The charity said it is proud of its range of supported accommodation, outreach services and homelessness prevention work. However, it warned that the steady increase in the number of people needing help is a sign of how serious the problem has become.

Among the key figures from the report, Cyrenians supported 2,037 people through its housing, welfare rights and accommodation services, while almost 6,400 people were helped with activities, group support and access to food, skills and training.

A total of 100 people were supported into permanent, settled accommodation, and 36 women and their families, all survivors of domestic abuse, were helped into safe and secure housing.

In addition, Cyrenians’ Felix Depot in Leith saved more than 1.71 million meals worth of food waste, enough to feed every Edinburgh resident for a day.

Kate Wallace, CEO of Cyrenians, said: “Last year, Cyrenians provided 1-to-1 support to over 2,000 people, supporting almost 6,400 more people with our activities, group support and access to food, skills and training.

“The need is great, and Cyrenians is proud to be able to provide person-centred preventative support to those most at risk of homelessness. However, these numbers also reveal the growing number of people in need of this kind of support.

“Statistics are getting worse, and frontline staff are working with people who are increasingly desperate for safe and secure housing. In a country with some of the most progressive homelessness rights in the world, this should be considered a national embarrassment.”

Ms Wallace said Scotland’s strong legal protections for people experiencing homelessness must now be matched by action from politicians.

“We have the rights, but now we need to see the political will,” she said. “The UK government has made ending homelessness a priority. I would like to see that same urgency in Scotland.”