With the recent economic crisis unemployment is rising rapidly and with this comes repossessions and an increase in homeless. Even before the present economic disaster the number of homeless in Scotland has been steadily increasing for the 7 consecutive years to 2007. During this period the number of homeless related cases handled by the Citizens Advice Bureau has double to 8,000 for 2007. In Scotland at this moment in time there are 40,000 listed officially as homeless, what will the total be by next year? Approximately 50% of the 40,000 official homeless are young people aged 16-24, and this figure does not include those who are not listed as they find a bed by moving around their friends. Add to this the fact that “social” housing is at its lowest level for ten years. While waiting lists for rented housing is rising steadily.
Glasgow is by far the worst in the homeless league with 7,310 officially listed, Edinburgh 2nd. with 4,912 and North Lanarshire 3rd. with 2,653. This with thousands of skilled building workers being paid off in the last 12 months.
What kind of society have we allowed to fester under our noses where the most basic necessity of civilised life, a home, is denied. Only by creating a society freed from the corporate greed for profit and based on the needs of the people will we see an end to this crime. The marriage of state and the corporate world is war and poverty for the many and luxury for the parasites.
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