Launched today, the campaign follows research conducted by YouGov for the charity that found that 88 per cent of people surveyed agreed that everyone in Scotland should have a legal right to a safe, secure and affordable home and that 76 per cent support a new law being created for adequate housing for everyone.

The research also found that 78 per cent support Shelter Scotland campaigning for stronger human rights in relation to housing.

Val McDermid said: “Home is a place where you’re safe to be yourself. Where you can relax, where you can express yourself and where you don’t feel under threat. Too many people don’t have that privilege. That’s why I’m backing Shelter Scotland’s campaign.”

Shelter Scotland campaigners will be hitting towns and cities across Scotland in the coming weeks and months to drive home the message and gain public support for the petition.

Launching the campaign, Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Too many people in Scotland don’t have access to the basic right of a decent and affordable home – which is simply wrong in the 21st century in one of the world’s wealthiest countries. There are more than 14,000 homeless children currently in Scotland and nearly 11,000 households in temporary accommodation.

“We also have rising numbers of people sleeping rough across the country. The evidence is clear - people’s rights to a home need to be significantly strengthened.

“And our research shows that the people of Scotland support changes to give everyone the right to a decent home.

“Through this campaign we want the people of Scotland to know that a good home is their right – not a privilege - and it should be law. We also want them to feel a sense of injustice that so many people don’t have access to this basic need.”

Mr Brown added: “By encouraging people to join our campaign we want them to feel hopeful that they can make a difference if we all work together. We want them to feel like they’re joining an important and powerful movement for building a better Scotland for everyone.

“We want the right to a home and enshrining it in law to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. We want people to sign our petition so we can influence government policy.

“We look forward to meeting as many people as possible during our campaign over the coming weeks and months and asking them this simple question on strengthening people’s right to a home - Are you with us?”