Shelter reacts to figures on social housing overcrowding

Shelter Scotland has reiterated the need for more social housing after figures show 23% of families with children are living in overcrowded conditions.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland said the Scottish Government figures, part of the 2011 census, were “yet another consequence of the housing crisis in Scotland today.”

“Families with children in particular are hit hard by overcrowding through a lack of privacy, space to develop, play or do homework. It also impacts schooling and the health and wellbeing of children,” he said.

A lack of investment in social housing over the last three decades and the impact of right to buy, with more than half a million social homes sold off, all add up to a major shortage of affordable housing said the charity.

Shelter said the figures should compel the government into action into building more social housing. However budget cuts have curtailed this.

Brown said: “These are just some of the compelling reasons we need to see at least 10,000 homes for social rent being built each year to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis.

“Unfortunately, however, in the most recent Budget Statement, the Scottish Government committed to delivering just 4,000 homes for social rent next year, less than half of what we need.

“This was a real missed opportunity and, at that rate, we will never meaningfully address the shortage of affordable homes in Scotland and give hope to those families in overcrowded homes.”

Over 150,000 people in Scotland are on council waiting lists for a home, says the charity.