Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee hears housing association priorities

The Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee has recently taken evidence ahead of the Scottish Government setting out its budget later this year. 

The overall aim of the ‘pre-budget scrutiny’ is to influence how the budget is prepared. 

While recognising the significant financial constraints the government is facing, SFHA submitted a response that outlined key spending commitments that Scottish Government should take forward as a priority. You can read the full briefing here. The summary outlined:  

• Scotland’s housing associations attract significant investment into Scotland with wide-ranging broader economic impacts. However, we are now seeing the development of social homes at worrying levels with some housing associations no longer building homes. The impact this will have on already record homelessness and the current housing emergency cannot be overstated, as well as the longer-term economic impacts.  

• While we recognise the significant pressures facing the Scottish Government, a nearly 40% cut to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme has worsened this crisis. We welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government noting that any increase to capital spend available would go to this programme and we must see this happen. 

• Our members need certainty over what government grant will be available if they are to build homes. At very least, clear multi-year spending commitments should be set out. 

• Future-proofing the housing stock as we age, to meet varying needs and support independent living, is a fundamental part of preventing unnecessary health spend. We need to see adequate budgets for this, which have not been increased in some years. 

• Meeting the transition to net zero will require adequate funding so the burden does not fall on social tenants and boosts the workforce. 

Members will be updated as pre-budget scrutiny progresses.