Housing Statistics 2022 & 2023: Key Trends Summary
Annual statistics up to 31 March 2023 on total new housing supply in Scotland across all sectors, along with information on various elements of local authority housing such as stock, lettings, house sales, evictions, housing lists, and housing for older people and people with disabilities.
As of 31st March 2023, there were 323,146 local authority units. Most of the stock is letting stock (91%; 294,079), 2% (7,159) is designated temporary accommodation for homeless households, and 7% (21,908) is for other use (such as tied housing or dwellings currently out of use).
Local authorities report 11,534 units of vacant stock, an increase of 1.4% (160 units) from the previous year.
Table 1 shows the composition of vacant stock by reason as well as percentage annual change. Vacant normal letting stock or other vacant stock was the largest proportion of total vacant stock. The smallest group of vacant stock were properties in low demand areas.
The largest annual increase was seen in vacant properties that are part of a modernisation programme. The largest annual decrease was seen in properties located in low demand areas.
Table 1: Reason for vacant unit in local authority stock, March 2022 and 2023
|
Reason for vacant unit |
March 2022 |
March 2023 |
% total vacant stock in March 2023 |
% annual change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Awaiting demolition |
2,472 |
1,721 |
15% |
-30% |
|
Low demand area |
781 |
452 |
4% |
-42% |
|
Used as temporary accommodation for the homeless |
818 |
762 |
7% |
-6.8% |
|
Part of a modernisation programme |
2,195 |
3,116 |
27% |
42% |
|
Vacant normal letting stock or other vacant stock |
5,108 |
5,145 |
45% |
1% |
|
Total vacant stock |
11,374 |
11,534 |
100% |
+1.4% |
Table 2 illustrates that the length of time that properties have been vacant is closely related to the reason for the vacancy. Normal letting stock, or temporary homeless accommodation tends to be empty for less time than other types of vacant stock.
Table 2: Vacant local authority units by length of time, 2023
|
|
< 2 weeks |
2 to 6 weeks |
6 to 26 weeks |
26 weeks to 2 years |
> 2 years |
Length of vacancy unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Used as temporary homeless accommodation |
25% |
25% |
29% |
11% |
10% |
0% |
|
Awaiting demolition |
2% |
2% |
6% |
23% |
67% |
0% |
|
Part of a modernisation project |
3% |
8% |
25% |
20% |
40% |
4% |
|
Low demand area |
11% |
19% |
30% |
19% |
21% |
0% |
|
Normal letting stock, or other reason |
13% |
26% |
39% |
18% |
5% |
0% |
|
Total vacant stock |
9% |
16% |
28% |
19% |
24% |
4% |
Vacant stock in each local authority area (except those which have transferred their social housing stock) is shown in Chart 8. Chart 8 shows vacant stock, by reason for vacancy, as a proportion of all local authority housing stock. This shows that total vacant stock as a proportion of all stock varied between 9.15% in Renfrewshire and 1.26% in Moray.
Chart 8: The types of vacant local authority stock as a proportion of local authority stock varied between each local authority in 2022-23
Further detailed figures are available in:
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