Credit: Caroline Evans Abbott
Reporter
“Sky-high” rents in Scotland leave 4 out of 10 people living on a “knife edge”, according to charity survey. A YouGov survey conducted on behalf of a homelessness and housing charity Shelter Scotland, found that 41% of renters and mortgage holders would be unable to cope if there payments increased by £50 a month. In addition, around 9% of people are already struggling with their current payments. This crisis is also set against a backdrop of a plethora of other issues including welfare reforms, stagnant wages, and general employment “uncertainty.”
The survey also revealed around 8% of people claim to have at some point paid rent or mortgage payments using credit cards, whereas around 28% resorted to using savings.
Shelter Scotland reports that it has received a record number of people seeking advice on how to cope with potential homelessness, or bad housing.
The charity claims that around 30,000 households were rendered homeless last year, estimating around 10,500 people were forced to take refuge in temporary accommodation. Shelter Scotland revealed another statistic claiming that a household is assessed as homeless every 20 minutes.
Alison Watson, deputy director of Shelter Scotland, said: “We understand it is all too easy to bury your head in the sand hoping the problem will go away. But if you’re in this situation, it’s so important to remember you’re not alone and that help is at hand.”
