Scottish housing leaders call for new guarantee to protect social housing commitment

SFHA, Shelter Scotland and CIH Scotland have joined forces in an open letter to Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy Kate Forbes to ask for a guarantee on the social house building commitment ahead of the Scottish Government budget announcement. 

The letter outlines the importance of providing enough social homes to reduce housing inequality for good. This is particularly critical following the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic that assumed everyone had a safe home to remain in. In reality, people from marginalised groups, such as people of colour and disabled people trapped in inadequate housing, had a very different lockdown to those in a safe home. 

The housing leaders previously came together in June 2020 to publish research on how many homes were needed to reduce affordable housing need in Scotland. Over 42,000 people have no safe, permanent home, and the ask was 37,100 targeted in areas of greatest need by 2026, and the government response was a commitment of 110,000 by 2032. This letter is urging the government to ensure this ask is not forgotten, further deepening the housing emergency.

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Scotland’s housing system is broken and biased, and it is failing people. Never has the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, 70% for social rent, by 2032, been more important or at greater risk. 

“Housing supply is under unprecedented pressure, and we need the government to protect its house building commitments in the forthcoming budget. We want to see a national effort to prioritise social housing delivery through access to supply chains, skills and resources while protecting tenants from unaffordable rents.  

“People in Scotland who are homeless and badly housed cannot afford any further delays, and we need an end to this.”

Sally Thomas, Chief Executive of the SFHA, said: “Scotland’s housing associations and co-operatives have gone to extraordinary lengths in recent years to build thousands of safe, warm, affordable homes in thriving communities. They are determined to continue playing their part in supporting their tenants, many of whom have been badly hit by the impact of Covid-19 and spiralling fuel prices. 

“However, the rising costs of construction and pressure on supply chains means this job becomes more difficult every day. Our members need the Scottish Government to build on the financial support they have already offered, so we can deliver the 110,000 affordable homes Scotland urgently requires. This issue cannot wait."

Callum Chomczuk, National Director (Scotland) of the CIH said: “The pandemic has taught us all the importance of having a safe, affordable home, and we recognise the significant investment made by both government and social landlord partners to increase social housing supply in recent years.

“However, we still face a housing crisis in Scotland, with tens of thousands of people either homeless or living in inappropriate or unsafe housing. Now is the time to recommit to building and funding the 110,000 net zero homes that Scotland needs over the next 10 years so that everyone has a place to call home.”