Shelter Scotland

A helpline set up to help reduce the number of empty homes in Scotland has revealed some of the reasons given for why privately-owned homes are left unoccupied for long periods of time. Two of the top reasons are the fear of becoming a landlord and the responsibilities it brings, along with waiting

Rosemary Brotchie By Rosemary Brotchie, policy and research manager at Shelter Scotland

Panellists (from left) Jim Eadie, Scottish National Party; Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green Party; Jim Hume, Scottish Liberal Democrats; Alex Johnston, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and Ken Macintosh, Scottish Labour Party By James Battye, policy officer with Shelter Scotland

Graeme Brown Dear editor,

Students from Robert Gordon University aim for top marks in charity fashion challenge A group of first year students from Robert Gordon University are hoping to score top marks by raising money and awareness for housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland.

Lisa Glass By Lisa Glass, partnership officer for health at Shelter Scotland

Health and social care professionals across Scotland should be trained to spot the signs of fuel poverty and refer households for help, according to Shelter Scotland. The national housing and homelessness charity, which this week will launch the national Healthy Homes project, the reach and influenc

James Battye Shelter Scotland policy officer, James Battye, reflects on last week’s passing of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill.

Cases involving the eviction of tenants from a rented property in Scotland rose in 2014-15 for the second year in a row, according to the latest figures. The Scottish Government civil justice court statistics revealed that the number of eviction orders in the social housing (local authority and regi

New legislation that will modernise the private rented sector (PRS) was passed last night by the Scottish Parliament. The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill will create simpler tenancies, offer stability and security to the 700,000 tenants who call the private rented sector home, and ensure

The number of affordable homes delivered by the end of December 2015 rose by 19 per cent on the previous year, officials figures have confirmed. A quarterly statistical publication from the Scottish Government confirmed that the government’s 30,000 affordable homes target was surpassed during the

The Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR) has written to political candidates across Scotland to ask them to commit to using new powers to create a fairer social security system. Set up in 2006 to highlight the concerns of a diverse coalition of organisations in Scotland about the UK governmen

Prisoners at HMP Castle Huntly are being offered the chance of a housing advice placement in the Dundee offices of Shelter Scotland. The placement delivers low level housing advice, with the housing and homeless charity putting the selected individual through their training to national housing quali

A perfect storm of cuts to local authority budgets and changes to the way temporary accommodation is funded threatens to undermine much of the progress Scotland has made on homelessness over the past decade, Shelter Scotland has warned. The charity’s warning comes ahead of its 2016 annual homeless

Harry McGuigan New guidance has been issued to support the development of Housing Options approaches in Scotland’s local authorities.