Dumbarton’s MSP has hit out at the Scottish Government over the “tragic” toll of homeless deaths in West Dunbartonshire.

It comes as official figures revealed that the area experienced one of the highest rates of deaths amongst homeless people in Scotland last year.

The authority recorded 103.1 deaths amongst homeless people per million population aged 15 to 74 – the fifth highest toll in Scotland.

Only the Shetland Islands and Western Isles, City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City recorded a higher homelessness death rate per local authority.

The Shetland Islands saw 205.6 homeless deaths per million population aged 15 to 74, while Glasgow City recorded 112.0.

Data from the National Records of Scotland also showed that 242 homeless deaths were recorded in Scotland in 2023 – down slightly on 244 deaths in 2022.

Of these deaths amongst homeless people, the majority – some 79 per cent – were males.

Most deaths in both sexes were amongst the 35 to 44 age group, with half of all deaths in the under 45s.

The most common causes of death were external causes – including accidents, suicides, assault and drug misuse – which accounted for 56 per cent of all deaths amongst homeless people, whilst diseases of the circulatory system, including heat disease and stroke, accounted for 14 per cent.

Figures also show the estimated number of homeless deaths from external causes increased from 123 in 2022 to 136 in 2023, mainly drive by an increase in drug misuse deaths.

Two fifths of all deaths amongst homeless people were due to drug misuse – 41 per cent or 100 deaths – whilst probable suicides accounted for 10 per cent and alcohol-specific deaths accounted for seven per cent of all estimated homeless deaths.

By contrast, just six per cent of all deaths in 2023 were due to external causes, whilst 25 per cent were due to diseases of the circulatory system.

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Bailie said: “It is tragic that West Dunbartonshire – which already has one of the lowest life expectancies in Western Europe and soaring rates of drug and alcohol-related deaths, as well as record increases in homelessness – has now, tragically, recorded one of the highest rates of deaths amongst homeless people in Scotland.

“It reflects a total and catastrophic failure of the Scottish Government’s policies on public health and housing.

“We have known for some time that a housing crisis existed in Scotland, West Dunbartonshire Council having declared an official crisis amongst housing stock before the Scottish Government recognised the issue.

“Other local authorities, including Argyll & Bute, reached the same conclusion even earlier, yet it took the SNP until the end of May, under duress, to declare a national housing stock emergency and they did it without a clear plan to tackle the issue.

“These tragic deaths come as a reflection of the housing emergency currently engulfing Scotland and of the failings seen in Scotland’s public services under the SNP.

“We are now heading into an expected cold snap and the height of winter and the SNP still does not have a plan to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency – the results of which can be seen in the shocking death toll amongst the area’s homeless residents.

“All of these people have been failed by a broken system.

“A great many of the residents who seek my help within the constituency require housing or rehousing to meet their needs.

“Make no mistake, there is a real and absolute crisis facing the social housing sector and social landlords lack the funds to create much-needed new stock.

“The SNP must now deliver a plan which sees the creation of more social housing and better financing for councils, to allow the delivery of frontline services.”