Why we are engaging with Glasgow City Council (Glasgow City)
We are engaging with Glasgow City about its services for people who are homeless.
The context in which councils are delivering services to people who are experiencing homelessness has become increasingly challenging in the last few years. In our December 2023 update to our thematic report on homelessness services in Scotland we set out that there is systemic failure in the delivery of some councils’ services to people experiencing homelessness. By this we mean that the demands on some local authorities now exceeds their capacity to respond. This is the case at Glasgow City. We will continue to monitor, assess and report on Glasgow City’s performance in discharging its duties to people who are homeless, and we will engage with the local authority to promote improvement where this is possible.
We are ready to work with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City itself and other stakeholders to identify and implement actions that will address the systemic issues affecting the delivery of homelessness services at Glasgow City.
During 2022/23 we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics and the Annual Returns on the Charter. We also spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services. To assess the risks to people who are threatened with or experiencing homelessness we will engage with all local authorities during 2023/24 with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation.
We will engage with Glasgow City in particular about the following areas:
- how people access the homelessness services provided by Glasgow City;
- the provision of temporary accommodation by Glasgow City to people who are homeless; and
- outcomes for people who are homeless.
In November 2020 we published the findings of our inquiry under section 42, Part 4 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 into Glasgow City’s services for people experiencing homelessness.
In response to our findings and recommendations Glasgow City developed, and is now implementing, a new temporary accommodation strategy within its wider programme of work to transform its services for people who are homeless. We will engage with Glasgow City on a monthly basis about its progress. Glasgow City is working openly and constructively with us.
What Glasgow City must do
Glasgow City must:
- provide us with the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
- continue best efforts to meet its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and to comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order; and
- keep us updated on its capacity to meet its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and to comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order.
What we will do
We will:
- review the information Glasgow City provides about its homelessness service;
- meet with Glasgow City to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- meet with Glasgow City to seek assurance about its best efforts to provide suitable temporary accommodation;; and
- update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Glasgow City.
Regulatory returns
Glasgow City must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns:
- Annual Assurance Statement; and
- Annual Return on the Charter.
It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns.