According to the council, this rise is occurring despite ‘wide-ranging council efforts to prevent homelessness’.
The council’s Rapid Re-Housing Transition Plan (RRTP), introduced in 2018, aims to provide sustainable, permanent housing and reduce dependency on temporary accommodation.
The RRTP unites council services, housing associations, and local partners to tackle homelessness through a ‘person-centred approach’.
The council’s efforts have been bolstered by support from the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Fund.
This year, £381,000 was allocated to support RRTP projects focused on quickly moving individuals and families into permanent housing.
According to the council, one key success of the programme was the reduction in the average time spent in temporary accommodation, down to 131 days, approximately half the Scottish average.
The council highlighted the Innovative Homes First Program as another achievement.
In 2023-2024, the Homes First Team, in collaboration with partners like the NHS, expanded its support to 54 individuals with complex needs
All individuals in this program have successfully sustained their housing.
They also reported that the Household Support Fund assisted 140 young, single individuals in financial hardship with essentials like rent, energy, and food costs, helping to prevent homelessness.
Another claim was that the Keys to the Future program, funded by Barnardo’s, supported 24 families with 42 children at risk of homelessness.
Despite the overall rise in homelessness, the council reports a 15 percent reduction in the number of children experiencing homelessness.
Councillor Michael McPake, convener of housing, said: “Supporting vulnerable people and those facing challenging circumstances is our priority.
“By reducing homelessness times, we can improve housing stability and provide better housing solutions for our residents.
“Despite rising homelessness numbers, we are seeing positive results thanks to a concerted, multi-agency approach.”
The council is set to trial a new approach to improve housing allocations.
Starting with a six-month trial, individuals declaring homelessness will be offered a single housing option instead of two, aiming to accelerate the rehousing process.
The council’s new Homelessness Action Plan (2025-2028), approved at the November housing committee meeting, outlines continued and expanded efforts to reduce homelessness across the area.
