A petition signed by around 10,000 people calling for new legislation to secure a legal right to a home is to be delivered to the Scottish Parliament.

The campaign originating this year has been promoted throughout the country by Scottish celebrity figureheads including Robert Carlyle, Annie Lennox and crime writer Val McDermid.

The latest Scottish statistics suggest a 3% rise in the number of homeless people in Scotland compared to the previous year, with 36,465 homelessness applications between 2018 and 2019.

The petition comes as part of homelessness charity Shelter Scotland’s Are You With Us campaign which launched in August this year, which has gained cross-party support across Scottish politics with the backing of 71 MSPs.

Almost nine in ten people agree that everyone should have a legal right to a safe and secure home, according to a poll conducted by YouGov.

The petition will be handed over to Housing Minister Kevin Stewart at Holyrood today.

Director of Shelter Scotland, Graeme Brown said: “Around 10,000 signatures within three months proves what our research told us – that the people of Scotland are behind us and want the right to a home to become a legal right.”

Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart said the priority of the Scottish Government is to ensure everyone is provided with a safe and secure home.

He said: “Scotland already has some of the most progressive housing rights in the world, and we are working hard to end homelessness and rough sleeping through investing in providing the right services and support for people when they need help.

He added: “Our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan demonstrates our commitment to housing as a human right and sets out the practical actions we are taking to ensure everyone has a home that meets their needs, backed by £50 million.”

Continue to support the Shelter Scotland campaign by clicking here.

By Myrren Porter