'Fewer' homeless people request aid

Fewer homeless people are applying to local authorities for help, with quarterly numbers falling 13% on last year, according to official figures. In the three months to June, 10,395 applications were made for homelessness assistance. Fewer households were in temporary accommodation, at 10,466 for the month of June and down 6% on the same month last year. The number of households with children in temporary accommodation was down 11% to 3,293. Of those assessed as homeless, 93% are regarded as being in priority need. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT Under the Scottish Government's homelessness target, from the end of this year all unintentionally homeless people are entitled to settled accommodation, and not just those classed as a priority. To help meet the target, the Government set up the Scottish Housing Options Approach which allows local authorities to look at all options such as private rental accommodation, low-cost home ownership and other measures, instead of a homelessness assessment as the first option. Housing minister Margaret Burgess said: "These latest falls in homeless applications provide proof that measures to tackle and prevent homelessness are making a real difference. The Scottish Government's Housing Options Approach funding programme, backed by investment of approximately £650,000, has helped local authorities embrace prevention. "We will continue to drive forward with our partners in local government and elsewhere to ensure we remain on course to meet our 2012 target and sustain this into 2013 and beyond."

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