There was an 11% decrease in all sector housebuilding starts and a 4% decrease in completions between 2023-24 and 2024-25 in Scotland, the Scottish Government has announced.
In the 12 months ending March 2025, there were 19,288 all sector homes built and 15,053 all sector new builds started. All sector completions (-4%) and starts (-11%) were lower than the previous 12 months.
The private sector built 14,798 homes and the social sector constructed 4,490 homes. In terms of starts, building work on 11,902 was started by the private sector and 3,151 homes by the social sector.
Excluding 2020-21, when Covid-19 impacted housebuilding, private sector led completions were similar to the previous financial year and starts the lowest since the 2012-13 financial year. In the social sector, completions were the lowest since 2016-17 and starts the lowest since 2012-13.
In terms of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, in 2024-25, there were 4,775 approvals, 5,424 starts, and 7,444 completions of affordable homes. The number of completions were down by 22% (-2,070 homes) compared to 2023-24. Approvals and starts also decreased by 31% (-2,167 homes) and 21% (-1,471 homes) between 2023-24 and 2024-25 (year ending March).
These statistics are used to inform progress against Scottish Government affordable housing delivery target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% will be in rural and island communities. By 2024-25, 28,537 affordable homes have been completed towards the target. These completions consist of 21,937 (77%) homes for social rent, 4,087 (14%) for affordable rent, and 2,513 (9%) for affordable home ownership
Commenting on the publication of the latest quarterly housing statistics, cabinet secretary for housing Màiri McAllan said, “Having a safe, warm and affordable place to call home is critical to a life of dignity and opportunity. The Scottish Government has a strong record in supporting the delivery of affordable homes but demand is high and we must step up our efforts.
“These statistics demonstrate the challenge we face, but it will be my top priority to ensure everyone in Scotland, and in particular our children, have the opportunity to thrive and I am focussed on delivering that real change.
“These challenges, which are not unique to Scotland, are made harder to tackle due to an incredibly difficult financial settlement from the UK Government. However, we have consistently invested and have delivered more than 139,000 affordable homes from 2007 to March 2025. 99,000 of these have been made available for social rent. That’s 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales as of March 2024.
“I will re-double efforts now by investing £768 million this financial year in affordable housing and give tenants stronger protection against damp and mould through Awaab’s Law. We’ll also invest a further £2 million this year to help councils unlock barriers and to target empty homes.”
Jane Wood, chief executive at sector body Homes for Scotland (HFS), commented, “It is now over a year since the Scottish Parliament recognised that Scotland was in the grips of a devastating housing emergency, during which time the numbers of homeless and children living in temporary accommodation has reached record levels.
“Housing starts and completions are the simplest form of evidence which we can use to track Scotland’s response to addressing the housing emergency and unfortunately today’s statistics only confirm the concerns that the home building sector has been raising for years. The regulatory environment in Scotland is stifling the delivery of new homes rather than supporting it and the sector is still awaiting the policy intervention from the Scottish Government that is required to make a real difference.
“This is especially important for our SME home builders who are critical to delivering high-quality new homes on brownfield land and rural communities, yet we know that their number has declined by two-thirds since 2008, with 9 in 10 SMEs citing that government policies are making it harder for them to build.
“The recently published Housing Investment Taskforce report, the recommendations of which the Scottish Government has confirmed it will take forward, recognises the need for bold, co-ordinated and interventionist action across a range of issues such as planning reform, infrastructure delivery and long-term funding commitments for the affordable housing supply programme. With housing now promoted to a standalone portfolio in the Scottish Government alongside a new Cabinet Secretary for Housing, the sector needs to see this reform delivered at pace. Clarity on the outcomes of previously announced measures such as the Planning Hub for Housing and resolution on the significant number of stalled housing sites across the country is also urgently required.
“As ever, HFS and its members stand ready to play their part in increasing the supply of high-quality, energy efficient and affordable homes across all tenures to tackle the housing emergency and provide their crucial expertise on how Scotland’s regulatory framework can deliver rather than block the new homes so desperately needed by Scotland’s people. We look forward to meeting the new Cabinet Secretary to discuss this and understand what the Scottish Government’s key priorities will be going forward.
David J Alexander, CEO of DJ Alexander Scotland Ltd, said, “The latest Scottish quarterly housing statistics are a damning indictment of the continuing failure to address the country’s current housing emergency. All sector newbuild starts are down by 11.2% between financial year 23/24 to 24/25; private sector newbuild starts down 11.5%; social sector newbuild starts down 10.1%; and affordable housing supply starts down 21.3%.”
“At a time when the country is crying out for more new housing there continues to be a lack of action, encouragement or financial support at all levels. The Scottish Governments’ much vaunted affordable housing policy is down by a fifth over one year, while the social housing sector continues to languish at a level not seen since 2012-13. With little encouragement either financially or through the planning process the private sector has also had its slowest year of newbuild starts since 2013.”
David concluded: “This simply cannot be allowed to go on. With fewer and fewer houses being started each year, we are creating a greater and greater emergency in the years to come. The only way to resolve the current imbalance between supply and demand in all sectors is to build more homes right now. Without immediate action house prices will continue to rise; rents will continue to increase; waiting lists will continue to grow; and individuals and families will continue to be unable to find a suitable home in Scotland now or in the future.”
