RECORD numbers of children are growing up in temporary accommodation in Scotland as homelessness continues to soar.

A staggering 17,424 households were assessed as homeless — including 19,894 adults and 8,063 children — from April 1 to September 30 2024, up 4 per cent on the previous year, according to a new Scottish government report.

By the end of that period, 16,634 households containing 10,360 children languished in temporary accomodation, the highest since records began in 2002.

The report states that the demand for temporary homes has now reached such crisis levels that it has driven a 41 per cent increase in the use of B&Bs to 2,680 households, and a 34 per cent rise in hostel placements from 633 in September 2023 to 846 a year later.

That same pressure left councils increasingly failing in their legal duties to offer temporary accomodation, falling short 7,545 times compared with 2,000 a year earlier. 

Crisis Scotland’s Maeve McGoldrick warned councils “can’t keep up with growing demand,” saying: “We need a targeted response to stop more people from being forced into the trauma and indignity of homelessness.”

Accepting numbers of homeless children were “far too high,” SNP housing minister Paul McLennan insisted: “We are determined to reverse that trend and we are taking decisive action to ensure no-one need experience the trauma of being homeless.”

Scottish Labour’s housing spokesman Mark Griffin branded it a “national scandal” and called for Mr McLennan to be sacked.

He said: “The SNP’s shameful negligence has left thousands of Scots with no home, hundreds sleeping rough, and more than 10,000 children without the safe, secure home they deserve.

“It means nothing to declare a housing emergency if you don’t take any action to deal with it.”