Our four strategic aims for 2024–2027 are as follows:
Access to safe, warm, affordable rented housing reduces poverty, which changes lives. We will transform Scotland's understanding of social housing, making the case for it to be the top political priority.
Our campaigning approach will be bold, clear, and challenging, telling individual stories as we use our influence with partners, policymakers and the public to improve people's lives through three areas:
We will maintain a clear focus on the future - bringing our members together to find new ways to solve housing challenges.
We will work with agility, pace and confidence to monitor trends, anticipate change and model solutions. We will make a concerted effort to progress and transform the social housing landscape.
In line with our values, we will make sure SFHA is financially strong and increasingly agile in helping our members respond to a changing world.
We will be a vital support network, collaborating with partners to serve our members and their tenants. We aim to be indispensable, raising our members' expectations of the support we'll provide.
We are broadening and deepening our relationships with members, aiming to support their staff at all levels from every background.
We will embrace equality, diversity and inclusivity to ensure everyone has the change to be heard. We aim to represent all housing associations in Scotland and will work tirelessly to both celebrate their diversity and wherever possible, speak with one voice.
While working at pace, for, and on behalf of, our members, we will be professional, agile, collaborative and empathetic.
We will measure our progress using the following measures of success.
SFHA is a private company limited by guarantee, first registered in 1975. Though we are separate from other federations in the UK, we work closely with the National Housing Federation (England); Community Housing Cymru (Wales); and the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA), as well as Housing Europe.
Only housing associations which are registered associations under the Housing Act 2010 –that is, with the Scottish Housing Regulator – may be members of SFHA.
Our members elect a Board of 12 non-executive Directors, and that Board governs the organisation on behalf of members. The Board is accountable to members for ensuring that SFHA is fit for purpose, uses its resources effectively and maximises its reach and impact. The Board is governed by rules set out in the Articles of Association, most recently updated in 2024 and available to members.
Board Directors may be senior staff or governing body members of member associations and are elected from one of four constituencies. Each Director has a term of office of three years and can serve for a maximum of nine years. The Board meets not less than four times a year.
The Board annually elects its office-bearers – Chair, Vice-Chair, and Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk.
The Board employs a Chief Executive who is responsible for leading and managing staff of the organisation to deliver the strategy set by the Board. The CEO and Executive Team lead the day-to-day work of the organisation under the headings of Public Affairs, Business Development and Corporate Services.
Our Board and staff recognise and value accountability to members for the manner in which we operate.
We publish each year a members’ brochure outlining plans for the year ahead, as well as a Corporate Annual Report and Annual Accounts and Auditors’ Report within six months of each year end through our AGM.
A summary of our accounts is filed at Companies House and is available to members.
The current auditors to the SFHA are Wylie and Bissett.
Below is a list of our sector partners with links to their websites:
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)
www.cih.org
Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR)
www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk
Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF)
www.gwsf.org.uk
SHARE
www.share.org.uk
Shelter
www.shelter.org.uk
Scottish Government
www.gov.scot
National Housing Federation
www.housing.org.uk
Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA)
www.nifha.org
Community Housing Cymru
www.chcymru.org.uk
Joint Improvement Team (JIT)
www.jitscotland.org.uk
Homes for Scotland
www.homesforscotland.com
TPAS Scotland
www.tpasscotland.org.uk
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
www.scvo.org.uk
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
www.cosla.gov.uk
Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO)
www.alacho.org
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
www.rics.org
Housing Europe
www.housingeurope.eu
Housing associations and co-operatives provide homes for over half a million people in Scotland.
They don’t just build, maintain and rent out homes: they also help their tenants by providing care and support services as well as advice and help on energy efficiency, finances, employment and much more.
Social housing is affordable rented accommodation which is owned and managed either by local authorities (LAs) or by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs): that is, housing associations and co-operatives. Around a quarter of people in Scotland live in social housing, split between local authorities and RSLs. Some local authorities do not have any social housing of their own, as it is all managed by housing associations and co-operatives.
Housing associations are charities and not-for-profit organisations, some small and locally focused, others with homes right across Scotland. All surpluses are reinvested into maintaining affordable rents, offering services and wider support to tenants, and funding the affordable, high-quality housebuilding that Scotland desperately needs. The co-operative housing model is similar, but the governing board is made up exclusively of tenants.
Social housing offers affordable rents and secure, long-term tenancies, as well as other support for people with specialist, specific needs. Housing associations do all they can to support tenants experiencing challenges in their lives, whether it is difficulties in paying rent, being able to find a job, paying for heating, or just having someone to chat and have a cup of tea with. You can find out more about the work they do to support their wider communities in our Thriving Places report here.
Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to apply for social housing. However, the limited supply available means there is often a waiting list for suitable properties. Currently, around 250,000 people in Scotland are on a waiting list for a social home.
To ensure those who need a suitable home the most get one as quickly as possible, applicants’ priority level on the waiting list is determined by a points system. Essentially, the more points an applicant has, the higher their priority on the waiting list. For example, points might be awarded to applicants with particular medical conditions or applicants who are currently homeless or living in unsuitable accommodation. Housing associations can also advise people on other housing options.
Some housing associations accept applications directly from members of the public, and some offer Choice Based Letting Schemes, in which the applicant can apply for a specific property. However, it is more common to apply through a Common Housing Register - a joint waiting list for housing associations and the local authority. The specific system used varies by area and the type of housing in question. Local authority websites will specify how applicants can apply in each region, and housing associations’ websites will explain how each organisation receives applications and allocates its homes.
If you need to rent a good quality, low-cost home, contact your local council to find out about housing association and council homes in your area. If you need housing advice, visit Shelter Scotland at shelter.co.uk or 0808 800 4444. You can also find out about SFHA members in your area at our website here.