Housing Options Scotland

20/10/2026

We were delighted to be with Ayr Housing Aid Centre SCIO yesterday to join their AGM and 40th Birthday celebrations.

Our Broker Tessa Law took the opportunity to catch up with the team about casework and current trends including stories of landlords selling up, anti-social behaviour and of course the need for more social homes.

Thanks for having us, thank for the cake! and we look forward to working together to support more people into homes that suit their needs.

📷 Photo shows (left to right) Katie Filson, Housing Caseworker, Ayr Housing Aid; Tessa Law, Housing Options Broker at Housing Options Scotland and Jennifer Cochrane, Housing Caseworker at Ayr Housing Aid.

15/10/2026

We are working with the very talented students in the Young Enterprise programme at Stewarton Academy, Kilmarnock on a creative commission producing wooden coasters to give away as promotional items.

The students are part of the 'Happy Home Ayrshire' initiative that produces bespoke items for the home and for business. They were commissioned by Housing Options Scotland to produce a limited run of branded oak coasters, which we are giving away to guests who attend dates on our national tour.

For more information about the commission, visit our website: https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/young-enterprise-collaboration-with-stewarton-academy/

08/10/2026

We were delighted to have the Scottish Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton with us yesterday for the Ayr stop on our national tour.

Susie spoke passionately about the experience of veterans making the move from service accomodation to civvy street and how vital it is that charities like us are there to help anyone in the Armed Forces and their families to navigate the housing system.

You can find out more about Military Matters, our housing advice service for members of the Armed Forces community on our website: https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/service/military-matters/

It was good to be in Ayr for the Housing Options Scotland roadshow.

The event included separate sessions for people looking for housing support and for professionals working in housing and advice services.

I heard more about Military Matters, which provides expert housing advice to members of the Armed Forces and veteran community and helps connect them with other sources of support.

Thank you to everyone involved for a very useful and informative day.

02/10/2026

Thanks to all those who came out to join us at our tour dates this week in Dundee and Aberdeen.

We were delighted to see so many professionals join us in the afternoon sessions to find out more about how we can help and with specific questions for us on areas including our work to support individuals within the Coming Home cohort and the work we do with OTs to develop closer working links between health and housing.

The next date on our national tour is the Western House Hotel in Ayr on Wednesday 7 October.

Spaces still available and more information on our website here: www.housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/ontour

01/10/2026

It was an honour to be with Veterans' Foundation in Edinburgh yesterday for the official launch of The Armed Forces Pledge, Britain's biggest thank you to veterans.

Our CEO Moira Bayne and our Military Matters Broker Sally Stimson joined veterans including Mark Ormrod MBE MBC, and the Scottish Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton to encourage people across Britain to stand with and support the millions who have servedin our Armed Forces.

The Veterans’ Foundation is calling on people across Britain to show veterans they have not been forgotten.

People across Britain can add their name to The Armed Forces Pledge and leave a message of support, creating Britain’s biggest thank you to the more than 1.8 million veterans living in the UK today.

Veterans’ Foundation Ambassador and former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod MBE formally launched the Pledge at Merchants Hall in Edinburgh last night, at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Veterans’ Foundation, which was founded in the city in 2016.

The Armed Forces Pledge is now open for signatures at: https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/signthepledge

Housing Options Scotland's Military Matters service provides housing advice to the Armed Forces community in Scotland. We are enormously grateful for the support we receive from the Veterans' Foundation to maintain and develop our service.

Our latest news story shares details of our latest award, £75, 000 over the next three years: https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/housing-options-scotland-welcomes-vital-support-from-the-veterans-foundation/

📷 credit, from left to right: Veteran Kitione Rawalai, Guy Cartwright, Trustee, Veterans’ Foundation, Moira Bayne, Chief Executive Officer, Housing Options Scotland, Martin Nadin OBE and CEO Scottish Veterans Residences, Sally Stimson, Military Matters Housing Options Broker, Housing Options Scotland, Veteran Jack Boyle, Leon Fisher BSc FIoL TechIOSH, Chief Operating Officer, Vector24 and veteran RAF Chinook pilot, Mark Ormrod MBE, veterans’ Foundation Ambassador and former Royal Marine and Susie Hamilton, Scottish Veterans Commissioner. Photographer Ian Georgeson.

30/09/2026

What a great way to start our tour! In the sunniest city in Scotland.

Thank you Dundee for hosting the first date on our five-date national tour. We had a fantastic session in the morning, helping individuals with housing advice, and a really valuable afternoon with professionals who work in health, housing and statutory and support services, referring clients to us on a regular basis.

Some great discussions and some important follow-ups for us to make.

Next stop Aberdeen tomorrow.

Spaces still available in the morning sessions of the tour dates in Ayr, Glasgow and Edinburgh ➡️ https://lnkd.in/efVF6-Qh

09/09/2026

Housing Options Scotland is proud to support our annual Scottish Housing Day, which this year takes the theme of 'Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures'.

We will be joining colleagues from across the health and housing sectors at the Scottish Housing Day event at the Scottish Parliament next Wednesday (16 September 2026) to make a stand for healthy homes and the communities that support them.

Housing and support services provide the foundations for people to thrive. A well-functioning housing system is essential to our physical health and mental wellbeing, creating vibrant communities and the social structures needed to keep people active, safe and living independently.

The quality of building fabric can make our homes more energy efficient and easier to heat, reducing fuel poverty and health issues associated with cold, damp homes. Homes that are built to high standards of accessibility can be adapted to meet people’s changing needs, help people to live independently and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or costly residential care.

Emerging technology and digital solutions are also playing more of a role in keeping homes and residents healthy.

All of these things can make a huge difference in helping people to live well and thrive.

To find out more, visit the Scottish Housing Day website ➡️ www.scottishhousingday.co.uk

08/09/2026

We are delighted to announce that we are working with Third Sector Lab on a new website for Housing Options Scotland.

We have enjoyed the process of taking stock to identify how we can improve our referral process and pathways and we very much look forward to launching the new website in October.

Until then, we are thrilled to share the first screenshot from homepage built out in WordPress! A first look at the real deal - a website that will help us to help more people.

And if you want to learn more about us, come out and see us on tour - first date is in Dundee on Wednesday 30 September and more info here ➡️ https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/ontour/

31/08/2026

Scotland needs homes to support us to live well for longer.

In our latest blog, our Housing Broker Susan Mendelovitch looks at the options for older people seeking accessible homes and making the journey to reclaim their freedom, dignity and comfort in everyday life.

To read Susan's blogs on the housing options for older adults, visit our website: https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/homes-to-support-us-to-live-well-for-longer/

26/08/2026

We were pleased to be with colleagues from across housing and the third sector, along with individuals and families with lived and current experience of homelessness, at the 'Building Hope: A Home for Every Child' event in Edinburgh today.

Organised by Shelter Scotland and Fife Gingerbread, and funded by The Robertson Trust, this was an important rallying point for a new project that unites professionals, allies and people with lived experience to deliver the change required to end child homelessness in Scotland.

Great to hear from inspiring speakers including Dr Pinar Aksu in the morning session, and to have guidance in the afternoon on how we as housing professionals can work within our organisations to examine how we are working, how we are talking about child homelessness / children living in temporary accommodation and how we can find ways to support collective action.