The number of people in temporary homeless accommodation in Glasgow increased to more than 6300 last month.

Official figures revealed there were 6352 people registered as homeless in temporary flats.

The number was revealed in a Freedom of Information request.

In 2020 the number was 5735, according to a previous FOI - an increase of 10% in under two years.

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The council charges for temporary accommodation and while most is covered by housing benefit there are a number of people who are asked to pay.

The arrears owed to the council for temporary accommodation has fallen in the last two years.

In May this year the council was owed £4,066,355. In 2020 the figure that was outstanding was £5,163,685.

The arrears have dropped by more than £1m, or 21%.

The council said: “Debt accrued in temporary accommodation is pursued and is only written off when it is uneconomical to pursue.”

Housing campaigner Sean Clerkin, of the Scottish Tenants Organisation, asked for the figures under FOI laws and said the council should not be pursuing homeless people for housing debts.

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He said: "It is clear we have a homeless and housing emergency in Glasgow which requires the Scottish Government to give much more money now to build new social housing to get homeless people into permanent accommodation a lot quicker.

“Glasgow City Council should also stop pursuing homeless people in temporary accommodation with little or no money for the £4m debt which should be written off. And the high charges of £159.83 per week for temporary flat accommodation and the £364.64 per week charged for staying in a hostel should be eliminated.

“The result of these high charges means that working homeless people in increasing numbers are turning down offered accommodation they badly need.

“It is time to build more social housing in Glasgow and alleviate the financial hardship of homeless people, and stop building so many private developments for the better-off which is designed to drive out low-income families from long-established communities in the city centre.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “The increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation is a reflection of the challenges many people continue to experience because of the pandemic.

“As with any fiscally responsible organisation there is always a contingency plan to factor in unpaid debt.”