New funding to prevent homelessness and expand emergency grants announced

Housing secretary Màiri McAllan announced the suite of measures ahead of a speech to Scotland’s Annual Homelessness Conference in Perth today.

This includes:

• A further £1m investment in Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) for local authorities to help people move from temporary accommodation into settled homes
• £100,000 to expand an emergency fund that outreach workers can use to help rough sleepers or those at risk of becoming homeless
• £500,000 to further bolster the £1m Fund to Leave announced on 2 September. This supports women experiencing domestic abuse to buy essentials when leaving an abusive partner, recognising that domestic abuse remains a leading cause of women’s homelessness

Commenting before the event, Ms McAllan said: “Our approach to supporting people is rooted in compassion and is driven by the belief that everyone – regardless of circumstance – deserves a place to call home.

“These investments reflect that housing is about more than basic shelter – it’s about safety, dignity, and the chance to rebuild. And it follows on from the work set out in the Housing Bill to revolutionise homelessness prevention and improve standards in rented housing.

“When we get housing and anti-poverty measures right, we don’t just solve a problem, we build a fairer and healthier Scotland for generations.

“Today’s announcement, building on extensive work already carried out, show’s how seriously we take our duty to build a fairer Scotland.”