The number of households in Fife in temporary accommodation is contuining to rise.

According to the ‘Homelessness in Scotland’ statistics, there was a 21 per cent increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation at a 'snapshot period' in September 2023, compared to the same time a year earlier.

The increase amounts to 176 additional households and was the fourth largest out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Fife was only behind Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.

North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie, an ex-Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and former Dunfermline and West Fife MP, said: “The housing crisis is more severe than at any time since I have been a parliamentarian. People are desperate to find a home. But the SNP and Green government’s response has been negligent.

"Ministers are refusing the face up to the scale of the challenge.

“Their refusal to declare a housing emergency and planned £200 million cut to the affordable housing budget are a recipe for disaster.”

READ MORE: First craft fair of 2024 for Dalgety group is this month

Back in January, Fife Council agreed a three-year plan to tackle homelessness faced by people in the kingdom.

The long-term strategy and action plan will focus on new build, property acquisition, reducing void turnaround times, bringing empty properties back into use, working with the private rented sector, and the prevention of homelessness.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing, said: "We are escalating concerns through Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO). And we have brought forward a robust Plan to deal with the Homelessness and Housing Access issues in Fife."

READ MORE: Fire Station Creative hosts Alexander Moffat’s latest exhibition

Fife Council’s Cabinet Committee discussed the homelessness strategy and the need for an estimated £67.3 million over the next three years to help families without permanent housing.

Cllr Hamilton added: "Against this backdrop, the Scottish Government draft budget announcement in December says that we should expect a cut of 26 per cent to the support for our Affordable Housing Programme.

"This is extremely concerning and will have a negative impact on the number of new affordable houses the council and the Fife Housing Association Alliance can provide to support homelessness needs.

"We have committed to building a further 1250 Council houses in Fife over the next five years, as part of the Affordable Housing Programme.  

"Since 2012, we have had one of the largest social house-building programmes in Scotland and even the UK, delivering 7400 houses. Our ability to keep building is at risk if this proposed cut is applied to the Affordable Housing budget.”