Scotland's biggest publicly funded housing association has pledged to provide more than 4000 homeless people with homes in the next two-and-half years in a bid to tackle the nation's housing crisis.

The Wheatley Group, which owns or manages 93,600 homes in 19 of Scotland's 32 local authority areas, has made a commitment to help deal with homelessness as part of a strategy which runs to 2026.

They say they have already moved 5773 people off the streets or out of temporary accommodation and into a home in the past two-and-a-half years.

The housing group says that it has a commitment to get 10,000 homeless people somewhere to live over a five year period to April, 2026.

It comes as it emerged that homelessness in Scotland has surged higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Official figures show that there were 39,006 applications for homelessness assistance between 2022 and 2023 – higher than pre-pandemic levels (37,053 in 2019-20).

READ MORE: Court action over moves on Wheatley Wyndford flats demolition

The figures also show an increase of 3,247 (9%) when compared with 2021-22.

Ministers have already been warned that a homelessness crisis will become deeper after it emerged social landlords in Scotland are expected to build 4,500 fewer affordable homes for some of the nation's most vulnerable than planned over the next five years.

Concerns have been raised about how the nation will deal with the housing emergency as the regulator has warned registered social landlords are projecting a 15% reduction in their plans to build new homes over the next five years as they seek to make spending cuts.

It has led to new concerns over a potential failure to meet a Scottish Government target over the provision of affordable homes.

The Herald: The Wyndford flats in Glasgow which are at the centre of a controversial plan for demolition are owned by the Wheatley Group.

The number of new social sector housing building starts has slumped to a seven-year low, with 3665 due to begin in 2023, according to official figures.

Wheatley said that it has found 2475 homeless people a home in 2021/22, 2207 in 2022/23 and a further 1091 were supported into a new tenancy up to the end of August this year.

Wheatley says it has also committed to giving 60% of its new lets in the central belt each year to homeless households.

It says it has turned 251 temporary furnished homes into permanent homes for people living in them since June 2020 and created more than 369 Housing First tenancies through a multi-partnership set up to tackle rough sleeping.

The group, which includes four registered social landlords – Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes East, Wheatley Homes South, and Loretto Housing – has around 63,800 homes for social rent across the country.

Wheatley Group chief executive Steven Henderson welcomed the latest figures saying: “The importance of everyone having a warm, safe, and secure home should never be underestimated.

“As the largest organisation nationally in providing affordable housing, we have a clear role to play in increasing the number of lets to homeless people and families."

Robert, 20, of Glasgow, ended up homeless after a family breakdown. After spending several years in the care system, he found himself sofa surfing for a year and a half.

He said: “My mum kicked me out when I was 17 and although we got back on track for a while, we were constantly arguing, and it became impossible for me to stay.”

Robert was offered a Wheatley Homes Glasgow property in May this year and says he is enjoying having a place to call home.

The Herald:

He added: “I’m so grateful for the house I’ve been given. Having a roof over my head and space to call my own means a lot.

“I’m trying to get into work now to help me manage. That’s what is going to make the difference for me. I’m learning about money management and looking after the property. I’m getting support from Wheatley to do this when I need it.”

Wheatley has been at the centre of controversial plans to demolish four 26-storey towers at Wyndford in the Maryhill area of Glasgow.

Earlier this week, it emerged that a council screening analysis admitted there was a danger of the production of hazardous waste and risks of accidents from what is one of Scotland's biggest proposed demolition projects.

There is concern that the issues were not considered big enough by the council to warrant an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which campaigners believe would have opened the project up to the scrutiny of councillors through the normal planning process.

Campaigners say that any further moves to go forward with the project will result in court action and they have called on the Scottish Government to intervene.

The Scottish Government's Programme for Government made a commitment to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% was to be available for social rent. The commitment to build 110,000 affordable homes was made in the 2021 Programme for Government after the SNP and Greens signed a powersharing deal.

But a group of council chiefs and senior managers said that Scotland faces a "critical lack of capacity" in social housing.

The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, in a July analysis, says that the supply of affordable homes has fallen 20% in three years and "shows no sign of recovering".

They say at least 125,000 homes for social rent were needed simply to satisfy existing demand.

Its July analysis revealed that 243,603 people are currently on the waiting list for social housing, but only 26,102 allocations were made across the entire country.