News

New Report: Veterans' Homelessness Prevention Pathway

We are pleased to share an in depth report exploring prevention of homelessness for those leaving the Armed Forces. Read the report here.

The ‘Veterans’ Homelessness Prevention Pathway’ has been produced in partnership by Homeless Network Scotland, Housing Options Military Matters, Scottish Veterans Residences, Veterans Housing Scotland, Veterans Scotland and the report’s author is Dr Steve Rolfe, from University of Stirling. It will feed into the Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, which includes Pathways similar to this one for other groups at particular risk.

Approximately 800 homelessness applications annually in Scotland are from households with a member who was previously in the Services. Concerns remain that the true figure could be higher. Veterans affected by homelessness are more likely than non-veterans to experience rough sleeping and other complex issues, with one estimate quoted in the Pathway report attributing service experiences as a cause of homelessness in around 25% of cases. Also highlighted in the report is that homelessness can occur many years after discharge from the Forces because of what is known as ‘delayed transition’ which can be due to a reluctance to seek help or the deferred impact of previous trauma.