SCOTLAND’S capital has declared a housing emergency as it grapples with rocketing rents and a homelessness crisis.

As the city manages more than 5,000 households in temporary accomodation and the highest rental inflation in the UK at 13.7 per cent, Edinburgh City Council has become the first city in Scotland to formally declare a housing emergency.

Housing charity Shelter Scotland, which is campaigning for all of Scotland’s councils and the SNP-Green Scottish government to follow suit while coming up with a comprehensive plan to end homelessness, welcomed the move.