A few weeks ago, the temperature in Glasgow reached devastating lows of -11C (12F). The cost of living crisis has affected all of us in ways that many years ago would be difficult to even imagine. However, as the temperature falls, Glasgow's rate of homelessness only increases.

Housing in Glasgow has always been a massive problem, even going back 100 years to the 1920’s. Homes in Glasgow back then were claustrophobic and notoriously filthy. The problem overtime has evolved from people not having sanitary or spacious homes to people not being able to find stable housing at all.

According to the Scottish government website, Glasgow has the second highest rate of homelessness in all of Scotland with over one thousand households homeless per 100,000 population as of 2022. Second only to West Dunbartonshire.

The rate of application for homelessness assistance has been increasing since 2021 and the rate of households in temporary accommodation in Scotland overall has also increased since the start of 2022 according to Shelter Scotland.

Shelter Scotland also report that 28,882 households in Scotland became homeless between April 2021 and March 2022. In March of 2022, 8635 children were living in temporary accommodation.

Homelessness in Glasgow is a massive problem. However there have been major improvements in reducing Glasgow's homeless population living on the streets.

Earlier this year Herriot Watt university found that as of April 1st 2022 Glasgow has achieved its goal by reducing the amount of people sleeping rough in the city center by 75% and overall homelessness by 50%. Glasgow is one of 13 “Vanguard cities” for the Ruff Institute Of Global Homelessness.

Glasgow has been the most effective of these “Vanguard cities” in the UK. With Greater Manchester a close second, while not meeting its target to completely eliminate rough sleeping in their city.

Glasgow still has some way to go in helping its homeless