“Deeply worrying” figures have revealed the “scandal” of Glasgow’s homeless crisis.

The city recorded 1,355 instances of people being refused temporary accommodation last year, compared to 125 people in Edinburgh.

A report from the Scottish Government claimed the figures were caused by Glasgow City Council’s decision to move away from the use of bed and breakfasts for temporary accommodation.

The statistics looked at figures between April and September 2023, revealing that the number of open homelessness cases across Scotland is at the highest level on record.

A massive 30,724 live applications were recorded on September 30, an increase from the previous high of 30,129 in June.

Compared to the same period the previous year, the number of unresolved applications had increased by 10%.

The report said: “This large increase is attributed to Glasgow, who had 1,355 instances of not being able to offer temporary accommodation between July and September, compared to less than five in all previous quarters back to October to December 2020.

“Glasgow has noted this increase is due to the council reducing its use of bed and breakfast accommodation.”

Glasgow City Council has been contacted for comment.

On September 30, 9,860 children were in temporary accommodation in Scotland – a slight decrease from June 30 but an 8% increase compared to the same time the previous year.

The number of people who applied for homelessness assistance between April and September last year having slept rough the night before was also the highest since at least 2020, at 888 – an increase of 23% from the same period the previous year.

Applications from people who reported having slept rough in the last three months was 1,408 – a 20% increase from the previous year.

Matt Downie, chief executive of the charity Crisis, said it is “deeply worrying” to see a rise in rough sleeping, and he urged the Scottish Government to take action through its upcoming housing Bill.

Of the 10,247 people who applied for homelessness assistance, 26% said they had been asked to leave their accommodation, while 19% claimed there was a dispute in their household.

In the three months to September 30, the number of households not offered temporary accommodation was the highest on record – 1,515.

Sean Clerkin, STO campaign coordinator, said: “These figures are scandalous.

“Glasgow City Council are failing to give emergency accommodation to homeless people is proof that the authority can be accused of abandoning homeless men women and children.

“The authorities must reverse this as it is driving these people into penury and destitution.”

Housing minister Paul McLennan described the figures as “sobering”, adding they “demonstrate the challenge we face in tackling homelessness, which has been made worse by the UK Government’s Local Housing Allowance freeze, cuts to the Scottish Government’s budget and the bedroom tax”.

He said: “Despite this, Scotland continues to have the strongest rights anywhere in the UK for anyone who becomes homeless, but we are determined to ensure no-one need become homeless in the first place and ensure people can stay in their homes.

“I regularly engage with Scotland’s local authorities and work with them to find solutions to the housing pressures they are facing.

“The Scottish Government is doing all it can by making record funding available to councils of more than £14 billion in 2024-25 – a real-terms increase of 4.3% compared with the previous year.

“This includes £30.5 million to local authorities to support their work to prevent homelessness, plus £90.5 million to spend on discretionary housing payments. We are also investing £100 million in the multi-year ending homelessness together fund.”