Glasgow mum and newborn 'had nothing but pram', says homelessness charity

Volunteers at a homeless shelter in Glasgow are telling us of their shock after a mother and her newborn arrived seeking help.

Homelessness Project Scotland says it received a call from a young woman in her twenties who had become homeless with her six-week-old baby over the weekend.

Bosses at the charity quickly arranged for the pair to come into their overnight shelter to escape the sub-zero temperatures.

When they arrived, volunteers said the baby had "nothing but its pram".

Colin McInnes from the charity says it was harrowing to see: "The volunteers that were on that night were like 'wow, we have a baby in the night shelter'.

"We never expected to have a baby in the night shelter.

"The wee baby's feet were only the size of a fifty pence coin - it was a tiny baby.

"It had nothing except its pram.

"Our volunteers swiftly got together a Moses basket, food, clothing - everything she needed before we got mum off to accommodation."

Homelessness to rise by a third

It comes as a study predicts homelessness in Scotland could increase by a third in the next two years without a significant policy intervention.

Research from Heriot-Watt University for the charity Crisis suggested the number of households experiencing "core homelessness" - sleeping rough, in hostels or in temporary accommodation - could rise by 33% by 2026.

The study examined past trends in homelessness and projected trends based on housing market data and economic forecasts from the Treasury, OBR and other sources.

In 2022, core homelessness stood at 18,400 households and the report projected that this would increase by 6,100 by 2026.

The core homelessness figure has gone up by 11% since 2020.

The Homelessness Monitor report recommended a number of different measures to prevent this increase, including raising working age benefits and action to prevent destitution.

'It should worry us all'

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: "The risk of a significant rise in homelessness over the coming years should worry us all.

"We can't just sit back and watch as more people are forced onto the streets, to sleep in cars or garages, or spent months or years trapped in emergency accommodation that just isn't fit for their basic needs.

"It doesn't need to be that way. Scotland has proven good policy can make a difference in the past, and it can do it again.

"As this report shows, by investing in homelessness services and by pushing on with plans to prevent homelessness, backed by adequate resource, the Scottish Government can stop that future from becoming a reality.

"We know what causes homelessness and we know how to end it. By working together, we can build a Scotland where everyone has a safe, secure place to call home."

'A system under huge strain'

Dr Beth Watts-Cobbe of Heriot-Watt University said: "This year's homelessness monitor paints the picture of a system under huge strain - with rising numbers of people presenting as homeless over the past two years, reports of growing footfall from local authorities and intense challenges accessing accommodation to resolve people's homelessness.

"It is acutely concerning that, after a decade of stability prior to the pandemic and despite a strong focus on rapid rehousing approaches, temporary accommodation placements have increased sharply, including a greater reliance on accommodation."

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