New tenants struggle without essentials, says GWSF.

Community-based housing associations are facing a mounting struggle in supporting new tenants, as some individuals wait for months to receive basic items due to the overwhelming demand on the Scottish Welfare Fund, as reported by the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF).

The Forum highlights that new tenants can only expect to receive essential items such as a bed, cooker, and fridge from the Fund, with a waiting period extending to several weeks or even months.

GWSF emphasises that its members, as community-based housing associations, devote significant efforts to help new tenants acquire basic household items. However, the process is becoming increasingly challenging, with members from across western Scotland encountering difficulties in accessing the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF).

Feedback from the Forum’s members reveals that individuals receiving limited assistance from the SWF are forced to live without proper flooring, adequate cooking facilities, washing machines, and, particularly for single-person households in certain council areas, even a bed.

In specific regions, families may receive slightly better support, such as flooring for main rooms and bedrooms. Nevertheless, a majority of households transitioning out of homelessness consist of single individuals. Forum members report instances where single individuals without health issues are unable to receive any assistance from the SWF.

The Forum also mentions that housing associations may need to purchase items directly to provide for new tenants, leading to other tenants ultimately covering the costs through their rent payments.

David Bookbinder, the director of GWSF, commented, “Securing a new tenancy is a positive development, especially for individuals emerging from homelessness. However, for many, it marks the start of a challenging battle for survival. It is difficult to comprehend how some individuals manage to navigate through those initial months, despite the considerable efforts made by local housing associations.”

He further added, “While we understand the financial constraints faced by the Scottish Government, investing a bit more in helping individuals settle comfortably into their new homes can result in significant long-term savings. As one of our members highlighted – ‘Tenants without proper flooring struggle to heat their homes, leading to failed tenancies that result in individuals returning to the homelessness system, incurring higher costs for councils than providing adequate support through the Scottish Welfare Fund’.”

“Given the current housing crisis, housing associations are rightly anticipating an increased proportion of lettings to homeless households. However, the challenge of assisting individuals in maintaining these tenancies is growing more complex with each passing day,” Bookbinder stated.