STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

HOMELESSNESS has not improved in 20 years and needs a radical approach one of Scotland church leaders has suggested.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland has called for a new national strategy involving councils, charities and housing associations should be formed to end rough sleeping and reliance on temporary accommodation.

The Right Rev Dr Russell Barr said official figures show little change over decades and that they are not the full picture with many more people not registered as homeless.

Rev Barr said he has been working with homeless people since he founded a charity in 1999 and said the problem is as bad as ever.

He said in the last year councils handled 34,662 homeless applications. He said in 1996 the figure was just under 41,000.

Speaking at the Scottish Churches Action event, he said: “I have never been homeless but for the better part of these last 20 years I have been actively involved in trying to support people who are homeless.

“During the course of these 20 years I have glimpsed something of what a dreadful experience it is to be homeless, demoralising, degrading, dehumanising.”

He said that homelessness in this country is being managed not resolved.

The Moderator added Finland was the only country in Europe to have reduced homelessness to any significant extent because it established a partnership of state authorities, local communities and non-governmental organisations.

He said: “Because there were co-ordinated and targeted measures in the implementation of the policy, it is working.

“Collective endeavour as expressed in a nationally-agreed strategy appropriate for the Scottish context could not be more urgent.”

Kevin Stewart, housing minister recognised more work was needed but said progress was being made.

He said: “Everyone in Scotland should have a safe and warm place to call home.

“That is why we are increasing housing supply and are committed to delivering at least 50,000 affordable homes backed by over £3 billion investment during the lifetime of this Parliament, building on the 30,000-plus homes we have already delivered.

“The most recent figures also show that progress is being made and there has been a 6% decrease in the number of households assessed as homeless, continuing the downward trend of recent years - but we know more needs to be done.”