Alyn Smith MP

Alyn Smith MP: Housing & Homelessness Factsheet

Having a roof over your head is a fundamental human right. Housing is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and local council. This means that as your representative for Westminster Alyn Smith is limited in what he can help with. 

This page will give you an overview of support available for those experiencing issues with housing or homelessness.

If you have nowhere safe to stay tonight, apply as homeless to the council as soon as you can. You will be given temporary accommodation while they look into your situation. The council must help you if you’re homeless or likely to become homeless in the next two months.

Here are the contact details for Stirling Council:

Customer First
1-5 Port Street
Stirling
Fk8 2EJ

Phone: 01786 404040 (24 hours)

The council must help you if you’re homeless.

You make a homeless application by going to your local council and tell them that you are there to make a homeless application.

If you have nowhere to stay then the council should offer you temporary accommodation.

You will have an interview with a homelessness officer and they will help you fill in a homelessness application form.

The council will then check out the details of how you have become homeless and your personal circumstances.
Stirling Council homeless information pages provide information on the process and what steps you can take.

Shelter Scotland

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/

Tel: 0808 800 444 (free helpline)

Shelter is a charity that seeks to provide people struggling with bad housing or homelessness the help that they need. They provide advice, support and legal services. The website has a number of different links that relate to most housing subjects.

They have a free helpline for urgent enquiries, an online chat, and a wealth of information.

Local Housing Associations

Housing associations are not-for-profit organisations that rent houses and flats in city centres, housing estates and the country. They aim to provide good, low cost accommodation for people who really need it. Housing associations are run by committees of volunteers elected by the tenants.

There are two main associations in the Stirling constituency:

• Rural Stirling Housing Association
• Tel: 01786 841 101
• enquiries@rsha.org.uk
• Forth Valley Housing Association
• Tel: 01786 446 066
• info@forthha.org.uk

Other useful links

Refuge

• Safe houses for women and children escaping domestic violence and abuse. Together with Women’s Aid, Refuge runs the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline.
• Call: 0808 2000 247

Scottish Women’s Aid

• Support, information and a safe place to stay for women suffering from domestic abuse. The website contains contact details for your nearest women’s aid group.

Survivors UK

• Advice and help for men who have suffered from sexual abuse and rape.
• Call: 02035 983 898