Social sector new housebuilding

The social sector housing (local authority and housing association units combined) accounted for just under a quarter (24%) of all new build homes completed in the year to the end of December 2024.

Social sector new build completions (4,731) in the year to the end of December 2024 were down 22% (-1,322 homes) from the previous year. There were 3,433 new build starts in the social sector, with an increase of 2% (67 homes) from the year before. Completions were the lowest since the year to end of December 2017 (excluding 2020 where Covid-19 impacted housebuilding) and starts were slightly higher than the previous year.

Chart 3: Social sector new build housing, Scotland, 2004 to 2024 (year to end December)

Chart 3 shows the number of local authority and housing association new build homes started and completed each year since 2004 (year to end of December). In 2024 there were 1,715 local authority led completions and 1,431 starts. There were 3,016 housing association led completions and 2,002 starts.

Between 2023 and 2024 (year to end December) local authority led starts increased (14%, 179 homes) and housing association starts decreased (-5%, -112 homes). There were decreases in both local authority led and housing association completions (-13%, -247 homes; -26%, -1,075 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 December 2024 per 10,000 of the population.

Social sector new completion build rates were highest in East Lothian and Aberdeen City with all having rates of over 24 homes per 10,000 population.

There were four local authorities who built no social sector homes in the year to end of December 2024 (Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde).

Local authority new build rates were highest in Aberdeen City, having rates of over 17 homes per 10,000 population. Seven local authorities built no local authority homes in the year to the end of December 2024 (Angus, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Moray, 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 Aberdeen City, West Lothian, Dumfries and Galloway and Dundee City with all having rates of over 15 homes per 10,000 population. Six local authorities built no housing association homes in the year to the end of December 2024 (Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, Orkney Islands and West Dunbartonshire).

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