Local Housing Strategy: guidance 2026

Requirements and essential links

Accessibility and content of LHS

Local authorities should ensure their LHS meets accessibility standards and are encouraged to consider the needs of the audience and assess which, if any, alternative format versions are likely to be required. Accessible information is giving information in a way that is accessible to as many people as possible and considering the language used and how it is presented. The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 includes legal requirements for accessible information and websites. New public bodies and websites have been obliged to comply with these regulations since 2018 and public bodies with older websites were required to comply fully as of 2020.

Local authorities may wish to consider the Inclusive Communication Hub hosted by Disability Scotland which is aimed at anyone with an interest in improving their inclusive communication tools and processes.

Some best practice accessibility principles are summarised below:

• when creating a Word document use a default font size of at least 12 point
• use fonts that are sans serif
• creating headings using the Styles
• images must have alternative text
• link text should be descriptive and convey accurate information about the link destination
• use the Accessibility Checker to review the document for any issues

Legislation and policies to consider when preparing a LHS

Local authorities must ensure that each LHS demonstrates how statutory requirements placed on them are being fulfilled and how priorities and outcomes will support a range of Scottish Government policies. A list of legislation and policies is provided below.

Legislation

• Housing (Scotland) Act 1987
• Housing (Scotland) Act 1988
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2001
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2014
• Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997
• Planning (Scotland) Act 2019
• Summary of Homelessness Legislation
• Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016
• Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017
• Children (Scotland) Act 1995
• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024
• Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009
• Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019
• Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2024
• Equality Act 2010
• Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015
• Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019
• Public Bodies (Joint Working Act) 2014
• The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2025

National Policies

• Housing to 2040
• Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan
• National Planning Framework 4
• National Islands Plan
• Creating Places
• Climate change: Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2029
• Designing Streets
• The Place Principle
• Town Centre First Principle
• Town Centre Action Plan
• Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026
• New Deal for Tenants: Draft Rented Sector Strategy Consultation.
• National Carers Strategy
• Coming Home Implementation: A Report on Complex Care and Delayed Discharge
• Achieving a Sustainable Future: Regeneration Strategy
• Climate Change Plan: 3rd report on proposals and policies 2018-2032
• Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 - update
• Heat in Buildings Strategy: Achieving Net Zero Emission in Scotland’s Buildings
• Infrastructure Investment Plan, 2021 to 2026
• Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan
• Equally Safe Strategy and Equally Safe Delivery Plan
• Fairer Scotland Action Plan and Fairer Scotland Duty
• Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
• Improving the Lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers (2019 to 2021)
• Improving the Lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers 2 (2024 to 2026)
• Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller Sites, 2021
• Interim Site Design Guide for Gypsy/Traveller Sites: Supplementary Material, 2025
• Keeping The Promise to our children, young people and families
• Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods: planning guidance
• Minimum Standards for Gypsy/Traveller Sites, 2015
• More Homes Division Guidance Note MHDGN 2019/02 - Wheelchair accessible housing target
• Health and Wellbeing Outcomes; and Public Health Reform
• Housing and Regeneration Outcomes Framework
• Race Equality Framework and Action Plan (2016 to 2030)
• Realising Scotland’s Full Potential in a Digital World: a Digital Strategy for Scotland
• Scottish Government Route Map for an Energy Efficient Scotland
• Scottish Government Sustainable Housing Strategy
• Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS)
• Tackling fuel poverty in Scotland: a strategic approach
• Keeping the Promise Implementation Plan
• Supporting and enabling sustainable communities: action plan to address depopulation
• Scottish Government Population Strategy
• Scottish Government Guidance – Council Tax on Second and Long-term empty homes
• Active Travel Strategy Guidance | Transport Scotland
• Just Transition - A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Scottish Government response
• Local Transport Strategy: Guidance | Transport Scotland
• Mental Health Strategy: 2017-2027
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
• Place and Wellbeing Outcomes
• Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework
• Scottish National Adaptations Plan 2024 to 2029

Housing to 2040

The Scottish Government’s long-term housing strategy, Housing to 2040, has at its core our ambition for everyone to have a safe, high-quality home that is affordable and meets their needs in the place they want to be.

In preparing their Local Housing Strategies, we would expect local authorities to consider the actions and supporting policies included in Housing to 2040 to inform the setting of priorities and outcomes.

Declared Housing Emergencies and Housing Challenges by Local Authorities

A number of local authorities have declared either a housing emergency or a housing challenge and there is no standard definition of what constitutes a housing emergency. Each local authority has its own reasons for declaring a housing emergency/challenge in its area. Responses to these local declarations are varied with some local authorities having already prepared or are in the process of developing action plans to address declared emergencies or challenges.

The development of a LHS remains a key statutory requirement and sits at the heart of the housing planning framework. In developing a LHS, local authorities are expected to set out the way the LHS intends to drive forward activity to mitigate, address and monitor progress in response to any declared housing emergency or housing challenge.

Summary of areas expected to be included in LHS

a. a summary of progress achieved in the delivery of priorities and outcomes in a previous LHS and information on any of these that are being carried forward in the new LHS.

b. where local authorities have declared a housing emergency or housing challenge, the LHS should include a clear summary on the reasons for any declaration together with information on how LHS priorities and actions inform and align with priorities and preventative actions that the local authority is taking or plans to take.

c. evidence what progress has been achieved in relation to statutory, national and local targets and how relevant priorities and outcomes will support these. To help avoid any duplication, this information can be included within the relevant sections of a LHS.

d. highlight appropriate links to Housing to 2040 and wider Scottish Government priorities and plans including how a LHS aligns with local plans such as Local Outcome Improvement Plans. To help avoid any duplication, this information can be included within the relevant sections of a LHS and/or when summarising their specific LHS priorities and outcomes.