Housing statistics: quarterly update, September 2016

New Build Housing - Social Sector

Social sector housing consists of local authority and housing association housing, and has accounted for just over a fifth (22%) of all new build homes completed over the 12 months to end March 2016. Social sector figures are collected a quarter ahead of those for the private sector meaning that figures are available up to the end of June 2016. However, to enable easier understanding of how each sector contributes to the all sector totals described previously above, figures are also presented for the same time period to end March (although quarterly charts include the latest quarter's data).

The more up-to-date figures for the social sector are presented later in this section.

Chart 7a: Housing Association and Local Authority new build starts and completions, years to end March 2006 to 2016

Chart 7b: Housing Association and Local Authority new build starts and completions, years to end June 2007 to 2016

Chart 8: Quarterly new build approvals and completions (Housing Associations) since 2005

Chart 9: Quarterly new build starts and completions (Local Authority), since 2005

Trends over the last ten years:

Chart 7a shows the number of local authority and housing association homes started and completed each year (to end March) since 2005, whilst Chart 7b shows the same information but up to end June (the most recent information available). Charts 8 and 9 show quarterly figures for housing associations and local authorities respectively.

Social sector house building has not followed the same pattern as the private sector over time, as the number of homes being built did not suddenly drop in 2008 following the recession.

Between 2006 and 2009 (years to end March) the number of housing association completions were around 3,200 to 4,700 each year before increasing to over 5,500 in 2010. Completions then decreased each year to 2,900 in 2014, there was a slight increase in the year ending March 2015, before decreasing again in the most recent year to 2,300.

The number of housing association approvals meanwhile increased from around 5,000 to 5,700 from 2006 to 2008 (years to end March), before falling to around 1,600 in 2013. The figures then increased to around 2,800 in 2014 and are at a similar level in the latest year with 2,900 approvals in the year ending March 2016.

Very few local authority homes were built from 2006 to 2008 (years to end March). The number gradually increased from around 300 in 2009 to over 1,100 in 2012 and remained fairly steady since then. Local Authority housing has accounted for 7% of the total amount of new build homes completed across all sectors in the 12 months to end March 2016.

Trends to end March 2016:

There were 1,098 social housing completions between January and March 2016; 35% fewer than the same quarter in 2015. This brings the total for the year to end March 2016 to 3,458. This is an 18% decrease on the 4,221 social sector completed in the previous year.

Meanwhile 1,910 social sector homes were started between January and March 2016; 4% higher than the same quarter in 2015. This brings the total for the year to end March 2016 to 4,413. This is a 13% increase on the 3,906 social sector completed in the previous year.

Sub-national figures for the year to end March 2016:

Maps C and D show the rates of housing association and local authority new build completions in each local authority for the year to end March 2016. The housing stock of 6 local authorities (Argyll & Bute, Dumfries & Galloway, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Glasgow City, Inverclyde and Scottish Borders) has been transferred to housing associations and so these areas do not build new local authority houses.

In the year to end March 2016 rates of housing association new build completions were highest in Na h-Eileanan Siar, Glasgow City, Inverclyde and Shetland Islands, whilst no new housing association houses were built in East Ayrshire, Midlothian, Moray, South Ayrshire or West Lothian.

Meanwhile local authority new build rates were highest in the Orkney Islands, East Ayrshire, Moray, Stirling, and Highland. Beside the 6 stock transfer authorities mentioned above, Aberdeen City, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, and the Shetland Islands built no new homes in the year ending March 2016.

Latest data to end June 2016:

A total of 883 social sector homes were completed between April and June 2016, 74% more than the 507 homes completed in the same period in 2015. This brings the total for the 12 months to end June 2016 to 3,834, which is 1% more than the 3,792 completed in the previous year. The increase in the 12 months to end June 2016 is mostly due to a increase in Housing Association led completions, which increased by 2%, whereas local authority led completions were more stable (decrease of 4 houses).

Meanwhile 635 social sector homes were started between April and June 2016. This is up by 23% compared to the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for the 12 months to end June 2016 to 4,530 which is a 17% increase (642 homes) on the 3,888 starts in the previous year. The increase in the 12 months to end June 2016 is a result of Local Authority starts increasing (by 224 homes) and Housing Association approvals increasing (by 418 homes). See Charts 8 and 9.

Map C: New build housing - housing association sector completions: rates per 10,000 population, year to end March 2016

Map D: New build housing - local authority sector completions: rates per 10,000 population, year to end March 2016