Housing statistics quarterly update: March 2020

4. Social Sector New Housebuilding

Social sector housing consists of local authority and housing association housing, and has accounted for a quarter of all new build homes completed over the 12 months to end September 2019.

Social sector figures are collected a quarter ahead of those for the private sector meaning that figures are available up to the end of December 2019. However to enable easier understanding of how each sector contributes to the all sector totals described previously, some figures are also presented to end September.

Chart 7a shows the number of local authority and housing association homes started and completed each year (to end September) since 2007, whilst Chart 7b shows the same information but up to end December (the most recent information available). Charts 8 and 9 show quarterly figures for housing associations and local authorities, respectively.

Figures for the year to end September 2019

There were 1,317 social sector completions between July and September 2019; 2% less than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end September 2019 to 5,361. This is a 6% increase on the 5,057 social sector completions in the previous year.

Meanwhile, 1,342 social sector homes were started between July and September 2019; 39% more than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end September 2019 to 7,017. This is a 5% increase on the 6,657 social sector starts in the previous year.

Table 3 – Social sector new housebuilding to September 2019

Trends since 2007

Social sector house building has not followed the same pattern as the private sector over time as the number of homes being built did not suddenly drop in 2008 following the recession.

Between 2007 and 2009 (years to end September) the number of housing association completions increased from just over 3,700 to just over 5,700. Completions then decreased each year, to just under 2,600 in 2014, before increasing to just over 3,000 in 2015. Completions then decreased to just over 2,500 in 2017. In the last two years, completions have increased to just over 3,800 in 2019.

The number of housing association approvals fell from just under 6,300 in 2009 to just over 2,300 in 2011 (years to end September). The figures have since increased over time, particularly since 2015, and are at just over 4,900 in 2019.

The number of local authority homes built has gradually increased from just 34 homes in 2007 up to just over 1,200 in 2012 (years to end September). Completions were then broadly flat until 2017, but have since increased to just over 1,500 in 2019. Local Authority housing has accounted for 7% of the total amount of new build homes completed across all sectors in the 12 months to end September 2019.

Sub-national local authority figures for the year to end September 2019

Maps C and D show the rates of housing association and local authority new build completions in each local authority for the year to end September 2019 per 10,000 of the population (based on the latest mid-2018 population estimates). The housing stock of 6 local authorities (Argyll & Bute, Dumfries & Galloway, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Na h-Eileanan Siar and Scottish Borders) has been transferred to housing associations and so these areas do not build new local authority houses.

In the year to end September 2019 rates of housing association new build completions were highest in Argyll & Bute, Glasgow City, Clackmannanshire, Renfrewshire, Orkney Islands and Scottish Borders, whilst the lowest rates of housing association new build were in Shetland Islands, Falkirk, Dumfries & Galloway, East Renfrewshire and East Ayrshire.

Meanwhile local authority new build rates were highest in West Lothian, Moray, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire. As well as the 6 stock transfer authorities mentioned above, Shetland Islands, East Dunbartonshire, Midlothian, Angus, West Dunbartonshire, Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire and Clackmannanshire built no new local authority homes in the year ending September 2019.

Latest figures to end December 2019

A total of 1,430 social sector homes were completed between October and December 2019, 43% more than the 1,002 completions in the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end December 2019 to 5,789 a 14% increase on the 5,090 social sector homes completed in the previous year.

Meanwhile, 1,900 social sector homes were started between October and December 2019. This is up 6% compared to the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for the 12 months to end December 2019 to 7,129 which is a 1% decrease (80 homes) on the 7,209 starts in the previous year. The decrease in the 12 months to end December 2019 is due to a 31% (514 homes) increase in Local Authority starts and a 11% (594 homes) decrease in Housing Association led approvals.

Table 4 – Social sector new housebuilding to December 2019