Organisations call for more affordable homes to tackle Scottish housing crisis

Shelter Scotland has called on the Scottish government to deliver more than 15,000 affordable homes every year of the next parliament.

The housing charity, alongside the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), has written to Finance Secretary Shona Robison, warning that homelessness will rise if the government fails to build more social homes.

According to Shelter Scotland, the estimated annual cost to deliver 15,693 homes each year would be £1.64bn.

We need our politicians to step up

In the letter, the organisations say while the investment is substantial, building costs will not fall, and the cost of inaction, socially and financially, is far greater.

They also claim investment in social housing also supports wider government targets, including reducing child poverty.

Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson, said: “We face a simple choice: invest in the homes we need now or pay the price for generations.

“Scotland needs these new homes for social rent to prevent more families being pushed into poverty, to get the 10,180 children out of temporary accommodation and into permanent homes, to stop young people being locked out of secure housing and to protect communities from a broken and biased housing system.

“We hope the Finance Secretary will listen to these calls and hope she finds the time to meet us.

“We need our politicians to step up and invest in a future where everyone in Scotland has their right to a safe, affordable home upheld. It is time to build Scotland, build hope and build more social homes.”

Delivering the social homes that we desperately need is crucial

SFHA CEO, Richard Meade, said: “Delivering the social homes that we desperately need is crucial for solving every major challenge Scotland is facing, from tackling poverty and homelessness, to improving health outcomes and strengthening the economy.

“The evidence is clear about the scale of investment that requires, but it’s not just about building homes, it’s about building the future Scotland that we want to see: a fairer, wealthier and healthier one.

CIH National Director, Callum Chomczuk, said: “Our joint research is clear. Scotland needs an additional 15,693 affordable homes annually between 2026 and 2031. This is over 75,000 homes over the next Parliamentary term. By contrast we delivered a little over 8000 social and affordable homes in 2024.

“We recognise it is an ambitious target, it requires a step change in capacity and it comes with a significant price tag. But if we want to truly end the housing emergency, get children and families out of temporary accommodation and make the housing system work for everybody then; it starts with building the social and affordable homes we need.

“We hope the commitment made in the Housing Emergency Action Plan is reflected in full in the budget and sets Scotland on the path to an annual programme of 15,693 social and affordable homes.”