Simita Kumar gave the keynote address at the Ask and Act Conference, held by the charity Advice Direct Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government.

The event at the University of Strathclyde brought together hundreds of delegates who are taking action on the issue, focusing on insights from 15 pilot projects involving local authorities, health boards, Police Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service.

The initiatives have been testing out new ‘Ask and Act’ measures, aiming to identify people at risk of homelessness earlier, before they need crisis support.

In her keynote address, Kumar told attendees that the pilot projects were helping to transform Scotland’s approach on homelessness prevention. Under the Housing (Scotland) Act, new duties will be placed on public bodies to ask people about their housing situation and take action to prevent homelessness before it happens.

Advice Direct Scotland administers a £4 million Scottish Government fund which created the pilot projects, offering earlier interventions and practical help to people at risk of homelessness. Ministers recently announced a further £945,000 of funding to extend the projects, originally due to end at the turn of the year, to April.

More than 70 organisations are involved in the pilots, which cover 16 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife, and Orkney. They are exploring how services can work together to identify people at risk of homelessness earlier, such as those facing a relationship breakdown, leaving hospital, exiting prison, or struggling with debt.

The projects are trialling the new duties in real-world settings, so homelessness prevention can be embedded into everyday practice.

Minister for equalities and international development Simita Kumar said: “I was pleased to join today’s Ask and Act conference and see so many partners from housing, health, justice and the third sector coming together with a shared focus on preventing homelessness. Helping people before they reach crisis point can make a real difference to their lives.

“We heard how earlier intervention can help identify housing problems sooner and connect people with the right support before they lose their home.

“Partners work together to spot the warning signs of homelessness, helping people stay in their homes, maintain stability for their families, and avoid the trauma and disruption that homelessness can cause.

“Those practical lessons are helping us understand what works on the ground, which is why we are providing almost £1m of additional funding to extend the pilot projects.

“With new homelessness prevention duties coming into force in 2028, this work is about making sure public services work together to offer help earlier, prevent problems from escalating, and reduce the number of people who experience homelessness.

“By embedding prevention into everyday services, we can provide support when it is needed most and improve outcomes for people across Scotland.”

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to have gathered so many people at our conference to highlight the transformational work of the Ask and Act pilot projects, which we have been proud to facilitate.

“These initiatives show how preventative action on homelessness can help make a real difference, ensuring that people across the country have a place to call home. They also provide an excellent example of how the third sector can drive public service reform towards positive change.

“Our conference provides a space to share learning, strengthen partnerships, and explore how we can work together to turn the vision of prevention into reality.

“By shifting the focus from responding to crisis towards identifying risk early and taking action sooner, we have an opportunity to improve outcomes for many vulnerable individuals and families. Asking the right question at the right time can change lives.”

Broadcaster Sally Magnusson hosted the conference, with other speakers including Community Justice Scotland chief executive Karyn McCluskey, University of Glasgow housing economics Professor Ken Gibb, and University of Stirling chair of social policy, Professor Vikki McCall.

More than 380 people attended, including representatives from 26 local authorities, eight NHS boards, five universities, 24 housing associations and more than 40 third sector organisations.