Homelessness in Fife: council cuts B&B use as pandemic pressures ease

Councillors were told this week that the spike caused in lockdown and post-pandemic had abated, easing the pressure on its housing service, admitting it “struggled to cope with demand.”

The Cabinet committee heard that the region has not seen a significant increase in homelessness presentations over the last two to three years, with numbers remaining relatively static at around 2700 per year.

Statutory assessments mean there is a duty to find permanent homes for around 90% of the households who present. The number requesting temporary accommodation has fluctuated over recent years with the post pandemic, cost of living and other pressures taking a toll on vulnerable households.

Fife declared a housing emergency in March 2024, and, last June, it agreed an action plan to tackle the issue and make sure homelessness statutory duties and legal responsibilities to tenants and other housing customers were being met. One year on, and the committee was told the authority is working to reduce reliance on unsuitable accommodation.

It is increasing provision of community based accommodation, developing new models of direct access accommodation, and enhancing the range of supported accommodation to meet the needs of households with complex needs.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, housing spokesperson, said: “The use of B&B accommodation became more prominent in the pandemic and post pandemic years when our housing service struggled to cope with service demands. We've put a number of measures in place which are proving to be successful.

"People deserve warm, safe homes that are affordable.. We have a duty to ensure no one is left behind, and that every tenant in Fife can live with dignity and security. Our homelessness services continue to face significant pressures, both in terms of demand for the services, and the complexity of needs presented by some customers.

"We are making progress in reducing reliance on private accommodation and we'll now be extending this more broadly to all forms of unsuitable accommodation in our control. However, these practical actions need to take account of the wider housing system as part of a strategic approach to meeting the needs of those where homelessness is unavoidable."

The report to councillors said Fife’s homelessness - and specifically temporary accommodation service - is one of the largest and, arguably, most diverse in Scotland.

Temporary accommodation is predominantly provided through a network of independent, sole occupancy properties dispersed, based on need and supply factors. In the right circumstances, scatter flats are ‘flipped’ to permanent tenancies with the homeless household not required to move again to a permanent home – this is considered to be rapid rehousing by default and a position that officers are working to achieve in Fife.

Progress has been made in reducing reliance on private B&Bs and this now needs to be extended more broadly to all forms of Unsuitable Accommodation directly within the control of the council. However, these practical actions need to be tramlined and take account of the wider housing system and housing options environment as part of a strategic approach to meeting the needs of those where homelessness is unavoidable.