New builds by social landlords have plummeted by 30%

Urgent action is needed after figures showed the number of social homes started in Scotland fell to the lowest levels since records began in the mid-1990s.

According to statistics published by the Scottish Government today (30 September), the number of homes built by housing associations in the year to June 2025 plummeted by over 30% as the social sector started fewer homes than at any point since 1997.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) said the worrying trend underlines the huge scale of the country’s housing emergency.

It comes as the Scottish Parliament is today set to pass new housing laws aimed at tackling homelessness and introducing private rent controls.

Last week SFHA joined CIH Scotland and Shelter Scotland detailing research showing that Scotland needs to build over 15,000 social and affordable homes per year to meet housing need across the next Parliament.

However, according to the new statistics, the number of completed homes was just 6,851 - considerably under half the amount experts say is required.

SFHA chief executive, Richard Meade said: “This is a desperate situation. Tackling the housing emergency, ending child poverty and improving Scotland’s public health record simply cannot be done without building far, far more social homes.

“Our research shows that we must build over 15,000 affordable homes a year – and we’re not even reaching halfway towards that. If political parties believe in a fairer, more just Scotland than this must be the first priority of the next Scottish Government.

“If we don’t take urgent action then we will never end the housing emergency, committing thousands of Scottish families to a bleak future.”

Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson said the statistics are the consequences of decades of underfunding and poor political choices in housing and expose that not Scotland is failing to deliver the homes that were promised.

She added: "The Scottish Government's promise of 110k would need them to more than double the number of homes delivered each quarter - there is no sign that they have a plan to achieve this.

"And we know that even this target is woefully short of the number of homes we need to reduce homelessness. Independent research estimates we need a minimum of 15,693 just to help councils begin to end the housing emergency in their area.

"All of Scotland’s party leaders have the power to deliver social housing. Now is the time to commit to building the homes we know are needed every year throughout the next parliament.

"Any plan that does not include these homes is a plan for increasing homelessness, tearing communities apart, and denying children the chance to thrive.

"Only the public can put pressure on politicians to prioritise the housing we need. Scotland needs radical change to deliver more social housing, build hope, and build the Scotland we want to see."