Latest news with #GovanLawCentre
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeless hotel owners see a massive jump in cash from council
The owners of hotels used to house homeless people in Glasgow have seen a huge increase in income from the council. In the last year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the council paid more than £45 million to private hotels and B&B owners in the city. Demand for homeless accommodation has rocketed, and the council said it is seeking help from the UK and Scottish governments. READ NEXT:Families could be stuck on housing list for more than 100 years in Glasgow The cash paid to owners, some of who own several hotels, has rocketed by almost 70% in a year. In 2023/24 it was £26, 724,422. Last year, the total bill was £45,292,346. The year before the bill was £20,368,474, meaning the money paid to open increased by 122% in just two years. The Glasgow Times launched the End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign to highlight the conditions people were living in. Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at Govan Law Centre has called for a new approach where the public sector provides accommodation. He said: "It is lunacy and such a waste of Scottish taxpayers and Glasgow council taxpayers' money to keep throwing millions of pounds at poor quality and super expensive homeless hotels in our city. People should have dignity and taxpayers should get value for money. 'We need to build our own temporary accommodation and work with housing associations to build temporary accommodation. That would ensure high-quality temporary homes for homeless people. It really is a no-brainer. READ NEXT:Glasgow councillor removed from powerful city committee The bill could have been higher as not everyone who needs it is able to get a room in one of the 40 hotels. The data also revealed that on 3058 occasions, someone was refused emergency accommodation in the last year. The council said this is because all rooms were full. The information was requested by the Scottish Tenants Organisation. Sean Clerkin, campaign director, said: 'The housing and homeless disaster in Glasgow only worsens, ruining the lives of thousand of men, women and children, whether they be the new refugee to the city or the family that was evicted yesterday for rent arrears in Maryhill. 'The profiteers of homeless misery continue to make their tens of millions of pounds unabated, with no improvement in the basic conditions of the homeless, especially women and children and 3,058 people are still refused homeless accommodation. Those sleeping on the streets of Glasgow doubled in number from 154 to 323 in the space of weeks. He agreed with Mr Dailly on a new approach. Mr Clerkin added: Mike Dailly the top housing lawyer and columnist for the Glasgow Times has repeatedly stated correctly that tens of millions of pounds can be re-directed to Glasgow City Council to directly build good quality temporary accommodation especially safe single sex halfway accommodation for women and children and then move them rapidly on to safe and secure permanent homes. 'This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, as there has to be a housing revolution in Glasgow.' A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'We're duty-bound to find and provide emergency accommodation to those affected by homelessness. "We are having to spend more and more on hotels and bed & breakfast use in our attempts to meet the increasing demand for accommodation and avoid people having to sleep rough. 'Unfortunately, we are aware of a rise in the number of refusals for accommodation - this happens when there is no accommodation available. We currently use 40 hotels across the city to accommodate those whom we have a confirmed duty for. 'There is no quick alternative. We are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and continue to seek the additional resources necessary to address the challenges we are facing.'
The Herald Scotland
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow homeless hotel owners get massive jump in cash from council
Demand for homeless accommodation has rocketed, and the council said it is seeking help from the UK and Scottish governments. The cash paid to owners, some of who own several hotels, has rocketed by almost 70% in a year. In 2023/24 it was £26,724,422. Last year, the total bill was £45,292,346. The year before the bill was £20,368,474, meaning the money paid to open increased by 122% in just two years. Our sister title, The Glasgow Times, have been highlighting the conditions people live in with a campaign launched last year. Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at Govan Law Centre has called for a new approach where the public sector provides accommodation. He said: "It is lunacy and such a waste of Scottish taxpayers and Glasgow council taxpayers' money to keep throwing millions of pounds at poor quality and super expensive homeless hotels in our city. People should have dignity and taxpayers should get value for money. Read More Families could be stuck on Scottish housing list for more than 100 years 'We need to build our own temporary accommodation and work with housing associations to build temporary accommodation. That would ensure high-quality temporary homes for homeless people. It really is a no-brainer. The bill could have been higher as not everyone who needs it is able to get a room in one of the 40 hotels. The data also revealed that on 3058 occasions, someone was refused emergency accommodation in the last year. The council said this is because all rooms were full. The information was requested by the Scottish Tenants Organisation. Sean Clerkin, campaign director, said: 'The housing and homeless disaster in Glasgow only worsens, ruining the lives of thousand of men, women and children, whether they be the new refugee to the city or the family that was evicted yesterday for rent arrears in Maryhill. 'The profiteers of homeless misery continue to make their tens of millions of pounds unabated, with no improvement in the basic conditions of the homeless, especially women and children and 3,058 people are still refused homeless accommodation. Those sleeping on the streets of Glasgow doubled in number from 154 to 323 in the space of weeks. He agreed with Mr Dailly on a new approach. Mr Clerkin added: Mike Dailly the top housing lawyer and columnist for the Glasgow Times has repeatedly stated correctly that tens of millions of pounds can be re-directed to Glasgow City Council to directly build good quality temporary accommodation especially safe single sex halfway accommodation for women and children and then move them rapidly on to safe and secure permanent homes. 'This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, as there has to be a housing revolution in Glasgow.' A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'We're duty-bound to find and provide emergency accommodation to those affected by homelessness. "We are having to spend more and more on hotels and bed & breakfast use in our attempts to meet the increasing demand for accommodation and avoid people having to sleep rough. 'Unfortunately, we are aware of a rise in the number of refusals for accommodation - this happens when there is no accommodation available. We currently use 40 hotels across the city to accommodate those whom we have a confirmed duty for. 'There is no quick alternative. We are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and continue to seek the additional resources necessary to address the challenges we are facing.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Couple challenge winter fuel payment cut in court
