Thousands of UK Students Face Homelessness Crisis

Thousands of students across Scotland are facing the risk of homelessness due to an acute shortage of accommodation, particularly in the country’s major cities. A recent report commissioned for a cross-party group of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) sheds light on the severe student housing crisis in cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee, urging the Scottish Government to take immediate action to address this pressing issue.

The report by the Cross-Party Group on Housing reveals significant shortfalls in student accommodation, with Edinburgh facing a shortage of 13,852 bed spaces, Glasgow lacking 6,093 spaces, and Dundee falling short by 6,084 spaces. This shortage, combined with a lack of affordable and accessible options for students with additional support needs or mature students with families, has led to many students living in precarious conditions.

Graham Simpson MSP, convenor of the Cross-Party Group on Housing, highlighted the exclusion of students from housing emergency discussions earlier in the year. The recommendations put forth by the group emphasize the necessity for a collaborative approach to student housing, improved data collection on student accommodation, and the integration of student housing within local housing strategies.

Co-authored by CIH Scotland, the University of Glasgow-led UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), the University of Stirling, StudentCrowd, the Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative (ESHC), and Slurp Edinburgh (Students for Action on Homelessness), the report advocates for city-wide one-stop shops that would help guide students towards suitable and affordable accommodation, easing the strain on housing markets in major student cities.

Ashley Campbell, policy and practice manager at CIH Scotland, acknowledged the challenges surrounding student housing, particularly in the competition for land among developers and the impact on local residents’ access to affordable housing. The call to action is for government, local authorities, and universities to collaborate more closely to ensure that everyone has access to suitable housing, allowing students to integrate into existing communities.

Lawrence Williams from Slurp Edinburgh highlighted the range of housing issues faced by students in Scotland, from hidden homelessness to unaffordable rents, underscoring the need for bold initiatives such as rent controls, cooperative student housing, and guaranteed emergency accommodation for homeless students.

The report was compiled by an esteemed group of authors, including:

• Ashley Campbell, Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland
• Ken Gibb, UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE)
• Gareth James, UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) and the University of Glasgow
• Lorenzo Martinico, Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative
• Alan McCaskell, University of Stirling
• Niamh Roberts, Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative
• Tuely Robins, StudentCrowd
• Lawrence Williams, Slurp Edinburgh