The Scottish Government has been accused of failing the poor after a new survey revealed the recession has hit Scots harder than people elsewhere in the UK.
Housing and homeless charity Shelter has found that 9% of Scots have had to increase their working hours or take on a second job to make ends meet, compared to a British average of 7%.
Some 4% of respondents in Scotland said they had moved in with family or friends double the British average.
The survey, which polled 2234 people across the UK, also indicated that around two million people had to use a credit card to pay their rent or mortgage last year.
Director of Shelter Scotland Graeme Brown said, “A reliance on high-interest options such as credit cards to pay rent or a mortgage is a highly dangerous route to go down and is known to contribute toward uncontrolled debt, repossession or eviction and, eventually, homelessness.
“It is also very worrying that thousands of people in Scotland are being forced to move in with family or friends and many more are having to take on extra hours or a second job just to make ends meet.
“As we brace ourselves for the full impact of savage cuts to jobs and housing benefits we are very concerned that more people are going to face even greater debt and the threat of homelessness.”
The charity based its Scottish sample of 232 adults on research carried out in August last year.
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said Scottish Government cuts to the housing budget would make the problem worse.
“This is highly disturbing and, if I am First Minister this year, my first priority will be getting Scots back into work and bringing in a living wage to help people on the lowest wages,” he said.
“This is the worst possible time for the Tories to put up VAT because adding to family bills risks pushing more families into the horror of homelessness.
“But this report shows why the SNP cuts to the housing budget are so damaging. It will hurt people who are desperately looking for a home they can afford.”‘Deeply concerning’Conservative housing spokesman Alex Johnstone said, “It is deeply concerning that the number of people in Scotland who are forced to move in with friends or family is double that of the UK figure but the fact is that the Scottish Government have slashed the affordable housing budget two years in a row.
“They have also spectacularly failed to engage with the private sector in order to provide enough affordable homes. It is disgraceful that those most in need are now paying the price of the SNP’s failures.”
Liberal Democrat housing spokesman Jamie Stone said, “It is extremely worrying that so many Scots are struggling to pay their rent. Resorting to credit cards is a dangerous step for many people hit by the recession.
“Liberal Democrats in government are dealing with the mess left behind by Labour. Our colleagues in London are taking steps to lift 90,000 of the poorest Scots out of paying tax altogether.
“But in Scotland it is the SNP Government who is directly responsible for letting hard-hit people down. Liberal Democrats want to see a vibrant and fit-for-purpose housing sector in Scotland.”
But housing and communities minister Alex Neil defended the government’s record on affordable housing.
He said, “Repossession is a harrowing experience for anyone facing the threat of losing their home but families confronted by the spectre of debt now have the full force of the law to protect them.
“The Homeowner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Act provides the strongest legislative protection anywhere in the UK for those at risk of repossession.
“It is still vital that anyone in financial difficulties does not try to bury their head in the sand but discuss matters at an early stage with their lender or an independent advice agency before problems escalate.”
He added, “The UK Government’s savage cuts right across the public sector present us with huge challenges to deliver much-needed affordable housing across Scotland.
“However, in 2011-12 the Scottish Government’s housing and regeneration budget amounts to almost £400 million which will contribute, among other things, to around 6000 new affordable homes helping support 7500 jobs.”
Photo courtesy of Stewart Lloyd-Jones.