Latest figures show Scottish Government neglecting social housing

Figures released today show the Scottish Government is choosing to neglect social housing according to Shelter Scotland.

The charity warned that if ministers failed to pick up the sluggish pace of social housing delivery, Scotland’s housing emergency would continue to get worse.

In the last year there’s been a 24% drop in the number of new social homes approved, which will inevitably lead to fewer homes being completed in coming years.

Between April and June 2023, 361 new social homes were signed off, a shocking 53% drop compared to the same quarter in 2022.

Meanwhile, work began on 8% fewer new social homes in the last 12 months compared to the previous year. 

There was an increase in the number of starts for other kinds of so-called “affordable housing”, including mid-market rent and affordable home ownership, but Shelter Scotland have been clear that these projects will do nothing for the record numbers of people currently experiencing homelessness.

These figures come just weeks after statistics showed that more than 16,000 children became homeless in Scotland last year, an average of 45 per day, while record numbers of households are trapped in temporary accommodation. 

Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson, said:

“The snail’s pace of delivery demonstrates clearly that the Scottish Government has got its priorities badly wrong and is neglecting social housing. 

“No minister can claim ignorance of what that means; it means more children with nowhere to call home, it means more people trapped in miserable temporary accommodation, and it means Scotland’s housing emergency continuing to devastate lives.

“There have been countless reports, working groups, and summits all telling the Scottish Government the same thing; genuine social housing is the only way to end our housing emergency. 

“Other so-called ‘affordable housing’ projects won’t cut it because they will do nothing to help the thousands of people in Scotland who are homeless right now.

“Instead of giving us the social homes we need, delivery has slowed to a crawl.

“There are no excuses for that; if this trend isn’t reversed then ministers are simply accepting that more people will inevitably experience homelessness.”