Housing statistics quarterly update: September 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 15,852 new build homes completed across all sectors in Scotland in the year to end September 2020, a decrease of 28% (6,132 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 (31% or 5,133 homes), housing association completions (15% or 591 homes) and local authority completions (27% or 408 homes).
• The number of new build homes started across all sectors also decreased in the year to end September 2020, with a total of 18,973 starts, a decrease of 24% (5,986 homes) on the previous year. Private-led starts dropped by 33% (6,055 homes) and local authority starts dropped by 29% (580 homes), whilst housing association approvals increased by 13% (649 homes).
• More up-to-date figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 2,680 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the quarter January to March 2021. This is a decrease of 405 transactions (13%) on the 3,085 transactions recorded in the previous quarter October to December 2020, but an increase of 1,963 on the 717 transactions seen in April to June 2020, when construction and housing market lockdown measures were in place from mid-March to late June 2020.
• This brings the total number of private new build sales transactions in the year to end March 2021 to 8,904, a decrease of 27% (3,340 transactions) on the 12,244 transactions recorded in the year to end March 2020.
• Latest social sector new housebuilding figures to end December 2020 show that 1,256 social sector homes were completed in the quarter October to December 2020. This is an increase of 29% (285 homes) on the previous quarter July to September 2020, and an increase of 1,222 homes on the 34 homes completed in April to June 2020 (during which housebuilding activity was largely paused due to lockdown measures), but a decrease of 14% (213 homes) on the 1,469 social sector completions in October to December 2020. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end December 2020 to 4,189, a decrease of 29% (1,720 homes) on the 5,909 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 1,595 affordable homes were completed in the latest quarter April to June 2021, bringing the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end June 2021 to 7,864. This is a decrease of 5% (374 homes) on the 8,238 affordable homes completed in the previous year, with decreases in the number of completions for social rent (by 11% or 701 homes) and affordable home ownership (by 5% or 63 homes), but an increase in the number of completions for affordable rent (by 48% or 390 homes).
• A total of 1,063 affordable homes were approved in April to June 2021, bringing the total number of homes approved in the 12 months to end June 2021 to 7,972, a decrease of 36% (4,404 homes) on the 12,376 homes approved in the previous year, with decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 38% or 3,692 homes), affordable rent (by 30% or 420 homes) and affordable home ownership (by 23% or 292 homes).
• Over the same period, a total of 1,854 affordable homes were started in April to June 2021, bringing the total number of homes started in the 12 months to end June 2021 to 11,097. This is an increase of 3% (282 homes) on the 10,815 homes started in the previous year, with increases in the number of starts for social rent (by 5% or 405 homes) and affordable home ownership (by 3% or 34 homes), but a decrease in the number of starts for affordable rent (by 9% or 157 homes).