Housing statistics quarterly update: June 2021

1. Main points

Note that the latest private-led and all-sector new housebuilding figures contain some estimates for a small number of authorities. Further details are provided in Section 2.

• There were 17,029 new build homes completed across all sectors in Scotland in the year to end June 2020, a decrease of 21% (4,439 homes) on the previous year, with activity levels being affected by the introduction of COVID-19 lockdown measures from mid-March to late June 2020. Decreases were seen across private-led completions (23% or 3,725 homes), housing association completions (8% or 340 homes) and local authority completions (26% or 374 homes).
• The number of new build homes started across all sectors also decreased in the year to end June 2020, with a total of 20,248 starts, a decrease of 14% (3,194 homes) on the previous year. Private-led starts and local authority starts dropped by 25% (4,221 homes) and 9% (162 homes) respectively, but housing association approvals increased by 26% (1,189 homes).
• More up-to-date figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 3,053 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the quarter October to December 2020. This is an increase of 645 (27%) on the 2,408 transactions recorded in July to September 2020, and an increase of 2,340 (over 4 times higher) on the 713 transactions seen in April to June 2020, reflecting the phased re-start of construction activity since late June 2020.
• Despite the increases seen following the end of the April to June 2020 lockdown period, the 3,053 private new build sales transactions in the latest quarter October to December 2020 is 754 (20%) transactions below the level seen in the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total number of transactions in the year to end December 2020 to 8,559, a decrease of 30% (3,707 transactions) on the 12,266 transactions recorded in the year to end December 2019.
• Latest social sector new housebuilding figures to end September 2020 show that 971 social sector homes were completed in the quarter July to September 2020. This is an increase of 937 on the 34 homes built in the previous quarter April to June 2020, during which housebuilding activity was largely paused due to lockdown measures, but a decrease of 25% (329 homes) on the 1,300 completions in the same quarter in 2019. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end September 2020 to 4,402, a decrease of 18% (999 homes) on the 5,401 social sector homes completed in the previous year.
• Affordable Housing Supply Programme statistics reflect the broader supply of affordable homes for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership, and include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds. A total of 3,160 affordable homes were completed in the latest quarter January to March 2021, an increase of 1,226 (63%) homes on the previous quarter October to December 2020, and an increase of 2,963 homes on the 197 homes completed in the April to June 2020 period, reflecting the phased re-start of supply activity since late June 2020. The 3,160 homes completed in the latest quarter January to March 2021 equates to 90% of the level of affordable housing delivery in the same quarter of the previous year.
• This brings the total number of affordable homes completed for the 12 months to end March 2021 to 6,466, a decrease of 30% (2,830 homes) on the 9,296 affordable homes completed in the previous year. Over the same period, approvals have decreased by 39% (5,004 homes) to 7,882, and starts have dropped by 15% (1,846 homes) to 10,199.