Scots ‘priced out’ of housing as one in four say they can’t afford to move

Scots are being “priced out” of the housing market, Labour has said, after figures revealed one in four say they cannot afford to move to the place they would most like to live.

The most recent Scottish Household Survey showed a sharp rise in the proportion of people unable to move to their home of choice because of unaffordable rents and mortgages.

In 2019, 13% of respondents said being unable to afford rent or mortgage payments was a barrier to moving.

By 2023, that figure had surged to 23%.

The statistics come after the Scottish Government and at least a dozen councils declared a housing emergency.

There are increasing levels of homelessness and people on housing waiting lists, and rent and house prices are moving faster than wage rises.

The Scottish Household Survey found the percentage of people who said they struggled to raise a sufficient deposit to buy a house had risen to 43% – up from 36% in 2019.

And 22% of those who responded to the survey said they could not move into their desired accommodation because they were unable to obtain a mortgage, up from 17%.

Scottish Labour said too many Scots are “stuck” in unsuitable housing.

Mark Griffin, the party’s housing spokesman, said home ownership was becoming a “distant dream” for a generation of people.

He added: “Under the SNP, Scotland has fallen into a devastating housing emergency.

“More and more Scots are being priced out of accommodation and forced to live somewhere unsuitable because they simply cannot afford to move.

“Home ownership is becoming a distant dream for a generation of young people.

“It’s time for the SNP to wake up to the scale of this crisis and set out a real plan to make sure every Scot has the safe, secure home they deserve.

“From reforming planning to boosting housebuilding to supporting renters, the SNP must set out a real plan to make sure housing is affordable.”

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.