SCOTLAND’S housing ’emergency’ will continue to get worse if ministers don’t pick up the ‘sluggish pace’ of social housing delivery, Shelter Scotland has warned.
In the last year there has been a 24% drop in the number of new social homes approved, which the charity said will ‘inevitably’ lead to fewer homes being completed in the coming years.
Furthermore, between April and June 2023, 361 new social homes were signed off, which Shelter said represents a ‘shocking’ 53% drop compared to the same quarter in 2022.
Meanwhile, work began on 8% fewer social homes in the last 12 months compared to the previous year.
There was a 12% increase in the number of affordable homes completed, but Shelter Scotland said that such builds ‘will do nothing’ for those currently experiencing homelessness.
Shelter Scotland director, Alison Watson, said, “The snail’s pace of delivery demonstrates clearly that the Scottish Government has got its priorities badly wrong and is neglecting social housing. No minister can claim ignorance of what that means; it means more children with nowhere to call home, it means more people trapped in miserable temporary accommodation, and it means Scotland’s housing emergency continuing to devastate lives.
“There have been countless reports, working groups, and summits all telling the Scottish Government the same thing; genuine social housing is the only way to end our housing emergency. Other so-called ‘affordable housing’ projects won’t cut it because they will do nothing to help the thousands of people in Scotland who are homeless right now.
“Instead of giving us the social homes we need, delivery has slowed to a crawl. There are no excuses for that; if this trend isn’t reversed then ministers are simply accepting that more people will inevitably experience homelessness.”
