New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply to end of December 2025

Newbuilds

There were 17,336 new homes built and 14,999 new builds started across the social and private sector in 2025.

An annual decrease was reported for all-sector starts (6% decrease) and completions (13% decrease) between 2024 and 2025.

The private sector built 13,725 homes and the social sector built 3,611 homes. In terms of starts, building work on 11,929 was started by the private sector and 3,070 homes by the social sector.

Leaving out 2020, when Covid‑19 affected building activity, the private sector completed fewer homes in 2025 than in any year since 2017 and started fewer homes than in any year since 2013. For social housing, completions were the lowest since 2014 and starts were the lowest recorded since this data series began in 1997.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

In 2025 the Affordable Housing Supply Programme delivered 6,289 affordable completed homes, approved 5,833 homes, and started 5,856 homes.

Annual decreases were reported for approvals (9% decrease), starts (15% decrease), and completions (25% decrease) of homes provided via the Affordable Housing Supply Programme between 2024 and 2025. However, in the last 6 months of 2025, increases in approvals (58% increase, 1,153 homes) and starts (21% increase, 543 homes) compared with the same period in 2024 were seen.

As of December 2025, 32,479 homes have been delivered towards the 110,000 affordable housing target by 2032 — 77% social rent (25,016), 15% affordable rent (4,750), and 8% affordable home ownership (2,713).

Background

Housing statistics quarterly update: new housebuilding and affordable housing supply - gov.scot

Background information including Excel tables and explanatory information on data sources and quality can be found in the Housing Statistics webpages.

Official statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.