This content applies to Scotland only.

Due to serious disrepair and a lack of affordable new homes, Scotland is currently facing a housing crisis. But how bad is the situation? Read the latest facts and figures here.

If any of the terms used on this page are unfamiliar to you, you can use the housing issues glossary to find out what they mean.

Where do these figures come from?

These figures, except where noted, are taken from the Scottish Government's Housing Statistics for Scotland, Housing and Regeneration datasets, published on the 31 August 2011.

How many homes are there in Scotland?

• In Scotland there are approximately:
  • 1.5 million owner-occupied homes
  • 272,653privately rented homes
  • 272,401 homes rented from housing associations
  • 323,138 homes rented from local authorities.
    
• According to the 2001 census, there are 29,299 second and holiday homes in Scotland, comprising 1.3 per cent of the total housing stock.
• There are currently 87,000 empty homes across Scotland. (1)

(1) Scottish House Condition survey data.

How many homes are being built in Scotland?

• 10,503 dwellings built by the private sector
  
• 5,111 dwellings built by housing associations
  
• 583 dwellings built by local authorities.    
  

To view the key indicators from 1996 to 2011 on current housing stock and new dwellings completed, check the Government's Housing Statistics for Scotland bulletin.

How many public sector homes are there?

• At 31 March 2011 there were 319,878 local authority homes in Scotland.
• Over half (55 per cent) of public sector housing in Scotland is flats.
• On the 31 March 2011 there were 7,667 vacant local authority dwellings.

How many people are on council waiting lists in Scotland?

• At 31 March 2011, there were 194,992 households on local authority housing lists across Scotland. Of these, 156,200 people were on waiting lists and 38,800 were on transfer lists.
  

How many homes are lost through Right to Buy?

• In 2010-11 1,800 local authority and housing association dwellings were sold through Right to Buy.
• Over the past 10 years there have been 92,000 homes lost from the social rented sector through the Right to Buy.

Poor housing conditions

• 298,000 homes in Scotland are affected by dampness or condensation.
• At least 105,000 families with children, 36,000 older households of two people and 24,000 single pensioners are living in houses affected by dampness or condensation.
• An energy standard of seven out of 10 has been required for new homes for more than a decade, but 44 per cent of homes in Scotland fail this standard.
• A total of 62 per cent of Scotland's social housing currently falls beneath the new Scottish Housing Quality Standard.

Source: Scottish House Condition Survey Data 2009 (2010)

People living in overcrowded housing conditions

• 71,000 households are overcrowded in Scotland. This represents 3 per cent of the total number of households in Scotland.
• Of these households 46,000 (65 per cent) are families with children.

Source: Scottish House Condition Survey Data 2009 (2010)

Average prices and rent levels in Scotland

• The average house price in Scotland has increased from £73,570 in 2001 to £173,661 in 2011, an increase of 136 per cent.
• The average weekly Local Authority rent in Scotland has risen from £38.05 in 2000-2001 to £54.63 in 2010-11, an increase of 44 per cent.

For more information please contact Shelter Scotland on 0344 515 2444.