Launch of the Hoarding Taskforce Manifesto
Scotland’s Hoarding Taskforce launches a manifesto calling for connected, person-centred, trauma-informed support for people who hoard.
The Scottish Hoarding Taskforce has launched its manifesto, calling for a more connected, person-centred and trauma-informed approach to supporting people who hoard across Scotland. The manifesto launched on 12 May 2026 during Hoarding Awareness Week.
Established by the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS) in 2024, the Taskforce brings together people with lived experience and practitioners from housing, health and social care, fire and rescue, police, environmental health and the third sector to rethink how Scotland responds to hoarding. Over the past two years it has hosted three stakeholder events with more than 200 participants and audited existing materials to identify gaps in skills and training.
Hoarding disorder is a recognised mental health condition. Studies suggest a prevalence among adults of around 2.5 to 5 percent, equivalent to roughly 63,000 to 125,000 people in Scotland. The manifesto’s central argument is that crisis-driven responses, such as enforced clearouts, tend to do more harm than good and carry heavy financial and human costs.
Its core message is that a better approach exists, but it depends on strong leadership and genuine partnership working to secure consistent outcomes across the country.