Scotland Sees 50,000 Affordable Homes Targets Reached

More than 50,000 affordable homes have been delivered in Scotland since the start of the last Parliament, Housing Industry Leaders investigates how the homes have boosted efforts in providing safe and high-quality places to live.

Statistics published today show that 9,757 affordable homes were delivered in Scotland in 2021-22, which is the highest figure in a single financial year since 2000-01.

March saw the 50,000-target reached, despite the challenges and necessary lockdowns caused by the pandemic over the past two years.

Scotland now is aiming to progress towards its target of delivering 110,00 affordable homes by 2032, with 70 per cent of these for social rent and 10 per cent in its rural and island communities.

Delivering Affordable Homes Is Part Of Creating A Fairer Housing Sector

Housing Secretary, Shona Robison, said: “The pandemic showed the value of a good quality home, but it also threw up significant challenges for all those involved in delivering affordable housing over the past two years. I am very pleased that despite that we have reached our 50,000 target and that since 2007 we have delivered 111,750 affordable homes, with over 78,000 of these for social rent.

“I would like to thank all our partners for helping us deliver so many affordable homes for the people of Scotland.

“We have now started progress towards our next target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which 70% will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities, as part of our ambition to ensure everyone has a warm, safe, affordable place to call home.

“Scotland has led the way across the UK with the delivery of affordable homes, but this is just part of our mission to deliver a fairer housing sector.”

Our Housing to 2040 route map is key to this mission, with priorities including action to tackle high rents in the private sector, improve standards and make homes easier to heat.

Twelve Per Cent Of Homes Delivered Were For Affordable Rent

Outlined in The Scottish Government’s ‘Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply’ document, of the 50,000 affordable homes completed between 1 April 2016 and 23 March 2022, 34,405 homes (69 per cent) were for social rent, while 6,245 (12 per cent) were for affordable rent and 9,350 (19 per cent) were for affordable home ownership.

In addition to this, the document reveals that the number of new-build homes started across all sectors increased in the year-to-end September 2021, with 21,666 starts, up 13 per cent (2,476) from the 19,190 starts in the previous year.

Working towards the target of delivering 110,00 affordable homes by 2032, Scotland must continue to prioritise putting its people first and ensuring that safe homes are provided.