Shelter Scotland analysis of Scottish budget shows huge cut to social housing

The Scottish Budget announced yesterday represents a £113m cut to funding for new social homes according to analysis by Shelter Scotland. 

The charity has warned that such a significant reduction in funding will inevitably lead to an increase in affordable housing need and ultimately make the fight to end homelessness harder.  

In his statement to Holyrood yesterday, Deputy First Minister and acting Finance Secretary John Swinney failed to mention housing or tackling homelessness.  

However, documents published later showed swingeing cuts to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, which supports the delivery of new social housing.  

Director of Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, said:

"There is a housing emergency in Scotland. One which is costing lives and heaping misery on the thousands of children who will spend this Christmas in homeless accommodation.  

“A multitude of taskforces, working groups and advisory bodies have repeatedly told the Scottish Government the same thing; only through better funded local services and building more social homes can we prevent homelessness.

“Given that Ministers are aware of the necessary steps to meaningfully address the housing emergency, it was concerning that the Deputy First Minister failed to mention homelessness or housing even once in his statement. 

“Our fears were confirmed when the budget documents were finally released and showed an enormous cut to funding for social homes. 

“Mr Swinney spoke a lot about choices in his address to Parliament. We at Shelter Scotland have to be clear: the choices made in this budget will inevitably make it harder to end homelessness and risk ultimately condemning social housing commitments to the bin.”