An ambitious bold plan is being implemented in Scotland to end homelessness. But will it actually happen?
"It came all of a sudden. It was like the perfect storm. My mother who I had been caring for suddenly had a stroke and died. I realized then I had lost everything. Not only my mother but work and a place to stay. I had given up practically everything to look after both my father and mother over the past 12 years. I also had to deal with my sister who had mental health problems. Then there was the pandemic. All those things led to the perfect storm. It was difficult to cope with all this. It led me to the border of madness. Soon after my mother's death a brother advised me to report to the Homeless Unit. At this stage I had practically no money or a place to stay. When I applied for Universal credit I was lucky to meet an official who gave me a good sum of money to get by for some time. I am now staying with a friend until I get thrown out. Since then the house I had stayed in is being cleared out for sale and all this rubbish is being thrown into a skip and black plastic bags. I have not been back since because the sight of it emotionally too much for me.
This is the first time I have had time to pause and think about things,"stated a 55 year old Graphic designer and web sight creator John Hamilton {not his real name} On the death of his mother John had no option but to move out of the home he had lived in, off and on , since his childhood. Had he stayed on at his home he would have been liable for further bills and the general upkeep of the house. The cost of maintaining this was only made possible by his mother's pension. He lacks the money to cover all the bills and tax as he is already in debt.
AN OFTEN HIDDEN PROBLEM
What might make this case strikingly unusual to people is that the house is located in one of the most prosperous suburbs of Glasgow {Bearsden}. On the surface this seems a grand mansion on top of a hill with a stunning view of scenic mountain ranges {i.e.The Strathblane Hills and Campsie Fells}. The mansion is in a safe, scenic and almost idyllic town where the avenues are graced with huge sturdy oak, maple and chestnut trees which are firmly rooted in the soil. Becoming homeless is not supposed to happen here! Such a case undermines deeply rooted negative stereotypes of who becomes homeless. In a word, it can happen to anyone. After all, the Russian writer Maxim Gorky was once homeless and so was the English writer George Orwell. No amount of advantage, affluence and education is insurance against ending up on the streets.
John Hamilton is just one of the estimated 49,149 homeless in Scotland according to the Scottish bulletin.{Government research and records}. Although figures remain controversial, it is fair to claim that there are at least a minimum of 30,000 homeless. Statutory homelessness grew by 10% in the periods 2016-2017 and 2019 -2020. The number of people sleeping rough in 2021 was estimated at approximately 900 and staying in tents and cars around 800. Sofa surfing {staying temporary with friends } accounts for more than 50% of the core homeless. As most of the homeless are staying with friends, at hotels and at hostels the problem remains largely hidden. Many of those who 'sofa surf' don't always find empathy. People can even tell them, "You are not really homeless because you have a roof over your head." For them, 'real homelessness' is equated with 'sleeping rough’. And when applying for aid from state bodies the homeless are still under obligation to prove they have not made themselves 'intentionally homeless'.
THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS
The causes of being homeless in Scotland can be complex. It can encompass numerous diverse reasons such as structural factors like recession, lack of protection against rising housing costs, declining wages, and the breakdown of relationships, family conflict as well as real estate agent abuse. The five top causes of homelessness are being asked to leave home {25%}, being discharged from an institution such as hospital, prison, or the army {9%} , getting into conflict in households and a breakdown in relationships{8%}, action by a landlord ending a tenancy such as selling the property{7%} and a dispute in the household characterized by violence and abuse {8%}. But a British government intent on imposing austerity policies of huge cuts in social welfare benefits along with the impact of the World recession in 2008 has compounded those problems.
A NEW AGREED PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
More and more Scots are convinced that cases such as John Hamilton's are avoidable. The Scottish parliament along with pressure groups, homeless activists, officials and the homeless themselves are attempting to seize the bull by the horns. A plan first formulated in 2018 aims to end homelessness in Scotland at least by or before 2030. The plan unanimously approved by the Scottish parliament is succinctly summed up by the title "Ending homelessness together in Scotland'. The main emphasis is on the prevention of homelessness where people can anticipate the likelihood of becoming homeless in advance. A kind of sophisticated and subtle warning system would be installed where imminent homelessness could be prevented by timely radical preventive intervention. The plan also proposes a huge investment in social housing where 35,000 houses would be socially rented and 50,000 affordable houses built. In addition, the period of time people stay in unsuitable housing would be cut to a minimum of 7 days so they would obtain a quicker transfer to settled housing. This active timely intervention would be part of a 'rapid rehousing program'. And stronger collaboration between different agencies and organizations would strive to avoid 'a pass the parcel situation' where the problem of a homeless person is passed from one social worker to a nurse and then to a council worker without a conclusive end and resolution. The Scottish parliament pledged 50 million pounds towards investment in the Ending Homelessness Together Project' as well as investing 12 million pounds in strengthening existing preventive legislation.
MIXED SUCCESS
How successfully has this plan been implemented? While the government fell short of the targets the program was far from being a total failure. It is too early to make firm judgments. For considerable progress has been made. As many as 35,000 affordable houses were built and over 20,000 rented homes established. Many of those setbacks were due to the arrival of the pandemic. But John Sparkes, a spokesman of the charity group 'Crisis' stated 'Crisis, is delighted to see the First Minister set out her commitment to changing the law to prevent homelessness. Those proposals hold the potential to make Scotland a World leader when it comes to ending homelessness. Since the start of the pandemic our priority has been getting people off the streets and into safe secure contained accommodation. The action taken over the last 18 months by national and local government as well as homeless service has undoubtedly saved lives. This year saw a record number of people trapped in temporary accommodation and we remain deeply concerned as the economic impact of the pandemic takes effect, more and more people who are currently struggling could be pushed into homelessness. We know the best way to end homelessness is to prevent it happening in the first place.'
If all the proposals by the Scottish parliament were implemented then homelessness would be rendered a relic of a bygone barbaric age. It would become a source of amazement to future generations as to how such an injustice could have been allowed in the first place. Every Scot has a civil obligation and duty to ensure that this plan is carried out. It can't just be left to the politicians. Ending homelessness will no longer seem a far fetched dream but a living reality. It is doable! If Finland can do it, so can we! And it is not just about ending homelessness but creating a more compassionate, caring and improved society.