Shelter Scotland responds to the Scottish Budget

On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government of Scotland announced the Scottish Budget.

Please see Shelter Scotland’s response below.

Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson said:

“Social housing delivery in Scotland remains too slow, too little and too late for the more than 10,000 children homeless tonight. Today’s budget doesn't do enough to change these facts.

“Shona Robison’s budget was an opportunity for Ministers to put their money where their mouth is. On the face of it an additional £34 million for social housing, compared to the most recent budget, is a step in the right direction - but it is not enough.

“The extra money will only deliver 36,000 affordable homes by 2030 – more than 26,000 short of where they say they would need to be to deliver their promise of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.

“The new Parliament will need a new approach and new money to deliver the social homes needed to reduce homelessness. Homes that the government promised, that academics say we need but for which there is still no credible plan to deliver.

“We must be honest about the real costs of failure. Failing to build the social homes we need means rising homelessness, rising child poverty, rising costs for councils, health boards and the taxpayer.”