Our vision is a society where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.
A person is homeless if they have no accommodation, or if it would not be reasonable for them to continue to stay in it.
The legal definition of homelessness includes people in temporary or unsafe living conditions. Adequate housing is a human right, and in Scotland we have strong housing rights. However, implementing and exercising these rights can be challenging. For many, the right to housing is far from reach and some groups are at further disadvantage, leading to unequal housing outcomes. Homelessness is not inevitable.
Most people experiencing homelessness in Aberdeen are not rough sleeping, but are in temporary accommodation which is often unsuitable and prolonged, or in unsafe living situations. This deprives vulnerable people of the opportunity to feel settled, safe and secure.
Homelessness levels in Scotland are projected to increase by a third in the next two years without policy change. Scottish Government figures (2023) show that 399 household are in temporary housing in Aberdeen, often without access to cooking or other facilities and with insufficient space, resulting in frequent moves and unmet need. This represents a 72% rise in live homelessness cases - the joint biggest rise in Scotland.
Over half of applications to Aberdeen City Council that are assessed as homeless, or at risk of homelessness within two months, have at least one support need identified (e.g., mental health, medical condition, drug or alcohol dependency, basic housing management, independent living skills, debt, social supports, and isolation.)
From consistently supporting around 1,200 people per year, last year we supported 2,948 individuals with an additional 120% rise in daily presentations. Given the ongoing increase in demand, we anticipate that we will likely support over 4,000 individuals per year over the next 3-5 years with 50 visits per day. Our recent most busy day (July 2024) saw 70 visits to our crisis response centre, Direct Access, in a single day.
