Thousands of students in Scotland at risk of homelessness

Thousands of students across Scotland are at risk of homelessness and unable to access the right housing in the country’s biggest cities, according to a new report co-authored by researchers from the University of Glasgow.

The report for the Cross Party Group on Housing says there is a severe student housing crisis in cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee and calls on the Scottish Government to take immediate action to tackle the issue.

It highlights significant shortfalls in student accommodation, including a shortfall of 13,852 bedspaces in Edinburgh, 6,093 in Glasgow, and 6,084 in Dundee.

An acute shortage of accommodation compounded by a lack of affordable and/or accessible options for students with additional support needs or mature students with families, has left many students facing precarious living situations.

The report, co-authored by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland, the University of Glasgow led UK Collaborative Center for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), the University of Stirling, StudentCrowd, the Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative (ESHC) and Slurp Edinburgh (Students for Action on Homelessness), also stresses the importance of city-wide one-stop shops that would guide students to suitable and affordable accommodation, an initiative that could help alleviate some of the pressure on housing markets in major student cities.

“The Scottish Government declared a housing emergency earlier this year, but students are often left out of the conversation,” said Graham Simpson MSP, Convenor of the Cross-Party Group on Housing.

“We have come up with a set of recommendations for the government that are clear and challenging. These include the need for a collaborative approach to student housing, more robust data on student accommodation, and the integration of student housing into local housing strategies.”

CaCHE’s Dr. Gareth James said, “CaCHE is proud to have supported this cross-sector collaboration to explore student housing options and experiences of homelessness in Scotland. The research, conducted for the Cross-party Group on Housing, reveals an imbalance between supply and demand in key university cities and offers practical recommendations for governments, local authorities, and universities.

“Key findings highlight the need for better data on student housing markets, particularly regarding affordability and availability in the private rental sector. Student accommodation must also be included in local housing strategies to address its impact on communities and wider housing systems.

“The study also calls for creating local knowledge hubs to help students make informed housing decisions and suggests using a systems-thinking approach to understand how student housing affects local markets. Going forward, the Scottish Government and local authorities must prioritize gathering new evidence and balancing market demands with social needs to improve student housing and support local communities.”

Lawrence Williams of Slurp Edinburgh added, “From hidden homelessness to unaffordable rents, students in Scotland face a range of housing issues that have long been overlooked by policy-makers and universities. This report is a promising first step towards recognizing the crisis and identifying structural barriers to student housing security. We urgently need bold measures like rent controls, cooperative student housing, and guaranteed emergency accommodation for homeless students.”