Figures due to be released this week are expected to show that around 200 people have died while homeless in Scotland, in 2020.

A homeless people’s campaign group has been collecting the numbers and estimates it will be 193 for the year.

The figures will cover a period when, for nine months of the year, homeless people sleeping rough were taken off the streets during the Covid pandemic and accommodated in hotels, including several in Glasgow.

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A number of people died in the Alexander Thomson Hotel in Glasgow city centre during the pandemic.

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Five men and five women were found dead at the hotel throughout 2020, with many the result of a drug related death.

In 2019 there were, according to the official government records, 173 identified and 216 estimated deaths of homeless people in Scotland.

That was an increase from 152 identified and 195 estimated deaths, in 2018

Glasgow was home to the highest number with 31 identified deaths and 39 estimated deaths.

That was a fall from 49 identified and 63 estimated, the previous year.

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The official National Records of Scotland publication is due on Tuesday but if the Museum Of Homelessness numbers are accurate then the number of deaths will be similar to 2018 when 195 were estimated.

The deaths last year were at a time when people were taken off the streets and support services more readily available.

The Museum of Homelessness, an organisation in England has been keeping track of homeless deaths in Scotland.

They said: “Since our published figures earlier this year of 176 deaths in Scotland in 2020, a couple more FOI responses came in which takes our total to 193 deaths in Scotland in 2020.”

Sean Clerkin, anti-homelessness campaigner and Scottish Tenants Organisation co-ordinator said it was more evidence that homeless people have been failed.

He said: “The number of homeless deaths in Scotland in 2020 is a scandal in that many homeless people were placed in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation to protect them from Covid-19 and yet many of them were failed in that the duty of care to them was not fulfilled as nine homeless people died at the Alexander Thomson Hotel in Glasgow and five died at the Pleasance Lifehouse in Edinburgh.

“The Scottish Government has to allocate much more resources so that homeless people have access to person centred mental health care and drugs and alcohol related services along with an accelerated Housing First Programme.

“The time for talking is over as we need urgent action to help homeless people now.”