Housing statistics 2018: key trends summary

Housing Statistics for Scotland 2018: Key Trends Summary

This publication presents annual statistics up to 31^st March 2018 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.

The statistics are based on information collected from local authorities and the Scottish Government affordable housing supply database, and are used for a variety of purposes, including monitoring overall housing supply in Scotland.

More detailed background Excel tables are available on the Housing Statistics website. A summary of the latest quarterly data on social sector new build and affordable housing is available in the Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update September 2018. A wider overview of social housing as a whole (i.e. across both housing association and local authority housing) is available in the separate statistical publication Social Tenants in Scotland 2016.

Chart 1: Supply of new housing in Scotland, 1996-97 to 2017-18

In 2017 -18:

Key Findings for 2017-18

Housing Supply (Private and Public Sector)

New housing supply: New housing supply (new build, refurbishment and conversions) increased by 745 homes (4%) between 2016-17 and 2017-18, from 18,683 to 19,428 units. Housing association new builds increased by 382 homes (14%) and local authority new builds increased by 381 homes (34%), whilst private-led new builds decreased by 325 homes (2%). Refurbishments (rehabilitations) increased by 359 homes (60%) and net conversions decreased by 52 homes (7%).

New house building: In 2017-18, 17,731 new build homes were completed in Scotland, an increase of 438 homes (3%) on the 17,293 completions in the previous year, the fifth consecutive annual increase and the highest annual number of completions since 2008-09. During the same time-period the number of homes started decreased by 129 homes (1%) from 19,724 to 19,595.

Affordable housing: (As previously reported on 12^th June 2018): In 2017-18, there were 8,534 units completed through all Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) activity, an increase of 1,198 units (16%) on the previous year. Approvals increased by 1,401 units (14%) in the latest year to reach 11,677 in 2017-18, and starts increased by 1,261 units (14%) to reach 10,569. This activity represents the first two years in the target period to build 50,000 affordable homes, including 35,000 for social rent, over the five year period from 2016-17 to 2020-21.

Local Authority Housing

Local authority housing stock: At 31^st March 2018, there were 314,482 local authority dwellings in Scotland, a slight decrease of 334 units (0.1%) from the previous year.

Sales of local authority dwellings (Right to Buy): Sales of public authority dwellings (including local authorities with total stock transfers) fell by 40% in 2017-18, to 2,101. This decrease follows the Right to Buy scheme closing to all new applicants in July 2016. It is expected that sales will continue to fall further in the next year as the number of applications remaining in the system falls closer to zero.

Vacant stock: Local authorities reported 7,140 units of vacant stock at 31^st March 2018, 976 units (16%) more than the 6,164 vacant units in the previous year, driven by increases in units awaiting demolition (an increase of 503 units), units part of a modernisation programme (an increase of 310 units), and vacant normal letting stock (an increase of 319 units). Vacant units used as temporary accommodation for the homeless fell by 7, and vacant units in low demand areas fell by 149 units.

Lettings: During 2017-18 there were 25,666 permanent lettings made, a slight decrease of 122 units (0.5%) compared to 25,788 lettings in the previous year. There were 10,805 lets to homeless households in 2017-18, which equates to 42% of all permanent lets by local authorities.

Evictions: Eviction actions against local authority tenants resulted in 1,460 evictions or abandoned dwellings in 2017-18 (1,023 evictions, 437 abandoned dwellings). This is up by 3%, or 39 actions of evictions or abandonments, on the 1,421 in the previous year.

Housing lists: Household applications held on local authority or common housing register lists decreased by 3% or 4,346 households to 157,806 at March 2018, the tenth consecutive annual decrease.

Local Authority Housing Assistance and Licensing

Scheme of assistance: There were 9,049 scheme of assistance grants paid to householders in 2017-18, 1,434 grants (14%) fewer than in 2016-17. Spend on scheme of assistance grants totalled £29.8 million, around £2 million less than in 2016-17. The majority of grants in 2017-18 were for disabled adaptions; 5,599 grants totalling £21.9 million.

Houses in multiple occupation: In 2017-18, 9,025 applications were received in respect of the mandatory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (including new applications and applications for renewal). At 31^st March 2018 there were 15,671 licences in force, representing an increase of 2% over the previous year.