The 34,067 homeless households in 2024-25 contained a total of 53,720 people, comprising 38,674 adults and 15,046 children – Homelessness in Scotland 2024 – 25
This article provides the latest data on homelessness and homes in Scotland.
The council areas with the highest proportion of dwellings that were vacant in 2024 were Na h-Eileanan Siar (8%), Aberdeen City (6%), Orkney Islands (6%) and Shetland Islands (6%).
The areas with the highest proportion of dwellings that were second homes were mainly rural and island areas, including Argyll and Bute (6%), Na h-Eileanan Siar (6%), Orkney Islands (4%) and Highland (3%).
Percentage of dwellings which are vacant, long-term empty or second homes by council area, 2024
By the end of March 2025 17,240 people were living in temporary accommodation in Scotland.
Households in temporary accommodation compared to all households, by local authority: as at 31 March 2025 ( 68 households per 10,000 in Scotland in temporary accommodation)
Commenting on the latest Homelessness figures published by the Scottish Government Citizen Advice Scotland (CAS) housing spokesperson Aoife Deery said:
“These new figures show without doubt the deepening nature of the national housing emergency with over 17,000 households in temporary accommodation last year, an increase of 6%. Demand for housing advice from our advisers in bureaux across Scotland is also growing, which highlights the value of advice as people face unimaginable uncertainty about their homes. “
The number of children in temporary accommodation also increased (1%) between March 2024 and 2025 reaching 10,180 – a 2% decrease compared to 10,360 in September 2024.
The time between applying for emergency accommodation and being left with nowhere to go but to sleep rough, increased from 1,932 to 2,465 and in the three months prior from 3,058 to 3,579 between 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Homelessness applications, assessments and temporary accommodation 2023-24 and 2024-25.
| Measure | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Change2023-24 to 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percent | |||
| Applications | 41,054 | 40,688 | -366 | -1% |
| Assessed as homeless | 33,955 | 34,067 | 112 | 0% |
| Households in temporary accommodation at 31 March | 16,330 | 17,240 | 910 | 6% |
| Open homelessness applications at 31 March | 31,513 | 31,695 | 182 | 1% |
The number of households assessed as homeless were the highest since 2011-12, with the number of households in temporary accommodation reaching the highest in the time series (back to 2002). – Homelessness in Scotland 2024 – 25
Households assessed as homeless compared to all households, by local authority: 2024-25
Of the 34,067 households that were assessed as homeless in 2024-25, 30,905 (91%) had a local connection to the local authority where they applied, 1,225 (4%) had a local connection to another (Scottish) local authority only and 1,935 (6%) had no known connection to any local authority in Scotland.
A report for The National Records of Scotland shows that there were 2.55 million households in Scotland in 2024.
The number of households has increased in every Local Authority. Orkney has one of the larger increases at 25%. Many of these homes in Orkney are now single person households.
The number of homes termed as ‘vacant’ has increased across Scotland. A vacant home is: long-term (six months or more) empty (43,500, 1.6% of all dwellings); unoccupied exemptions (47,800, 1.7% of all dwellings), such as new homes yet to be occupied and dwellings undergoing repair or awaiting demolition. The number of second homes has remained fairly stable.
In 2024 there were 2.74 million dwellings in Scotland. This was an increase of 364,100 (15%) dwellings since 2004.
Of these 2.74 million dwellings, 112,900 (4.1%) were unoccupied. These unoccupied dwellings included:
- vacant properties (91,300, 3.3% of all dwellings)
- second homes (21,600, 0.8% of all dwellings).
In Scotland there are 34,067 homeless households in 2024-25 of 53,720 people. Of those 38,674 are adults and are 15,046 children. Yet we have a combined total of 112,900 dwellings, which (for whatever reason) are unoccupied.
Citizens Advice Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to immediately implement its housing emergency action plan. The Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency in May 2024.
According to the Scottish Government it has taken the following actions:
The Scottish Government has set out a long list of actions it intends to take to tackle the Housing Emergency which you can find by clicking on this link: Tackling Scotland’s Housing Emergency.
If you are looking to blame homelessness or the housing emergency on refugees, check out the facts. This article has provided links to the data and publications on housing and homelessness in Scotland.
Homelessness in Scotland: 2024-25
Households and Dwellings in Scotland, 2024
Fiona Grahame
Leave a Reply