Social sector new housebuilding

The social sector housing (local authority and housing association units combined) accounted for just under a quarter (22.5%) of all new build homes completed in the year to the end of September 2025.

There were 4,122 social sector new build completions in the year to the end of September 2025, down 15% (-747 homes) from the previous year. There were 3,031 new build starts in the social sector, with a decrease of 10% (-346 homes) from the previous year. Completions were the lowest since the year to the end of September 2017 and starts were the lowest since the beginning of this data collection from year to the end of September 1997.

Chart 3: Social sector new build housing, Scotland, 2004 to 2025 (years to the end of September)

Chart 3 shows the number of local authority and housing association new build homes started and completed each year since 2004 (years to the end of September). In the year to the end of September 2025 there were 2,080 housing association led completions and 1,622 starts and there were 2,042 local authority led completions and 1,409 starts.

Between 2024 and 2025 (years to the end of September), local authority led starts decreased (-1%, -9 homes) and housing association starts decreased (-17%, -337 homes). Local authority led completions increased (30%, 472 homes) and housing association completions decreased (-37%, -1,219 homes).

Map C below shows the rates of social sector new build completions in each local authority area for the year to the end of September 2025 per 10,000 of the population.

Map C: New build housing – social sector completions: rates per 10,000 population, year to the end of September 2025

Social sector new completion build rates were highest in West Dunbartonshire and City of Edinburgh with a rate of over 15 homes per 10,000 population.

There were three local authorities who built no social sector homes in the year to the end of September 2025 (Clackmannanshire, Inverclyde and Na h-Eileanan Siar).

Local authority new build rates were highest in West Dunbartonshire and South Ayrshire having rates of over 12 homes per 10,000 population. Eight local authorities built no local authority homes in the year to the end of September 2025 (Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, and West Lothian). This excludes the six local authorities that transferred their stock to housing associations so do not build new local authority houses (Argyll & Bute, Dumfries & Galloway, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Na h-Eileanan Siar and Scottish Borders).

Housing association new build rates were highest in West Lothian with a rate of over 10 homes per 10,000 population. Five local authorities built no housing association homes in the year to the end of September 2025 (Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Na h-Eileanan Siar).

The latest quarterly data and comparison to the corresponding quarter in the previous year to the end of September are shown in the ‘Quarterly Comparisons’ section. Timeseries data along with local authority breakdowns are contained in the supporting Excel tables.