Glasgow Faces Housing Crisis Amid Surge in Homelessness

Glasgow is grappling with a severe housing crisis, marked by a record number of households and children residing in temporary accommodation. The city's struggle highlights the growing strain on homelessness services, a situation exacerbated by national asylum seeker policies and a scarcity of social housing.

Scott Crean, 37, has been homeless for a year, currently living in a hotel room in Glasgow since Christmas. He described feeling "in limbo" after losing his job and experiencing a family breakdown. "It's as if I'm stuck in a time I can't get out of... It's the waiting game that I can't stand," he stated. While grateful for temporary shelter, Crean expressed a desire for a permanent home, noting that hotel living is not conducive to feeling settled or personalizing one's space.

Last September, Glasgow recorded its highest-ever figure of 4,332 households in temporary homeless accommodation, including 3,225 children. The number of open cases—individuals awaiting permanent housing—also reached a record high of 6,734, with current figures not expected to show significant improvement. Glasgow City Council declared a housing emergency three years ago, following Edinburgh's lead, as pressure on housing services has steadily increased.

Social care workers are reporting being "inundated" with demand. Samantha Lyle, a social care worker with Glasgow's health and social care partnership, described caseloads as "extremely high" with increasing complexities. The Simon Community Hub, a resource for homelessness and addiction support, sees a significant influx of individuals, including refugees and those with asylum claims, contributing to the strain.

Lyle noted that many individuals struggle to maintain tenancies due to a lack of specialized services for those with complex needs. "For us, a lot of it is down to a lack of services that mean we'd be able to house people with complex needs," she said.

The city's new council leader, Ricky Bell, stated that Glasgow is "carrying the burden" of the UK's housing policies, particularly concerning refugees. He attributed the crisis, in part, to the Home Office's approach to processing asylum claims. Between April and September 2025, nearly half of Glasgow's homeless applications came from individuals with refugee or leave-to-remain status. Bell called for a pause in the UK government's asylum dispersal scheme to allow the city to recalibrate its resources.

"We don't have the infrastructure. We don't have enough ability to put these people in temporary accommodation. We don't have enough houses to give them all permanent houses," Bell explained, advocating for increased funding from the UK government to match the scale of the problem.

The Scottish government acknowledged the "acute pressures" on Glasgow, attributing them significantly to the UK government's handling of asylum seekers. A spokesperson stated that the Scottish government is investing over £123 million through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and supporting refugee resettlement, with a commitment to delivering around 36,000 affordable homes over the next four years. They urged the UK government to provide adequate funding and address the impact of Home Office policies.

The UK government, in response, stated it is transitioning asylum seekers from hotels to alternative accommodations, including former military sites, aiming to reduce the burden on local communities and taxpayers. They emphasized engaging with local authorities to ensure a fair distribution of asylum seekers across the country.