The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work this Parliament in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. So the Committee has time to complete its work, it has agreed not to consider petitions submitted after 10 October.
The Committee will continue to meet but given the volume of petitions and agreed work programme it is unlikely that the Committee would be able to meaningfully progress work on petitions submitted after 10 October ahead of the election. Petitions lodged after this date will not fall when the Parliament is dissolved and will be for the successor committee to consider in the new session.
If you are seeking urgent action or policy change please contact one of your 8 MSPs or the Scottish Government directly.
Under consideration PE1946: To call on the Scottish Government to pay all charges for homeless temporary accommodation.
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to use general taxation to pay for all charges for homeless temporary accommodation, including writing off the £33.3 million debt owed by homeless people for temporary accommodation to local authorities.
Previous action taken
Written to Shona Robison on the homeless issue and I have highlighted this issue in various newspapers. Jackie Baillie MSP has been involved in homeless issue as well.
Background information
The issue of the plight of homeless vulnerable people paying large charges for temporary accommodation from local authorities was first highlighted by a recent report from the Legal Services Agency in Glasgow which concluded that the Scottish Government should use general taxation to pay for all charges for temporary accommodation for homeless people.
More recently Homeless Action Scotland have highlighted in a report that working people who are homeless are being forced into serious debt. As they are above the threshold for housing benefits, the report suggests that local authorities are chasing after them using debt collection agencies.
The cost of living crisis will further impoverish many people in Scotland and it is highly likely there will be an increase in homeless applications and homeless assessments therefore the state has to protect our most vulnerable.
It is in this context of terrible financial hardship being experienced by many people in Scotland that I present this petition calling on the State to protect very vulnerable homeless people from this financial burden that will drive many of them into physical and mental ill health.
10 signatures
This petition is now under consideration
Click here for further information about the consideration of this petition.