Local authority total and vacant housing stock, Scotland, March 2025
This statistical publication presents the latest data for local authority owned housing stock and for vacant local authority owned housing stock. Data is provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government as of 31st March each year.
Part of
Local authority stock, March 2025
As of 31st March 2025, there were 327,746 local authority housing stock units, an increase compared to March 2024 (+7.0% +2,269 units). There were 9,827 local authority housing stock units vacant, a decrease compared to the previous year (-16%, -1,924 units).
In total, 3.0% of the total local authority stock was vacant as of March 2025, however this includes stock that will be demolished or cannot be currently let as it needs modernisation.
Prior to March 2025, Edinburgh was not able to separately report on vacant normal use stock. For consistency, we have reported trends on vacant normal use stock excluding Edinburgh, as well as providing a 2025 total including Edinburgh.
In 2025, the vacancy rate for stock used for temporary accommodation for the homeless is 9.2% compared with 1.7% for normal letting stock There are several potential reasons for this:
- Higher turnover, as the accommodation for homeless households should only be temporary whilst waiting for a permanent housing solution.
- There needs to be stock of this type available to house people presenting as homeless with immediate effect.
Table 1: Local authority housing stock by use and number of vacant units, March 2025, Scotland
|
Status |
Housing stock |
Vacant stock |
Vacant stock rate |
% total vacant stock in March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Awaiting demolition |
1,829 |
1,819 |
99.5% |
18.5% |
|
Low demand area |
15,989 |
431 |
2.7% |
4.4% |
|
Used as temporary accommodation for the homeless |
8,271 |
765 |
9.2% |
7.8% |
|
Part of a modernisation programme |
1,775 |
1,669 |
95.7% |
17.3% |
|
Normal letting stock |
299,830 |
5,102 |
1.7% |
51.9% |
|
Total stock |
327,726 |
9,827 |
3.0% |
100% |
Note:
- There were a further 52 housing stock units that local authorities could not categorise into the above categories (known as the ‘other’ category). There was also 11 vacant unit in the other category.
Table 1 shows the composition of vacant stock by type of use. It shows that just over half (52%) of vacant stock is in the category of normal letting stock, where it is likely the property is being prepared to be relet. However, only 1.7% of normal use stock is vacant. Most of the stock awaiting demolition and housing stock part of a modernisation program is vacant, which is to be expected.
As Chart 1 illustrates, the peak total vacant stock rate was in 2001 (4.0%) decreasing to 2.0% in 2017. Since 2017 there was an increase, reaching 3.6% in 2022 and remaining at that level until a decrease in 2025 to 3.0%.
In terms of normal letting stock (excluding Edinburgh), the vacant stock rate peaked in 2000, 2023 and 2024 with all these years reaching a rate of 1.9%. The lowest points of 0.8% were observed in 2011, 2016 and 2017. Since 2017, the rate has increased to 1.9% in 2024, then decreased to 1.6% in 2025 In 2025, including Edinburgh for the first time, the normal vacant stock rate was 1.7%.
Chart 1: Vacant stock rate, local authority stock, Scotland, 1998 to 2025
Note:
- Normal use stock from 1998 to 2009 included a small number of units for other use than normal use. These have been excluded from 2010.
- Prior to March 2025, Edinburgh reported no vacant normal use stock as they were unable to identify stock that is going through the letting process but have reported there will be units going through this process.
- Perth and Kinross reported no vacant stock in March 2025.