'Collapse in housebuilding' as homelessness surges to record levels
SFHA calls for ‘urgent action on housing emergency’ as number of social homes built falls by a quarter.
Figures released today show a ‘collapse in housebuilding’ at the same time as homelessness has surged to record levels.
In the latest grim statistics underlining the challenge of Scotland’s housing emergency, the number of open homelessness cases reached a record level of 31,870, as it was revealed councils are facing over 100 applications a day.
The number of children living in temporary accommodation, which includes hotels and B&Bs, has also surpassed 10,000.
It comes as figures also revealed that the number of social homes built in the last year until June 2024 had dropped by a quarter, as the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations warned that housing associations had been hamstrung by ‘repeated hammer-blow cuts’ to the affordable housing budget.
Scotland’s affordable housing budget was cut by £196million in last year’s Scottish Budget and has been slashed by 37% in the last two years.
SFHA Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “Today’s housing and homelessness figures underline that the collapse in housebuilding has devastating consequences.
“Repeated Scottish Government cuts to the affordable housing budget have made it ever more difficult for housing associations to deliver the safe, warm, affordable homes that everyone deserves as a basic human right.
“We’ve seen some recognition from Scottish Government that this is an emergency, so ahead of the Scottish budget we need to see radical action to match that and to invest in our social homes. This is a dire situation, but there is time to turn things around if we act with purpose.”