Glasgow’s Homelessness Crisis Intensifies: Volunteer Shelters and Emergency Spending

Over the past two years, Glasgow has seen an unprecedented rise in homelessness and rough sleeping, with thousands of people living in temporary accommodation, and the city council spending over £45 million on emergency housing in the past year alone.

In response, the city has been forced to get creative in tackling the crisis, from volunteer-run shelters to the council spending millions on emergency accommodation in private hotels and B&Bs.

While these efforts offer short-term relief, they also highlight the growing pressure on housing services and the urgent need for long-term solutions.

Approximately 1,500 bed and breakfast rooms are being used nightly for emergency accommodation. The council has paid more than £45 million to private hotel and B&B owners in the city from April 2024 to March 2025, a 70% increase from the previous year.

This graph shows the increase in spending by the Glasgow Council on emergency housing in recent years.

Image courtesy of Paula León

Latest reports show that, between June and September 2024, 149 individuals reported having slept rough before seeking assistance from the council. Additionally, the number of people in temporary accommodation, including hotels and B&Bs, increased significantly, with over 6,500 individuals, including more than 2,600 children.

The rise in homelessness applications has overwhelmed Glasgow's housing services. The city has become the largest asylum dispersal area outside London, housing over 4,000 asylum seekers, with capacity for over 7,000. Which has led to significant financial strain, with costs running into the tens of millions, and concerns about potential social unrest if not addressed.

This graph shows the increase in homelessness applications in recent years.

Image courtesy of Paula León

Big Issue founder Lord John Bird said: “Homelessness is now at record levels. The only way to stop these numbers from rising higher still is to put prevention at the heart of our response; to concentrate efforts on reducing extreme poverty more widely, improving the quality of people’s lives and reducing the need for expensive crisis measures.”

Amidst the challenges, community-led initiatives are stepping in. This winter, Homeless Project Scotland launched the country’s first entirely volunteer-run emergency night shelter in central Glasgow. The project offers not just warmth and shelter, but a sense of hope and dignity to those in need. Meanwhile, services like the Overnight Welcome Centre and the Street Team continue to work year-round to help rough sleepers access accommodation and longer-term support.

Despite the tireless efforts of volunteers and support workers, the scale of Glasgow’s homelessness emergency highlights a system under severe pressure, one that demands urgent action, sustainable funding, and coordinated political will.