Heavily pregnant homeless woman is 'refused emergency accommodation by council' which houses more than 3,500 migrants - as charity that stepped in says it was told 'unborn children have no rights'

A heavily pregnant woman has been left homeless after charity helpers were allegedly told by officials that 'unborn children have no rights'.The Homeless Project Scotland posted on Facebook about how the 34-week pregnant woman was reduced to 'sleeping in our shelter on a floor mattress'.The charity's chief executive Colin McInnes described her plight as among the most 'horrific' he had seen.He urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to 'take back control' of homeless services from the SNP-run Scottish government.Mr McInnes said: 'If Andy Burnham had control of homelessness in Scotland now, that woman would not be left on the streets.'Latest figures from the council suggest there are 7,711 homeless adults and 2,931 children in Glasgow – both described as 'disproportionately high' compared to the rest of Scotland.Meanwhile, most recent Home Office figures suggest 3,683 migrants are receiving housing support in Glasgow, with another 152 getting financial backing – amounting to about half of the 6,500 migrants across Scotland.The 26-year-old mother-to-be arrived at Homeless Project Scotland's main base in Glasgow on Tuesday at about 9.30pm, having travelled from London – allegedly fleeing an abusive relationship.A woman walks past a homeless person lying in a doorway in a Glasgow city centre street Homeless Project Scotland founder Colin McInnes (pictured) has criticised officials for their response after a 34-week pregnant woman, 26, came to a night shelter in GlasgowVolunteers there contacted Glasgow City Council's out-of-hours emergency service for help but say the woman was told during a subsequent four-hour interview to return to London to seek accommodation. A charity worker named Sebastian, speaking in footage shared by the charity on Facebook, said he was told the woman's unborn baby had 'no human rights'.Homeless Project Scotland said: 'Someone seeking refuge from violence deserves to have their circumstances heard and their safety taken seriously.'We ask Glasgow City Council to urgently review how this woman’s request was handled and ensure she receives appropriate accommodation and support.'The charity's CEO and co-founder Mr McInnes described how staff there called the council's social services helpline and a taxi was sent to collect the woman.But she was later returned to the night shelter in a taxi after what Mr McInnes described as a 'four-hour interrogation'.He said: 'I explained the situation that there is no way that this lady should obviously be in our shelter - we are at full capacity and this woman cannot sleep on the streets.'They told me, "Unfortunately this lady is going to have to sleep on the streets because we won’t be accommodating her". A homeless man sleeps on the streets of Glasgow'At that point, I said the rights of every child is important and this child needs to be protected with its mother and the words that the woman on phone said to me and I quote, "An unborn child does not have rights".'Mr McInnes said the woman then spent the night sleeping on a mattress on the night shelter's floor before leaving for the streets the following morning. But volunteers later found her and directed her back to social services, he added.Mr McInnes said: 'This is not how we behave in the United Kingdom and certainly not how we behave in Scotland that we would leave women who are 34 weeks pregnant lying in the streets.'Michael Robinson, executive director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: 'Whatever happened to the SNP’s compassionate society?'This is a truly chilling and callous response to the plight of a heavily pregnant woman and her unborn baby.'Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, which combines the city's council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to manage community health and social work services, said: 'We are reviewing this and engaging with this individual, who is being supported appropriately.'Mr Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister in July, has vowed to get all rough sleepers off the streets by this Christmas. A homeless person sits in Glasgow city centre next to a bag of their belongingsYet he later admitted that extra Government funding might not be enough to do so.The Prime Minister made a 'rallying call' for local communities to get behind his plan, which he is backing with an extra £102million of funding from Angela Rayner's housing department.This is on top of the £340million already announced by Mr Burnham as part of his promise to end rough sleeping in England.But he said in August, during a visit to the North East: 'The Government money itself may not fully be enough.'So I am saying, putting the call out to community and voluntary organisations – we're at one here in Newcastle today, doing fantastic work.'But we're saying to the wider community, voluntary, and faith sector: come on, let's get behind this. Let's show what Britain can do when we all pull in the same direction.'Meanwhile, new data published today by the Office for National Statistics showed an estimated 974 people died while homeless in England and Wales during 2025.And separate independent research released by the Museum of Homelessness suggests this official count was significantly undercounting the number of people dying while homeless. They found that 1,720 people, including 51 children, died while homeless last year, with the total number of deaths a 6.8 per cent increase compared to 2024.Overall, more than 10,000 people have died while homeless since 2017 and more than 30 per cent in 2025 were either on the streets or in rough sleepers' accommodation.Matt Downie, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said: 'Behind these statistics are human lives tragically cut short because of homelessness.'Official figures show that the average age of death for someone experiencing homelessness is just 43 for women and 47 for men, decades shorter than the life expectancy of those of us with secure homes.'This shameful suffering is inexcusable in the 21st century and further proof of why the leadership from the Prime Minister to end rough sleeping is so critical.'In the longer term, we know that homelessness can only truly be ended by providing safe and affordable homes. Where a home cannot be provided immediately, good-quality accommodation alongside a clear pathway to settled housing is the right first step.'Do you know the woman? Please email aidan.radnedge.mol@dailymail.co.uk