The City of Edinburgh Council has been accused of prioritizing accommodation for migrants, a decision that has coincided with a 400% surge in homeless refugees housed by the authority. The council, run by a minority Labour administration, suspended its social housing allocations policy in April of last year to prioritize those it has a statutory duty to accommodate, such as individuals experiencing emergency homelessness. This move was intended to address a housing emergency declared in November 2023 due to a dwindling supply of social homes.
Since April 2024, the council has seen a 400% increase in "non-preventable homelessness" applications from migrants who have been granted refugee status by the Home Office. These individuals now constitute approximately 16% of all households in temporary accommodation. This shift in policy meant that individuals on the waiting list for a new council tenancy or a home move were placed lower in priority to focus on emergency homelessness applications from those sleeping rough or fleeing violence.
Under Scottish law, migrants with refugee status who lack accommodation after leaving Home Office housing are entitled to emergency support. The council also prioritized applicants with medical needs and families with children in shared housing, while delaying applications from individuals on lower incomes or those living in overcrowded council homes.
The number of households presenting as homeless in Edinburgh has risen by about 15% in the past year, from 3,455 to 3,969, after remaining stable for three years. These figures have prompted accusations from Reform UK that the council is prioritizing illegal migrants.
Reform UK's deputy leader in Scotland, Thomas Kerr MSP, called the council's approach "unbelievable," stating, "Something has gone very wrong when our elected officials prioritise strangers and outsiders over vulnerable Scots in need." He further criticized the situation, asserting that Scotland lacks the capacity and funding to accommodate illegal migrants without neglecting vulnerable Scottish residents.
Between April 2025 and June 2026, Edinburgh received 722 housing applications from asylum seekers, with all but 11 assessed as homeless and in need of accommodation. As of last month, the city was housing 1,442 refugees, a 413% increase from two years prior when the figure was 281. Migrants now account for around 16% of all temporary accommodation households, up from approximately 1% three years ago.
The City of Edinburgh Council stated it is now in a position to resume its standard council housing scheme in October. This follows the construction of over 1,400 new homes and the acquisition of more than 800 properties for temporary accommodation. The council has acknowledged in briefing papers that it is not currently meeting all its legal obligations regarding housing those who present as homeless. Many migrants are reportedly housed in temporary settings such as hostels and, in some instances, bed and breakfasts, despite a government ban on the practice.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Convener for Housing, Homelessness, and Fair Work, said, "Everyone has the right to a safe and suitable place to call home. The pause on housing allocations has helped us prioritize those facing homelessness, while we work to increase the supply of temporary accommodation across the city."
A City of Edinburgh council spokesperson added, "We continue to monitor the different reasons households require temporary accommodation; it is important to recognize that there is not always an opportunity for the council to prevent instances of homelessness." The spokesperson clarified that households with positive asylum decisions or a local connection elsewhere in Scotland are classified as "non-preventable" because the council cannot intervene before support is required. The statement concluded, "Anyone who presents as homeless and is eligible, regardless of their background, will be assessed for placement in temporary accommodation in line with local and national guidance."