7 | 25 | 2 | 1,329 | 100 |
as at 30 June 2002 | 1,222 | 81 | 85 | 6 | 105 | 7 | 91 | 6 | 1,503 | 100 |
as at 30 Sept 2002 | 1,206 | 81 | 93 | 6 | 110 | 7 | 81 | 5 | 1,490 | 100 |
as at 31 Dec 2002 | 1,220 | 84 | 67 | 5 | 99 | 7 | 71 | 5 | 1,457 | 100 |
as at 31 March 2003 | 1,357 | 84 | 73 | 5 | 110 | 7 | 80 | 5 | 1,620 | 100 |
Total number of dependent children |
as at 30 June 2001 | 2,203 | 84 | 189 | 7 | 149 | 6 | 82 | 3 | 2,623 | 100 |
as at 30 Sept 2001 | 2,210 | 85 | 156 | 6 | 138 | 5 | 86 | 3 | 2,590 | 100 |
as at 31 Dec 2001 | 1,925 | 88 | 114 | 5 | 81 | 4 | 64 | 3 | 2,184 | 100 |
as at 31 March 2002 | 2,046 | 86 | 156 | 7 | 142 | 6 | 45 | 2 | 2,389 | 100 |
as at 30 June 2002 | 2,322 | 83 | 156 | 6 | 164 | 6 | 153 | 5 | 2,795 | 100 |
as at 30 Sept 2002 | 2,117 | 81 | 195 | 7 | 171 | 7 | 144 | 5 | 2,627 | 100 |
as at 31 Dec 2002 | 2,407 | 85 | 128 | 5 | 155 | 6 | 126 | 4 | 2,816 | 100 |
as at 31 March 2003 | 2,594 | 86 | 121 | 4 | 186 | 6 | 128 | 4 | 3,029 | 100 |
Source: Scottish ExecutiveAvailability of data and references
This is the third year information on households with dependent children is available. Focus will increase on households with dependent children in inappropriate temporary accommodation as more information becomes available. Information on all households in temporary accommodation will continue to be presented. Information on temporary accommodation can be disaggregated by local authorities, but is not available by age, gender, ethnicity or disability. Analysis by urban and rural split is also not available.
Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland
National and Local Authority Analyses 2002-03
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00271-00.asp