A couple are due to begin their legal challenge against UK and Scottish government decisions to cut winter fuel payments. Peter and Flo Fanning, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, allege both governments failed to adequately consult with those of pension age and did not release an equality impact assessment on the changes. They also claim the decision to end the £300 benefit for thousands of pensioners across the country last year was "irrational" and breached their human rights. Both governments said they were supporting pensioners, but declined to comment the Fanning's case. The couple want the Court of Session in Edinburgh to set aside the policy and restore the payment as part of a judicial review. Mr Fanning, 73, receives a state pension and work pension, while Mrs Fanning, 72, receives the state pension. They do not meet the criteria to qualify for pension credit and decided to take action in a bid to see the benefit restored for all pensioners. Mr Fanning said he was going to court to "give a voice" to other pensioners. He said the idea for the legal challenge had come about following a discussion with his friends in the pub. The late former first minister and leader of the Alba Party Alex Salmond took up the campaign. They are also being supported by the Govan Law Centre. Couple's bid to sue governments over winter fuel payment Couple given go-ahead to sue governments over winter fuel payment Mr Fanning, who is a member of the Alba party, said the speed of the decision meant it was rolled out "without much warning". He told BBC Scotland News: "It's not about politics it's about the people who don't have that voice. "Pensioners tend to plan. "Your benefit changes in April so in April you're looking at the year-round. "Christmas? How do I support my family? How do I do birthdays? Am I going to get a holiday this year? "Because it's like a kind of a triple whammy; the cost of the electricity and gas, the cost the petrol is up as well therefore the delivery of any food that you eat is up." About 10 million pensioners in England and Wales lost their allowance under new measures announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves in July last year. Those on pension credit or certain other means-tested benefits retained the annual payments, worth between £100 and £300. In Scotland, the payment was devolved to Holyrood in April 2024, but the Scottish government followed the actions of their counterparts in Westminster in terminating it in August 2024, arguing £160m had been taken from its budget. A new alternative, called the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP), was due to be introduced the following month, but that has since been pushed back to winter 2025. It will also be means-tested, despite ministers claiming it would not be. Meanwhile, the devolved government in Northern Ireland also followed suit, but affected pensioners were given a one-off £100 payment from Stormont in November. Mrs Fanning said she had altered the way she used energy at home in the wake of the decision. She said the couple's gas bill had doubled in the past two years, while their electricity bill had also near-doubled from £60 to £110 per month. Mrs Fanning said they only ran their central heating for about an hour a day. She added: "We got a new cooker about five or six months ago and what I noticed was the oven runs away with an awful lot of electricity. "So what we do now we tend not to use the cooker as much. Now we're using the air fryer." Mr Fanning suffers from health issues and said he was "frightened" to put the central heating on due to increased costs. He said: "It would be nice to be able to get up in the morning and not worry about if I put the heating on it's going to cost me X amount. "Because like everybody else I live from one pension to another. " A judicial review is a type of court proceeding in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body. In other words, they are a challenge to the way in which a decision has been made, rather than the rights and wrongs of the conclusion reached. In this case the Fannings argue both the UK and Scottish governments failed to adequately consult with those of pension age and did not release an equality impact assessment on the changes. Lawyers for the couple also say the decision to remove the allowance was irrational and breaches articles two and eight of the European Convention on Human Rights. The benefit was paid through the UK government's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). A spokesman for the DWP said other payments had been rolled out for some pensioners. "We are committed to supporting pensioners – with millions set to see their state pension rise by up to £1,900 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock," he said. "Many others will continue to benefit from the warm home discount and we have extended the household support fund to help with the cost of heating, food and bills. "And last year Energy UK, in collaboration with the government, published a winter 2024 commitment which promised £500m of industry support to billpayers this winter." A Scottish government spokeswoman said PAWHP would provide "universal support" to all pensioner households next winter. She added: "Households not in receipt of a relevant benefit will receive £100, with those on a relevant low-income benefit will get £203.40 or £305.10, depending on their age." The spokeswoman said winter heating payments worth £58.75 were now being issued to those on low incomes and are only available in Scotland. And, as of 28 February, she said more than 456,000 winter heating payments had been made. The government also said funding for its national fuel poverty scheme - Warmer Homes Scotland - had been increased by £20m. Winter fuel payments scrapped for millions Scotland scraps universal winter fuel payments for pensioners
