A new campaign spearheaded by Homes for Scotland (HFS) has been launched in a bid to highlight the urgency of need for more homes of all tenures in Scotland.
The Homes Build Futures public campaign was launched at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, where a group of future voters – including one of the faces of the new campaign, 9-year-old Eimear O’Leary – joined Màiri McAllan MSP alongside apprentices and representatives from the housebuilding sector.
There is currently 250,000 people on housing waiting lists in Scotland, with 17,240 households in temporary accommodation, and an accumulated shortfall of more than 110,000 homes since 2008 – with Scotland planning for ‘significantly’ fewer homes than England.
Homes for Scotland chief executive Jane Wood said, “Whether on homelessness, waiting lists or the ongoing decline in the number of homes being built, the figures on housing speak for themselves and, frankly, Scotland’s people deserve better. That is the bottom line. The Homes Build Futures campaign aims to tackle this head on in what is a vital period ahead of next year’s Scottish Parliament election, informing civic society to encourage more voices to join the collective push on our politicians for a resolution.
“Homes Build Futures aims to challenge the status quo and mobilise the public to be advocates for more homes. We also want to use the campaign as a platform to drive productive and outcome-driven dialogue between policymakers and the home building sector to address and tackle more positive housing outcomes from here on in. Even if you think this issue doesn’t affect you specifically, it will be impacting family members, friends and colleagues in some shape or form. Crucially, it is our young people and future generations that will suffer most if action isn’t taken now. We encourage everyone to find out more about the campaign and be part of the conversation.”
As the representative body for the home building sector, with a membership delivering the majority of new homes across all tenures, Homes for Scotland’s 2026 Manifesto (also being published today) sets out a number of recommended actions to reverse the downwards trajectory in housing starts and completions and ensure that Scotland reaps the wide-ranging social and economic benefits that are available from achieving this.
Key HFS Manifesto calls include:
- An all-tenure housing target to deliver a minimum of 25,000 new homes to focus both national and local government on ensuring that future policy and regulation will boost new housing delivery, rather than hinder it. The hope is that an all-tenure target approach would result in a more dynamic approach to co-ordination, finance, infrastructure and innovation.
- An enabled and supported planning system that encourages and facilities residential development, including reintroduction of the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
- Targeted support for SME home builders to increase sector capacity to address the fact that their number is now at a 20-year low.
Jane Wood continued, “Access to a safe, secure home is fundamental to everyone’s social wellbeing but housing is also critical to Scotland’s economic growth and success. It is in this context that we urge all those with an interest in increasing supply to join us and take part in this very important Scotland-wide discussion.”
Eimear O’Leary, 9, from Edinburgh, who helped launch today’s campaign and features in the Homes Build Futures billboard campaign and video activity, added, “We are learning about rights in school and having a safe home should be a right for every child. Having a home means that you have a safe and secure place to be with your family. It’s also somewhere you can do your homework and invite your friends to play. Some children don’t have this and that makes me really sad. I’m happy to support this campaign so that we can have enough homes for everyone.”
Backing the campaign is leading homelessness charity, Social Bite. The Scotland-based organisation is committed to creating scalable, innovative solutions such as its Social Bite Villages in Edinburgh and South Lanarkshire, to address the housing crisis and help those who find themselves affected by it.
Founder, Josh Littlejohn, MBE, praised the campaign, saying, “There has never been a more crucial time for an initiative such as Homes Build Futures. It’s imperative that we find a long-term solution to the housing crisis which is leaving so many people vulnerable. Temporary accommodation is not the answer, that’s been made very clear – we need quality, dignified homes for individuals and families which suit their need for safety, security and community.”
Architect and TV presenter George Clarke has already pledged his support for the campaign. With the topic of housing very close to his heart, he added, “While having a place to call a home is about so much more than bricks and mortar, the stark reality is that so many people across the country are unable to even begin to dream of what it’s like to have their own home as simply not enough houses are being built.
“Importantly, delivering the homes we need has wide-ranging positive impacts. As well as providing roofs over heads, they support improved health and education outcomes, jobs, skills and the economy. For every new home built, three and half jobs are supported.”
