Glasgow City Council sent 2,365 legal threats over homelessness failures

Glasgow City Council has received thousands of legal threats from solicitors over homelessness failures since April, figures have revealed.

The city’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) told councillors it had received an average of around 337 threats of judicial review per month between April and October 2025.

A total of 2,365 threats were issued over the council’s failure to provide temporary accommodation when required or because it has breached the Unsuitable Accommodation Order, which limits how long families and vulnerable people can be kept in poor or inappropriate housing, such as B&Bs or hotels.

The figures were confirmed in a response from the HSCP, which also revealed that only 31 of the threats have so far gone to court.

It said the council has had to act quickly in each case to avoid formal legal judgments, and the council has been forced to deploy dedicated staff and solicitors daily to manage incoming legal actions, which the partnership said is a “significant” strain on resources.

Glasgow Labour said the numbers expose a council administration that is failing some of the city’s most vulnerable people.

“These figures are nothing short of shocking,” Cllr Elaine McDougall, Glasgow Labour health spokesperson, said.

“They show a homelessness system in crisis – one that’s leaving families, young people and vulnerable residents without the basic right to a safe place to stay.

“It’s unacceptable that our council is now receiving hundreds of legal threats every month just for failing to meet its legal obligations. That is not just a statistic – it’s a sign that the SNP’s failure to invest in housing and homelessness services has reached breaking point.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said the UK “continues to be in the grip of a housing emergency”, and confirmed that demand for homelessness assistance in Glasgow has grown significantly in recent years.

“There is no ease,” the spokeswoman said.

“We attempt to accommodate everyone who presents as homeless at their time of need. As such, we are often required to use hotel and B&B accommodation to avoid people sleeping rough while also meeting our statutory duties.

“In cases where we are unable to accommodate, we explore all options available and remain in contact with those presenting as homeless in order to offer accommodation as soon as it becomes available.

“It is in the context of this rapidly rising demand that the council regularly receives notification of potential judicial reviews.

“While the majority do not come to court, responding to these notifications comes with a significant cost which must be met within the homelessness budget.”