Number of disabled people waiting for housing in Moray up nearly 20%
Jamie Halcro Johnston, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, has said action is needed as new figures reveal that the number of disabled people in Moray waiting for housing has increased by nearly 20%.
Since 2017, the number on the waiting list in Moray has increased from 487 to 577, while the average wait for a property is now 791 days.
The figures were released following a Freedom of Information request made to local authorities across Scotland by the Scottish Conservatives.
Mr Halcro Johnston said: “It is concerning that such a high number of disabled people in Moray are being forced to wait for suitable accommodation. Given the population of Moray, compared to other neighbouring authorities, this seems a high figure. What makes matters worse is that the trend is up.
“Having to wait an average of 791 days for suitable accommodation must be extremely frustrating, as well as risking having a detrimental impact on someone’s physical and mental health.
“We need to explore why it seems to be so challenging for the right sort of accommodation - accommodation which meets the requirements of disabled people - to be built in Moray. Are developers reluctant to build suitable housing? Is there a lack of coordination between what’s needed and what’s being given the green light?
“Unfortunately, whatever the local barriers are, these problems are being exacerbated by the refusal of the SNP Government to pass on funding it receives from Westminster to our councils, and by the squeeze on public funding we’re seeing as money is directed to SNP pet projects, usually in the Central Belt.
“We all know that Moray, in particular, receives a very poor deal from Holyrood. I fear that these problems will persist until this is recognised by the SNP Government in Edinburgh.”
