Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: New Housebuilding and Affordable Housing Supply (published 24 January 2023)

1. Main points

Note that the latest private-led and all-sector new housebuilding figures contain some estimates for a small number of authorities. Further details are provided in Section 8.

New Housebuilding

• The number of all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland increased by 9% (1,806 homes) in the latest year to end June 2022 to 21,825 homes, compared to 20,019 homes completed in the previous year to end June 2021, and 1% (220 homes) above the 21,605 homes completed in the pre pandemic year to end June 2019.
• In the latest year to end June 2022, increases were seen across private-led new build completions (4% or 615 homes), local authority new build completions (27% or 540 homes), and housing association new build completions (21% or 651 homes).
• The number of all-sector new build homes started decreased, with 19,060 starts in the year to end June 2022, down 13% (2,765 homes) on the 21,825 starts in the previous year, and which is 20% (4,766 homes) below the 23,826 homes started in the pre-pandemic year to end June 2019.
• In the latest year to end June 2022, private-led new build starts dropped by 15% (2,611 homes), local authority new build starts dropped by 12% (234 homes), whilst housing association new build approvals increased by 3% (80 homes).
• Separate figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 12,013 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the year to end August 2022, up 4% (508 transactions) on the 11,505 transactions recorded in the year to end August 2021.
• Latest social sector new housebuilding figures to end September 2022 show an increase of 17% (982 homes) to 6,704 completions, which compares to 5,722 completions in the previous year. Starts however fell by 16% (797 homes) to 4,161, down from 4,958 starts in the previous year.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

• Affordable Housing Supply Programme statistics reflect the broader supply of affordable homes for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership, and include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds.
• The 2,565 affordable homes completed in the latest quarter July to September 2022 brings the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 9,449, an increase of 2% (219 homes) on the 9,230 homes completed in the previous year. There were increases in the number of completions for social rent (by 17% or 1,127 homes), however affordable rent completions decreased (by 28% or 387 homes), and affordable home ownership completions fell by 42% or 521 homes).
• A total of 1,028 affordable homes were approved in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes approved in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 7,160, a decrease of 16% (1,414 homes) on the 8,574 homes approved in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 13%, or 813 homes), affordable rent (by 18%, or 195 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 37%, or 406 homes).
• Meanwhile the 2,172 affordable homes started in the latest quarter July to September 2022 brings the total number of affordable homes started in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 8,256, a decrease of 19% (1,877 homes) on the 10,133 started in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of starts for social rent (by 11%, or 804 homes), affordable rent (by 37%, or 548 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 42%, or 525 homes).
• Quarterly affordable housing supply statistics are used to inform progress against Scottish Government affordable housing delivery targets, in which the ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.
• There have been a total of 4,927 completions so far against the 110,000 target, across the period 23 March 2022 to 30 September 2022, consisting of 4,188 (85%) homes for social rent, 418 (8%) for affordable rent, and 321 (7%) for affordable home ownership.
• Figures on the remote, rural and island communities element of the target are planned to be reported on as part of future annual affordable housing supply out-turn reports, although we are considering whether it is feasible for these figures to be reported on a quarterly basis in addition to this.

Long Term Empty and Second Homes

• The 42,865 long-term empty properties as at September 2022 is a decrease of 2% (901 properties) from the 43,766 properties in 2021. Across the same time period the number of second homes has increased by 2% (397 homes) from 23,890 to 24,287.