Right to housing in Scotland for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and their family members

The right to adequate housing can be linked back to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948. Commitment to this founding objective has increasingly been incorporated into the Scottish welfare system. The effort of the Scottish Government is particularly evident in recent years with two significant commitments being made in 2021 to further realise the right to housing (these being, to deliver enough homes to begin reducing affordable housing need and to introduce a new human rights bill to incorporate the right to adequate housing into the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights).

It is important to know what these commitments mean in practice. Understanding your rights and responsibilities regarding housing is essential for when issues inevitably arise. The factsheet we have developed will inform you of:

• If/how you can rent
• What housing benefits you may be eligible for
• What assistance you can get if you are homeless
• If you can buy/own property
• What impact immigration status has on your rights

You will also find resources for further information and assistance linked.