Housing statistics quarterly update: December 2019

Key Points

New Build Housing – All Sectors – up to end June 2019

There were 5,342 new build homes completed between April and June 2019; a 2% increase (111 homes) on the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 21,403, up 18% (3,210 homes) compared to the 18,193 completed in the previous year.

There were 5,620 new build homes started between April and June 2019, 18% more (857 homes) than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 23,700 which is up 22% (4,340 homes) compared to the 19,360 homes started in the previous year.

New Build Housing – Private-led Housing – up to end June 2019

Between April and June 2019, 4,486 private sector led homes were completed; 8% more (315 homes) than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end March 2019 to 16,025 which is 19% more (2,610 homes) than the 13,415 completions in the previous year.

There were 4,427 private sector led starts between April and June 2019, 22% more (800 homes) than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year ending June 2019 to 16,924 which is 33% more (4,175 homes) than the 12,749 starts in the previous year.

New Build Housing – Social Sector Housing (Housing Association and Local Authority combined) – up to end June 2019

There were 856 social sector completions between April and June 2019; 19% less than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 5,378. This is a 13% increase on the 4,778 social sector completions in the previous year.

Meanwhile, 1,193 social sector homes were started between April and June 2019; 5% more than the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 6,776. This is a 2% increase on the 6,611 social sector starts in the previous year.

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

Between July and September 2019, 1,317 social sector homes were completed (2% less than the 1,346 completions in the same quarter in 2018), and 1,342 were started (39% more than the same quarter in the previous year). This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end September 2019 to 5,349 (a 6% increase on the 5,070 social sector homes completed in the previous year). Total starts over the 12 months to end September 2019 are now at 7,154 (7% more than the 6,707 started in the previous year). 

New Build Housing – Housing Association Homes – up to end June 2019

There were 410 housing association completions between April and June 2019, 37% less than the 652 completions in the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 3,927, a 20% (664 homes) increase on the 3,263 completions over the previous year.

There were 707 housing association approvals between April to June 2019; 15% more than the 613 approvals in the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for the year to end June 2019 to 4,932. This is a 1% (56 homes) increase on the 4,876 approvals in the previous year.

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

A total of 896 Housing Association homes were completed between July and September 2019, 12% (124 homes) fewer completions than in the same period in the previous year. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end September 2019 to 3,803 which is an increase of 6% on the 3,598 homes completed in the previous year. A total of 746 Housing Association homes were approved between July and September 2019, 23% more than the 606 approvals in the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total approvals for the 12 months to end September 2019 to 5,072, a 1% increase on the 5,002 approvals in the previous year. 

New Build Housing – Local Authority Homes – up to end June 2019

There were 446 local authority completions between April and June 2019, which is a 9% increase (38 homes) than the number that were completed in the same quarter in 2018. This brings the total for year ending June 2019 to 1,451. This is a 4% (64 homes) decrease on the 1,515 completions in the previous year.

There were 486 local authority starts between April and June 2019; 7% less than in the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for year ending June 2019 to 1,844. This is a 6% (109 homes) increase on the 1,735 starts in the previous year.

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

Between July and September 2019, 421 local authority houses were completed (29% more than the same quarter in the previous year), and 596 were started (66% more than in the same quarter in the previous year). This brings the total completions for the year to end September 2019 to 1,546, which is 5% more than the previous year. Total starts for the 12 months to end September 2019 now stands at 2,082 which is an increase of 22% on the 1,705 local authority homes started in the previous year.

Affordable Housing Supply – up to end September 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 September 2019 show that affordable housing supply completions have totalled 8,976, down 1% (58 homes) on the previous year. This includes decreases in affordable rent (down 21% or 218 homes) and affordable home ownership completions (down 38% or 926 homes) but an increase in social rent completions (up by 20% or 1,086 homes).

There were 11,398 affordable housing approvals over the year up to end September 2019, down by 2% or 177 homes compared to the previous year. This includes decreases in affordable rent approvals (down 26% or 463 homes) and affordable home ownership approvals (down 35% or 881 homes), with an increase in social rent approvals (up 16% or 1,167 homes).

There were 10,855 affordable houses started in the year to end September 2019, up 1% or 128 homes compared to the previous year. This includes decreases in affordable rent starts (down by 29% or 530 homes) and affordable home ownership starts (down by 19% or 440 homes), but an increase in social rent starts (up 17% or 1,098 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.

Long Term Empty Properties and Second Homes

The total number of long term empty properties and second homes has increased in the latest year by 1,260 properties (2%) from 64,017 in September 2018 to 65,277. However the figure as at September 2019 is 776 homes (1%) lower than the 66,053 properties recorded as at September 2012.