Housing statistics quarterly update: June 2019

Key Points

New Build Housing – All Sectors – up to end December 2018

There were 5,553 new build homes completed between October and December 2018; a 32% increase (1,361 homes) on the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end December 2018 to 20,255, up 15% (2,669 homes) compared to the 17,586 completed in the previous year, and the first time since 2008 that annual completions have totalled over 20,000 homes.

There were 6,652 new build homes started between October 2018 and December 2018, 49% more (2,199 homes) than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end December 2018 to 22,258 which is up 13% (2,621 homes) compared to the 19,637 homes started in the previous year, and is the highest annual starts figure since 2007.

New Build Housing – Private-led Housing – up to end December 2018

Between October 2018 and December 2018, 4,551 private sector led homes were completed; 41% more (1,328 homes)than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end December 2018 to 15,152 which is 11% more (1,491 homes) than the 13,661 completions in the previous year, and is the first time in the last decade that annual completions have totalled over 15,000 homes.

There were 4,868 private sector led starts between October 2018 and December 2018, 51% more (1,651 homes) than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year ending December 2018 to 14,997 which is 9% more (1,277 homes) than the 13,720 starts in the previous year.

New Build Housing – Social Sector Housing (Housing Association and Local Authority combined) – up to end December2018

There were 1,002 social sector completions between October 2018 and December 2018; 3% (33 homes) more than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end December 2018 to 5,103. This is a 30% increase (1,178 homes) on the 3,925 social sector completions in the previous year.

Meanwhile, 1,784 social sector homes were started between October 2018 and December 2018; 44% (548 homes) more than in the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end December 2018 to 7,261. This is a 23% increase (1,344 homes) on the 5,917 social sector starts in the previous year.

More up-to-date figures – up to end March 2019

Between January and March 2019, 2,174 social sector homes were completed (28% morethan the 1,695 completions in the same quarter in 2018), and 2,837 were started (16% less than the same quarter in the previous year). This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end March 2019 to 5,582 (a 22% increase on the 4,594 social sector homes completed in the previous year). Total starts over the 12 months to end March 2019 are now at 6,727(11% morethan the 6,084 started in the previous year).

New Build Housing – Housing Association Homes – up to end December 2018

There were 769 Housing Association completions between October 2018 and December 2018, 41% (225 homes) more completions than in the same period in the previous year. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end December 2018 to 3,823, which is an increase of 54% on the 2,489 homes completed in the previous year.

There were 1,300 housing association approvals between October 2018 and December 2018; 83% (590 homes) more than the 710 approvals in the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total approvals for the 12 months to end December 2018 to 5,592, a 23% increaseon the 4,554 approvals in the previous year.

More up-to-date figures – up to end March 2019

A total of 1,728 Housing Association homes were completed between January and March 2019, 25% (346 homes) more completions than in the same period in the previous year. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end March 2019 to 4,169, which is an increase of 33% on the 3,130 homes completed in the previous year. A total of 2,319 Housing Association homes were approved between January and March 2019, 25% less homes than the 3,073 approvals in the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total approvals for the 12 months to end March 2019 to 4,838, a 3% increaseon the 4,710 approvals in the previous year.

New Build Housing – Local Authority Homes – up to end December 2018

There were 233 local authority completions between October and December 2018, which is 45% (192 homes) lessthan the number that were completed in the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for year ending December 2018 to 1,280. This is a 11% (156 homes) decrease on the 1,436 completions in the previous year.

There were 484 local authority starts between October and December 2018; 8% less (42 homes) than in the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for year ending December 2018 to 1,669. This is a 22% (306 homes) increase on the 1,363 starts in the previous year.

More up-to-datefigures – up to end March 2019

Between January and March 2019, 446 local authority houses were completed (42% more than the same quarter in the previous year), and 518 were started (74% more than in the same quarter in the previous year). This brings the total completions for the year to end March 2019 to 1,413, which is 3% less thanthe previous year. Total starts for the 12 months to end March 2019 now stands at 1,889which is an increase of 37% (515 homes) on the 1,374 local authority homes started in the previous year.

Affordable Housing Supply – up to end March 2019

Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) statistics reflect the broader supply of affordable homes (i.e. for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership) and include off-the-shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds.

The latest statistics for the year to end March 2019 show that affordable housing supply completions have totalled to 9,535, up 12% on the 8,534 completions in the previous year. This includes an increase in social rent completions (up by 25% or 1,307 homes) but decreases in affordable rent completions (down by 17% or 194 homes) and affordable home ownership completions (down by 5% or 112 homes).

There were 11,130 affordable housing approvals over the year up to end March 2019, down 5% or 547 homes compared to the previous year. This includes increases in social rent approvals (up by 12% or 792 homes) and affordable home ownership approvals (up by 9% or 194 homes) with a decrease in affordable rent approvals (down by 55% or 1,533 homes)

There were 10,872 affordable houses started in the year to end March 2019, up by 3% or 303 homes compared to the previous year. This includes increases in in social rent starts (up by 3% or 194 homes), and affordable home ownership starts (up by 17% or 346 homes), but a decrease in affordable rent starts (down by 13% or 237 homes).

Quarterly affordable housing supply statistics are used to inform the Scottish Government target to deliver 50,000 affordable homes, including 35,000 homes for social rent, over the period 2016/17 to 2020/21, and reflect the number of affordable homes delivered that have received some form of government support through loans, grant or guarantees.