Cost of living crisis pushing more people towards homelessness, warns charity
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THE cost of living crisis is continuing to push people in Scotland closer to homelessness, charity Crisis has warned following a new YouGov survey.
The poll is the latest showing the squeeze on Scottish households incomes, more than a year after the cost of living crisis began.
In a survey commissioned by the Scottish Government, YouGov found more than one in 10 eople in Scotland (11 per cent) are concerned about being able to pay their rent or mortgage over the next two or three months.
Asked what they were most concerned about over the next year, 28 per cent cited their household finances, 39 per cent cost of groceries and 47 per cent energy prices.
Overall, almost a quarter – 24 per cent – said they were struggling to pay for household bills.
It found 32 per cent said their household was managing well financially, compared to 43 per cent who said they were getting by, and 22 per cent who said they were managing less well.
Only a third (33 per cent) of those surveyed said they would know where to go to find financial help and support if they needed it.
Crisis, the national homelessness charity, warned that rising food prices, energy bills and inflation are continuing to make it harder for people to meet their housing costs and to stay afloat, with those already struggling facing the prospect of being forced into homelessness.
Over six months of polling, 1 in 10 have consistently expressed concern about being able to pay housing costs. The longer the rising tide of hardship continues, the charity said, the more people will be pulled under.
The survey asked respondents if they were concerned they would be unable to pay their bills in a month’s time. Overall 15 per cent said they were extremely or very concerned, while a further 38 per cent said they were somewhat concerned.
A fifth (20 per cent) of those surveyed said they had been forced to cut back on essential items such as food over the past six months, while 10 per cent had taken out a loan to cover costs, and 57 per cent had reduced their energy use.
Meanwhile, a total 78 per cent of respondents disagreed with the statement “It feels like the cost of living crisis is easing”.
Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: “It’s clear that the rising cost of living is heaping more and more pressure on households across Scotland.
“Our services in Scotland have been reporting rising demand for months, including from families, and it’s clear that without urgent action we face the prospect of a huge spike in homelessness.
“The UK government must act by raising Housing Benefit, so it matches the actual cost of housing, while the Scottish Government must push on with plans for new measures to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.
“We can’t sit by and watch as more and more people are pushed closer to homelessness. We know what causes it, and we know how to stop it. We don’t have time to waste.”
The survey was conducted by YouGov between March 28-30, 2023, based in a sample of 1003 adults.
