People in Aberdeen who have lost their home through no fault of their own face an average wait of around 200 days to find accommodation.

These people were homeless for 50 days longer than last year’s wait of 150 days.

Unintentionally homeless people in Aberdeen total more than 800, and now wait nearly seven months on average to find a permanent home.

This is almost 80 days longer than the Scottish average of four months to find permanent accommodation, as recorded by Shelter.

The time from the first application for help to moving into a proper home has exceeded the council target of 150 days by a third.

Aberdeen City Council communities, housing and infrastructure convener Councillor Neil Cooney said: “We endeavour to prevent homelessness wherever possible and when it does occur to allocate alternative accommodation at the earliest opportunity.”

Local authorities are required to find housing for homeless cases assessed as unintentional – those who have lost their homes through no fault of their own.

This may include dealing with domestic violence, mental disorders or health problems.

The process of finding people in these situations a new permanent home is required to be as swift as possible.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Long stays in temporary accommodation are detrimental to people’s health and wellbeing. The main cause of thousands of people having to spend longer periods in temporary accommodation is the major shortage of affordable homes across Scotland.”

Cllr Cooney wants to ensure that those made homeless get additional support.

He said: “In addition to providing accommodation, the council is also required to identify any unmet support needs within homeless households and to provide the help they need to maintain their permanent tenancy.

“We typically do this while they are in temporary accommodation to ensure they get a fresh start in their new home.”