A HOMLESSNESS charity has called for a seven-day limit on the use of “demoralising and destructive” temporary accommodation

Crisis surveyed homeless people living in B&Bs, hotels or unsupported hostels and found many felt isolated and depressed and were subject to curfews and bans on visits.

The interviews with 74 people in Glasgow, Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, East Lothian, Highland and Midlothian found 60% were subject to a curfew and three-quarters were not allowed visits from family or friends.

More than four in five (84%) said they felt isolated and almost nine in 10 (88%) felt depressed due to their living situation.

Just under half (45%) of those interviewed said they had no access to a kitchen, causing more than half to regularly skip meals and four in 10 said this happened daily or most days.

Slightly more than third (34%) of people had no access to a fridge.

One of those interviewed, Katie, has been stuck in a B&B for more than a year.

She said: “It’s really depressing and you’re just stuck there and you don’t even have any cooking facilities - all you’ve got is a kettle and that’s it.

A week-long restriction is currently only in place for families and pregnant women.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: “Lengthy stays in B&Bs, unsupported hostels or hotels are destructive, demoralising and stop people moving on with their lives.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We are investing £6.5 million to support a Housing First approach, which focuses on getting a a person into settled accommodation first so they can then access support from the security of their own home.”