Shelter Scotland, the leading housing and homelessness charity, today (Tuesday), urged the Scottish and UK Governments to invest more in affordable rented housing.

Speaking after the announcement of the 2009/10 budget for affordable housing, Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: 'Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil's budget announcement for housing is boosted by money brought forward from next year. The Scottish Government were right to bring forward this funding to help provide more homes in the short term.

'But this still leaves the housing cash pot short next year and with a housing crisis and a homelessness target to meet in 2012 [1], the Scottish Government has no choice but to plough more money into housing.'

He added: 'Shelter also calls on the UK Government to back a fiscal stimulus package [2], which could see an extra 6,000 homes over two years being built in Scotland. This would go some way to meeting the target of 10,000 affordable rented homes a year that are needed. Scotland’s housing time bomb is ticking.'

Notes to editors

1. By 2012 all unintentionally homeless people should have access to a permanent home, under Scottish legislation. Currently, only people designated to be in ‘priority need’ – generally families with children – have the right to permanent homes. All others have access to only temporary accommodation and support. By 2012, there will be no distinction and everyone will have the right to a home.
2. To read about the call to the UK Treasury, click here.
3. Shelter Scotland have produced a paper 'Building Homes and Protecting Jobs' in support of the national UK Treasury call. Read the paper here.
4. Read the Scottish Government's press release 'Record funding for affordable housing' here.