Households by tenure

Chart 1: Number of households by housing tenure, 1999/2000 to 2023, Scotland

The total number of households in Scotland increased from 2.18 million households in 1999 to 2.54 million households in 2023. Chart 1 shows how the number of households in the private rented, social rented, and owner-occupied households has changed over this period. Since 1999/2000:

• owner occupied households increased by 19% (+260,000 households)
• private rented households increased by 175% (+210,000 households)
• social rented households decreased by 15% (-100,000 households). This decrease will be related to local authority housing stock decreasing from the 1980’s due to the Right to Buy initiative (ceased in 2017) and low numbers of social housing stock being built. Social housing stock decreased by 14% between 1999 and 2023), as illustrated in Chart 2.

When comparing households by housing tenure data, it is useful to consider trends in housing stock – this comparison for social and private rent is presented in Chart 2. There may be a combination of reasons why the household data is lower than housing stock (in particular for social rented households). Including any possible slight bias in the sample that are not accounted for in the weights and the fact that there will naturally be empty housing stock (so no households residing in the property) at any point in time:

• It is apparent from local authority empty (or void) housing stock data that there has been an increase in empty local authority stock since 2019. This type of data is not collected for housing associations.
• In the 2022 SHS report there were caveats included related to a slight bias in the private rented and social rented sector. The tenure results from Scotland’s Census 2022 have now been published. Owner occupation appears to be slightly over-represented in SHS 2022 compared to the 2022 Census, and renting slightly under-represented. This bias could potentially be present in the 2023 results as well.

Chart 2: Number of properties and households in the social and private rented sector, 1999/2000 to 2023, Scotland

Notes:

1. Private rented stock as per the Scottish Landlord Register, mostly as per December each year. Data are note available in 2018 and 2019 due to data quality issues (collated in Table 1.72 in the supporting excel document).
2. Social rented stock as per administrative data collected from local authorities and housing associations. The first year referenced in the axis label between 1999/2000 and 2009/2010 is presented (collated in Table 1.72 in the supporting excel document)
3. Households as per Scottish Household Survey, data not available in 2020 and 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic affected data collection.