We are not getting the homes promised or needed, Shelter Scotland warns

Shelter Scotland has issued a comment following the Scottish Government's quarterly housing statistics.

These figures are published two weeks after independent research shows Scotland needs a minimum of 15,693 homes per year for the next five years just to stop homelessness rising.

Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson said:

"Once again, we are seeing the consequences of decades of underfunding and poor political choices in housing.

"These statistics expose that not enough homes are being built and that Scotland is failing to deliver the homes that were promised, and certainly not the homes that we need.

"The Scottish Government's promise of 110k would need them to more than double the number of homes delivered each quarter - there is no sign that they have a plan to achieve this.

"And we know that even this target is woefully short of the number of homes we need to reduce homelessness. Independent research estimates we need a minimum of 15,693 just to help councils begin to end the housing emergency in their area.

"All of Scotland’s party leaders have the power to deliver social housing. Now is the time to commit to building the homes we know are needed every year throughout the next parliament.

"Any plan that does not include these homes is a plan for increasing homelessness, tearing communities apart, and denying children the chance to thrive.

"Only the public can put pressure on politicians to prioritise the housing we need. Scotland needs radical change to deliver more social housing, build hope, and build the Scotland we want to see."