PUBLIC organisations could be given a legal duty to prevent homelessness under plans unveiled by the Scottish government today.

Scotland’s health service, police and children’s organisations would be among the bodies required to identify people at risk of becoming homeless and to either take action themselves or refer the person to get help.

The government has launched a consultation on the proposals, which are aimed at getting public bodies to intervene at an earlier stage to prevent the “traumatic and unsettling experience” of homelessness.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said that while Scotland “has powerful protections in place for people experiencing homelessness, far too many people are being forced to reach crisis point before they get the help they need.

“Everyone has a role to play in preventing homelessness, and by introducing new duties requiring public services to ask about someone’s housing situation and offer them the help they need, we can build a truly world-leading system of homelessness prevention.”