This content applies to Scotland only.

Shelter's focus in the field of social housing is on the contribution that councils and registered social landlords (RSLs) make to the housing landscape in Scotland. Councils are still the largest providers of social housing in Scotland, although RSL stock now represents over 40 per cent of public sector housing.

Shelter's policy work on social housing

Our policy library includes briefing material on many issues that affect public sector housing, reflecting the wealth of changes that continue to dominate the sector. We assess the impact of the Right to Buy on the availability of affordable rented housing, examine the transfer of housing from councils to housing associations that is occurring in many local authority areas and look at how housing associations are responding to increased responsibilities for providing accommodation for people who are homeless.

Key policy documents on social housing

• 2007 spending review briefing: updated
  Shelter welcomes the invitation to provide evidence to the Local Government and Communities Committee on the 2007 budget and spending review. This updated briefing outlines Shelter's views on the 2007 spending review.
• Scottish housing green paper: initial response from Shelter
  This briefing outlines Shelter's response to the Scottish Government's housing discussion paper Firm Foundations.
• Submission to the Scottish Executive Review of Social Housing
  This position paper sets out Shelter's initial contribution to the debate on the future of social rented housing in Scotland.
• The impact of the Right to Buy in Scotland
  A briefing examining the impact of the Right to Buy in Scotland since it was introduced in 1980 and Shelter's proposals for change in light of that impact.
• Maximising the use and effectiveness of Section 5 referrals
  This guide provides an overview of best practice for making and taking Section 5 homelessness referrals, the formal means by which local authorities can ensure that homeless people are housed by registered social landlords.
• Fair allocations and choice based lettings
  A briefing paper on the effect of the introduction of tenant choice into allocation procedures and its impact on the fair allocation of lettings.
• The Right to Buy in Scotland: options for reform
  This policy document sets out Shelter Scotland's views on reforming the Right to Buy.
• Assessing future stock transfer proposals
  This briefing lists questions to be used to assess stock transfer proposals against a number of stated criteria. It also gives Shelter's recommended responses.

Research on social housing

You can often find summaries of and links to research into public sector housing supplied by local authorities and RSLs on our Recent publications page, including papers on issues such as allocation policies, supply, management and eviction.

Further information

The principal legislation governing social housing is the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, which introduced the Scottish secure and short Scottish secure tenancies and the 'modernised' Right to Buy process, and the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, which sets out the allocation process.

• You can find out more about allocations, public sector tenants' rights and who has the Right to Buy in the get advice section.
• Find out what you can do to help with Shelter's campaigns.
• For more a more in depth examination of the law, you can subscribe to Shelter Legal, the essential online law resource for people working in housing and homelessness.