A quarter of Scottish councils have failed to build any new homes in the past year, despite the ongoing housing emergency in the country. According to the Scottish Government’s official figures, seven out of the 32 local authorities in Scotland did not construct any new homes in the last year. These councils include Angus, Clackmannanshire, Orkney, South Lanarkshire, Shetland, and West Dunbartonshire. This lack of new housing construction comes at a time when the Scottish Government declared a housing emergency earlier this year.
Criticism has been directed towards SNP Ministers for cutting affordable housing funds, resulting in a decrease in housing construction. There were 1,573 local authority-led house completions in the year up to June 2024, a 20% decline compared to the previous year, with 398 fewer homes built. Additionally, construction started on 1,295 homes during the same period, showing a decrease of 152 house builds (11%).
A Scottish Government spokesperson mentioned that the councils not building new homes have other methods for affordable housing supply, such as acquiring empty properties or collaborating with social landlords. They highlighted the government’s efforts to support affordable housing delivery, with over 133,000 homes completed since 2007, including more than 94,000 social rented homes. The government reiterated its commitment to investing nearly £600 million in affordable housing this year, primarily for social rent, including the acquisition of existing properties.
The housing crisis in Scotland has escalated with an increasing number of children residing in temporary accommodation. Recent figures from the Scottish Government revealed that 10,100 children were living in temporary accommodation like B&Bs or hotels as of March this year, marking a 5% rise from the previous year. The total number of households in temporary accommodation reached 16,330, a 9% increase over a year. The number of Scots reporting they had slept rough the night before seeking help also rose from 1,493 to 1,916.
In a context where the construction of new homes for social rent has decreased by 25%, concerns have been raised about the impact of SNP ministers cutting nearly £200 million from the affordable housing budget. These actions have raised questions about the government’s response to the growing homelessness crisis across the country.
The latest development underscores the urgent need for increased efforts to address the housing emergency in Scotland, with calls for more substantial government action and investment in affordable housing projects to provide secure and adequate accommodation for all residents.