New report reveals Govan Law Centre’s impact on homelessness.

Govan Law Centre (GLC) has recently released its annual report covering the period up to 31 March 2024. The report sheds light on the crucial role that GLC has played in combating homelessness in Glasgow, particularly in the latter part of the year.

One of the key accomplishments highlighted in the report is the Centre’s success in securing suitable accommodation for approximately 15 to 20 individuals each week who were either street homeless or living in inadequate temporary housing. This achievement was made possible through GLC’s commitment to a rights-based approach, ensuring that statutory homeless rights were enforced effectively. In many cases, emergency petitions for judicial review had to be drafted promptly to address urgent housing needs, ultimately leading to successful outcomes for all clients.

Undoubtedly, the demand for GLC’s housing law services has been on the rise, as evidenced by a significant increase in the number of “Type 3” housing cases handled by the Centre. These cases, which encompass issues such as homelessness, eviction, and housing disrepair, saw a staggering 112 per cent surge between Quarter 3 (1 October to 31 December 2023) and Quarter 4 (1 January to 31 March 2024).

The report emphasises the Centre’s proactive stance in defending against eviction actions, particularly within the private rented sector and concerning asylum seekers. In a notable success story, GLC challenged the local authority’s charging policy for social care services provided to individuals with profound disabilities in Glasgow. This advocacy led to a significant legal victory in the case of BB v. Glasgow City Council [2024] CSOH 44, where the Court of Session ruled that the local authority had failed to meet its public sector equality duty and omitted to conduct an equality impact assessment (EQIA) before implementing a 50 per cent increase in charges.