How the SNP are fighting homelessness and racist disinformation about refugees – Shirley-Anne Somerville

Fairness is a key part of our approach to housing. Recently we have seen vexatious, false claims in the press and on social media that people seeking asylum in Scotland are being given preferential treatment to secure social housing. I can categorically state that this is not true, and it is imperative that we challenge this misinformation, which only seeks to fuel hate and division.

People seeking asylum cannot access social housing, and they have no choice in where the Home Office places them. Refugees granted leave to remain, and assessed as eligible for homelessness assistance, are not prioritised over other homeless households.

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Valued members of society

The recent increase in asylum decision-making by the UK government has created additional demands on Scottish councils and local services. Refugees are valued members of our communities and, with the right support, can successfully rebuild their lives and contribute to society.

It is important that the Home Office provides adequate funding and works closely with local authorities and partners to ensure newly recognised refugees can access the support they need to settle and thrive.

This spread of misinformation has a serious impact and damages community cohesion – we saw terrible scenes in Possilpark in Glasgow recently where racist disinformation led to an affordable housing development being set alight.

These were homes which had been vacant for many years and had been brought back into use with public money before being destroyed. This took much needed homes away from the local community, impacting every homeless household waiting for a settled home.

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A home is vital for health

The theme of Scottish Housing Day this year is ‘Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures’, which highlights how housing quality directly influences physical and mental health.

A house is bricks and mortar. A home is where we build our lives. It is where we find the safety and stability to do everything else, and that security can have an incredible impact on mental well-being.

Since 2007 we have helped deliver 146,034 affordable homes, including over 104,000 for social rent. These are not just figures; behind every number is a person or family who has been able to secure a home and plan confidently for the future.

Affordable housing delivery per head in Scotland is 45 per cent higher than in England and 69 per cent higher than in Wales. Across this parliament, we will build on that record, delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70 per cent for social rent and 10 per cent in rural and island communities. This will be backed by investment of up to £4.9 billion, including a record £4.1bn of public sector funding.

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Help for first-time buyers

We know how hard it is to get that first foot on the property ladder. Our First Homes Fund offers first-time buyers £10,000 towards the purchase of their first home, a direct response to the many stories I've heard from people keen to secure a home of their own.

Our Open Market Shared Equity Scheme offers another route for first-time buyers and priority access groups who can't afford the full price of a home, including social renters, disabled people, people aged 60 and over, and members of the armed forces and veterans. We want to remove the barriers that many are facing and I encourage everyone who is eligible for these schemes to apply.

I recently visited Simon Community Scotland's Streetreads Library in Edinburgh and saw first-hand the impact secure housing can have. I spoke with people who had experienced rough sleeping and homelessness and have now been helped into permanent accommodation. It was particularly poignant to hear one person proudly refer to their house as their "forever home" and speak about the happiness and safety this had brought them. This is an outcome we want to replicate across Scotland.

Rapid rehousing

The best way to end homelessness is to prevent it happening in the first place. That is why we are shifting our approach from crisis management to prevention and rapid rehousing, and why we will do all we can in this parliament to help people off the streets and end the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation.

Over the next five years, we will drive progress through our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund, our Housing First programme, which will provide 1,500 permanent tenancies for people experiencing homelessness, and £2m for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme, which supports women to escape an abusive partner.

A key part of our approach to improve housing supply is the establishment of More Homes Scotland, which we will begin phasing in from April 2027. This will be a practical, delivery-focused agency bringing funding, expertise and delivery tools together under one roof to remove barriers and get homes built faster.

A safe and affordable home is fundamental to tackling poverty, improving health and wellbeing, supporting economic growth and creating stronger communities. That is why our Programme for Government includes a comprehensive package of measures to increase housing supply, strengthen housing stability and accelerate progress towards ending homelessness.

We know there is more to do, but I am determined we will be judged on delivery.

Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP is Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing