Rock Trust has already received the keys to three of the properties, with two further purchases expected to be completed this year.

The move comes amid growing pressure on Scotland’s housing system. Latest Scottish Government figures show that more than 9,000 young people presented as homeless last year. Of those, 7,600 were assessed as homeless, with more than half becoming homeless from their family home. The statistics also point to rising numbers of people experiencing rough sleeping and an increase in households not being offered temporary accommodation.

The City of Edinburgh Council declared a housing emergency in 2023 due to mounting pressures on the housing market and rising homelessness.
Recent polling commissioned for the Everyone Home collective found that almost 50% of 16-24-year-olds surveyed were worried they would lose their home within the next few years.

Gary Neil, head of services for Edinburgh and the East at Rock Trust, said: “There is a bottleneck in social housing and temporary accommodation, and the number of people in crisis is increasing as a result. Put simply, there is nowhere for young people to go.”

Rock Trust works to prevent youth homelessness and provide tailored support when it cannot be avoided, helping young people steer clear of the risks and trauma associated with rough sleeping and unsuitable, potentially unsafe adult accommodation.

The newly purchased properties are high-quality, one-bedroom flats across the city, which can be made ready quickly for young people to move in. They will expand the charity’s long-running ‘Bedrock’ supported housing programme in Edinburgh.

Delivered in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, Bedrock provides supported accommodation for young people aged 16–25 affected by homelessness. Residents receive one-to-one support with finances, budgeting and benefits, alongside help to access education, training and employment. Most young people live in the flats for up to two years before moving on to independent housing.

The first Bedrock properties were purchased by Rock Trust with philanthropic support in the 1990s, while others are leased from the council. The five new acquisitions mark a significant expansion of the model at a time of acute housing shortage.

The purchases have been made possible in part through a 2023 bequest from the former Balnacraig School, alongside a major donation from the Buchanan Friendship Foundation.

Luke, aged 17, moved into the first purchased flat earlier this year. Luke was first threatened with homelessness when his foster care family gave four weeks’ notice that they wanted to stop. He was housed in temporary student accommodation, alone and with minimal support, until being referred to Rock Trust. 

Speaking about the support he’s had since moving in, Luke said: “I can phone Fiona [project worker) any time, speak to her about anything – all the things you don’t know as a kid. Rock Trust is such a lovely environment. I met some lovely kids doing Barista training.”

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work convener Councillor for City of Edinburgh, Tim Pogson, added: “We face significant housing pressures in Edinburgh - in the past six years, the number of households in temporary accommodation has increased by more than 80% to 6,430 households.

“Since becoming the first Scottish city to declare a housing emergency in 2023, we’ve redoubled our efforts to tackle the housing crisis through housebuilding, homelessness prevention and other initiatives.

“Homelessness can have a huge impact on anyone experiencing it, and for young people it can pose particular challenges. By working with charities like Rock Trust, we’ve been able to open up much-needed suitable accommodation to young people in this situation.”