Social housing new starts lowest for three decades, figures show

The number of new homes started by the social housing sector in the past year is the lowest for almost 30 years, figures show.

Statistics released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday show a general decrease in housebuilding across the country, with a 5% drop in new starts in the past year and an 8% fall in completions.

The worst downturn, however, is seen in the social housing sector, where construction began on 3,031 homes in the year to September – the lowest on record.

The affordable housing supply programme also appeared to struggle in the past year, with a 21% decline in homes beginning construction in the year to April, compared to the previous 12 months, from 6,895 to 5,424.

During the same period, the number of affordable homes completed in the programme also fell 22%, from 9,515 to 7,443.

Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan praised the fact that the number of quarterly approvals for affordable homes – which have fluctuated wildly in recent years – have risen by 61% in the three months to September this year, compared to the same period last year.

“I strongly welcome that these statistics show a 61% increase in approvals, and an 18% increase in starts of affordable homes,” she said.

“The increase in approvals is the highest level for the time period since 2021 and shows our work to instil confidence and investment is working after years of headwinds due to Covid, Brexit and inflation.

“This builds on the Scottish Government’s strong track record, having helped deliver more than 141,000 affordable homes since 2007, with over 101,000 for the most affordable, social rent.

“Despite these successes, there is still much to do and I am determined that we now step up our efforts.

“That’s why my Housing Emergency Action Plan launched earlier this year paved the way for a major affordable homes delivery programme, backed by up to £4.9 billion.

“This will support the delivery of 36,000 affordable homes over the next four years, providing homes for up to 24,000 children.”

The Scottish Government has pledged to build 110,000 affordable homes – 70% of which will be for social rent – by 2032 through the supply programme, with the recent figures showing 31,064 had been built up to the end of September.

Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin said the Government’s record on housebuilding is “nothing short of shameful”, claiming ministers have let the sector “collapse”.

He said: “On the SNP’s watch, 10,000 kids are stuck in temporary accommodation, eye-watering rents are piling pressure on families, and the dream of home ownership is being pushed further and further out of reach.

“The SNP are the architects of this housing emergency – they have let housebuilding collapse, raided funding for affordable housing and starved local government of resources.”

Alison Watson, the director of charity Shelter Scotland, said housebuilding in Scotland continues to be “too slow, too little and too late” for children spending Christmas without a permanent home.

“In their last Programme for Government, Scottish ministers promised to deliver 8,000 affordable homes this financial year,” she added.

“Today’s statistics show that at the halfway mark they have achieved 2,528 – 25% fewer than the same period in 2024.

“Against their long-term commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – including 70% for social rent – they have achieved 31,064, 78% of which were for social rent.

“If they are to achieve the remaining 79,000 on time they will need to move more quickly, invest more money and look at other ways of delivering the homes we need.

“With 10,180 children spending Christmas in temporary accommodation, we cannot afford any more delay.”