Responding to today’s new Housing Emergency Action Plan by the Scottish Government, Aoife Deery, housing spokesperson at Citizens Advice Scotland said: 

“Last year, the Scottish CAB network gave housing advice more than 62,000 times, an increase of 7% on the year before, with surges in demand for advice on homelessness and rent arrears. Things are getting worse for thousands of people and will continue to do so without urgent action and investment.  

“Every day, advisers in local CABs across Scotland support people with housing problems, but they tell us that there are fewer options than ever before to help people find a safe, secure and sustainable home.  

“Last week, we published Home truths: an evidence and insight briefing calling for the Scottish Government to produce a comprehensive housing emergency action plan. Now it has been published, we urge the Scottish Government to be bold and ambitious in the implementation of this plan. We need urgent action and real investment.  Scotland should be a place that fully and competently upholds housing as a human right.”