The council tell us that new statistics released by the Scottish Government show that the capital’s homelessness strategy is working, with the number of people presenting to the Council as rough sleepers the lowest of any Scottish city.
The council introduced a new strategy in October last year which involved cooperation with the Bethany Christian Trust, Edinburgh Cyrenian Trust, Foursquare and CHAI.
We have been struck recently by the number of people sleeping on the streets some mornings. What do you think?
As a result of successful partnership working with third sector organisations and a renewed focus on prevention, the overall number of people presenting as homeless has reduced by 15% over the last five years, with less than 3% of people classed as rough sleepers.
Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “These statistics are extremely encouraging and a tremendous achievement, not just for the Council but for our partners in the third sector who work tirelessly to support homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless.
“While there is still much to be done, it is clear that Edinburgh’s homelessness strategy is helping us to move in the right direction and delivering real results. All of this has been achieved despite a challenging economic climate and significant budget pressures.
“We have invested over £14 million this financial year to fund third sector support services and around another £11 million on our own prevention services. Protecting vulnerable people will continue to be our key priority and we are committed to reducing homelessness further across Edinburgh.”
The City of Edinburgh Council offers an extensive range of services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, from support and advice on housing options, to assessment services and accommodation.
An early intervention approach also plays a vital role in the Council’s homelessness strategy. Each year commissioned services help over 7,500 people to find new homes as quickly as possible and provide support to help them keep their homes.
Iain Gordon, Chief Executive of Bethany Christian Trust and Chair of the Strategic Homeless Action Partnership in Edinburgh (SHAPE) said: “It is encouraging to see indications that the number of people presenting as homeless in the city is reducing. A great deal of work has been done by third sector organisations and the Council in recent years to address some of the root causes of homelessness as well as the distress that homelessness brings to the lives of some of the city’s most vulnerable people.
“SHAPE remains keen to work with the Council to address increases in the level of support required by those who find themselves homeless and in the prevalence of repeat homelessness.”
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