There are fears that homelessness could rise as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and those taken off the streets will be replaced by a new wave.

The homeless who are currently being accommodated in hotels in Glasgow face an uncertain future.

While it has been stated that coronavirus pandemic resulting in action to take hundreds of the street is an opportunity to end rough sleeping no firm plan has been agreed.

Indeed, campaigners on a government advisory group have suggested the problem could worsen in the coming months.

In Glasgow there are around 300 people, who were identified as rough sleepers put into hotels in the city when lockdown started in March.

Some have been moved on to other accommodation and some, who come under the category of having ‘no recourse to public funds’ and understood to have returned to other countries.

It was possible as hotels were closed and not accepting bookings due to the lockdown.

However, Scotland’s hospitality industry has been told to expect a return to business within the next four weeks.

Fergus Ewing, the Tourism Minister said a date of July 15 was expected following the next lockdown review six days earlier.

The City Council said it is working to provide an alternative for moving people out of the hotels.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Health & Social Care Partnership said: “We are working with hotel owners to ensure a phased withdrawal from this form of accommodation while also liaising with a range of stakeholders to ensure we can provide alternative accommodation for people we have a statutory duty towards.”

However, at the last meeting of the Scotish Government Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (Harsag) it was stated that instead of ending homelessness it could rise.

The minutes from the meeting state: “Members stated that fears included an increase in homelessness presentations once the pandemic was over and that there are not yet enough appropriate properties to respond adequately.

“Also there are things out with our control, such as immigration regulations, that could result in a new population sleeping rough.”

“There was also uncertainty about a second or third wave of the virus and that the exceptional financial support available during the last few months, through the £350m communities funding package, cannot be available indefinitely.”

Those in hotels were taken off the streets following action by the Simon Community working with the city council.

A spokesman for the Simon Community said: “We’re in the planning stage at the moment but can say that there are no plans to close the hotel provision within the next four weeks.”

It is hoped that more details will emerge in the coming week.