Homeless deaths on the rise in Scotland

Scotland is facing a "homeless deaths emergency'', campaigners warned as figures showed an estimated 195 people died while either sleeping on the streets or in temporary accommodation in 2018.

The total was up by almost a fifth (19%) on the previous year, with the statistics also revealing Scotland had the highest rate of deaths amongst homeless people in Britain.

The death rate for 2018 was 35.9 per million of the population - more than double the 16.8 per million in England and also above the 14.5 per million in Wales.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton branded the figures "absolutely devastating''.

He said: "Both of Scotland's governments should be mortified and guilt-ridden by the frequency of deaths on our streets and in temporary accommodation. Hundreds of people, and each of their families, have been utterly failed.

"It's one of the most basic responsibilities of the state to look after those who don't even have a roof over their head. Sleeping rough is a dreadful fate, especially in the depths of winter, and it is taking a terrible toll.

"The extent of both the homelessness death emergency and the drugs crisis in Scotland has been laid bare. It's shocking to see the situation here being so much worse than the rest of the UK.''

Grant Campbell, director of the charity Crisis Scotland, said: "For the first time we can see the true, devastating scale of the number of people who have died without a place to call home, because of failings within the very system which should have prevented them from falling into poverty and homelessness in the first place.

"Behind these figures are human beings - mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters.

"Every death must be fully investigated so that we can learn from the failings which caused someone to die without a home.''

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: "Behind these shocking figures lie individual personal tragedies. People living in desperate situations ultimately failed by the system. They will leave behind them bereaved relatives and friends, who have our sympathies.

"It is vital that the effort to end this loss of life does not end with the publication of the figures.''

The data, published by National Records of Scotland (NRS) using an experimental compiling method, shows 79% of the estimated deaths were amongst men, with 53% of all fatalities drugs-related.

Suicide and alcohol accounted for 8% of those who died.

The Glasgow City Council area had the highest rate of homeless deaths, with 100.5 per million population, with Aberdeen City Council recording a death rate of 67.8 per million.

Four local authorities in Scotland - Angus, East Renfrewshire, Moray and the Scottish Borders - had no identified homeless deaths in 2018.

Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: "The reasons that lead to homelessness are often very complex and many people who died while experiencing homelessness will have struggled with complex life challenges including addiction, poor mental health and family breakdown.

"These challenges are often driven by a history of poverty, childhood adversity and trauma, including deteriorating physical and mental health, poor housing, contact with the criminal justice system, and other issues.''

The next meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group will have a "specific focus on public health and addiction issues'' - with Mr Stewart saying both he and public health minister Joe FitzPatrick will attend.

The housing minister added: "While this report is based on experimental statistics, its findings will help the Scottish Government to further understand the many issues affecting the most vulnerable in our society and will help us as we double our efforts to eradicate homelessness and its causes.''

Registrar General for Scotland Paul Lowe explained NRS had "developed a method of estimating the incidence of homeless deaths in response to user demand''.

He added: "It is important to stress that these are experimental statistics and we will continue to work with users and stakeholders to assess their suitability and quality, as we continue to develop our methodology in future years''.

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