More than 500 homeless applications recorded in six months in Renfrewshire

More than 500 homeless applications have been recorded in Renfrewshire in the last six months – a 13% surge on the same period last year.

A “steady” rise has been witnessed by the council since 2020/21, with the annual number exceeding 1,000 in both 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, pressures from the cost of living crisis and the impact of migration and asylum humanitarian programmes continue to be cited as reasons behind the increase in recent years.

That’s according to a report to this Tuesday’s communities and housing policy board which confirmed 579 homeless applications have been submitted from April until the end of September.

The paper authored by Tom Irvine, homeless and housing support services manager, said: “As previously reported to the policy board, the annual number of statutorily homeless households in Renfrewshire generally remained consistent up until 2021.

“There has, however, been a steady, stepped increase in homeless applications since 2020/21, with the annual number of applications in both 2023/24 and 2024/25 exceeding 1,000, and the likelihood of this occurring again in the current financial year.

“This has led to a position where the current number of households being supported by homeless services (‘live cases’) is 489 – this figure was 340 at the same point in 2023 and 386 in 2024.”

Other factors are thought to include a general slowing down in the turnover rate of social rented housing, pressures in the private rented sector and the impact on some local authorities of the suspension of the ‘local connection’ criteria in 2022.

The report added: “Whilst the number of homeless applications has steadily increased – the first six months of 2025/26 has seen a 13% increase in applications compared to the first six months of 2024/25 – the most common reasons given for becoming homeless have remained the same, which are ‘asked to leave accommodation’ and ‘relationship breakdown (non-violent)’ which together account for over half of all applications in Renfrewshire.”

The demand for homeless and housing support services is “very high”, according to the paper, but it said actions taken by the council and its partners have helped ensure it responds “positively and promptly” to those in need.

Steps have included a target of 55% of general lets by the council to go to homeless applicants, an increase in the stock of furnished temporary accommodation and additional temporary posts in the staff team.