Housing statistics quarterly update: September 2018

New Build Housing – Social Sector

Social sector housing consists of local authority and housing association housing, and has accounted for just over a quarter of all new build homes completed over the 12 months to end March 2018. 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 2018. However, to enable easier understanding of how each sector contributes to the all sector totals described previously, 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 2008 to 2018

Chart 7b: Housing Association and Local Authority new build starts and completions, years to end June 2008 to 2018

Chart 8: Quarterly new build approvals and completions (Housing Associations) since 2007 up to end June 2018

Chart 9: Quarterly new build starts and completions (Local Authority) since 2007 up to end June 2018

Trends over the last ten years – social sector

Chart 7a shows the number of local authority and housing association homes started and completed each year (to end March) since 2008, 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 2008 and 2010 (years to end March) the number of housing association completions increased from just over 4,000 to just under 5,600. Completions then decreased each year to just over 2,900 in 2014, before increasing to just under 3,100 in 2015. Completions then decreased in the following year to just over 2,300 in 2016. In the last two years, completions have increased to just over 3,100 in 2018.

The number of housing association approvals meanwhile decreased from just under 5,800 in 2008 to just over 1,600 in 2013 (years to end March). The figures then then increased overall to just over 4,700 in 2018.

The number of local authority homes built has gradually increased from just 28 homes in 2008 up to just over 1,100 in 2012 (years to end March). Completions decreased slightly in 2013 but have since increased to just under 1,500 in 2018. Local Authority housing has accounted for 8% of the total amount of new build homes completed across all sectors in the 12 months to end March 2018.

Trends to end March 2018 – social sector

There were 1707 social housing completions between January and March 2018; 60% more than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end March 2018 to 4,629. This is a 20% increase on the 3,866 social sector completions in the previous year.

Meanwhile, 3,348 social sector homes were started between January and March 2018; 4% more than the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total for the year to end March 2018 to 6,068. This is a 4% decrease on the 6,316 social sector starts in the previous year.

Sub-national figures for the year to end March 2018 – social sector

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 2018 per 10,000 of the population (based on the latest mid-2017 population estimates). The housing stock of 6 local authorities (Argyll & Bute, Dumfries & Galloway, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Na h-Eileanan Siar 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 2018 rates of housing association new build completions were highest in Shetland, the Orkney Islands, Glasgow, and East Lothian, whilst no new housing association houses were built in Falkirk, Midlothian, East Renfrewshire and Stirling.

Meanwhile local authority new build rates were highest in Fife, East Ayrshire, Midlothian and West Lothian. As well as the 6 stock transfer authorities mentioned above, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, the Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire and the Shetland Islands built no new homes in the year ending March 2018.

Latest data to end June 2018 – social sector

A total of 934 social sector homes were completed between April and June 2018, 7% more than the 875 completions in the same quarter in 2017. This brings the total completions for the 12 months to end June 2018 to 4,688, a 25% increase on the 3,764 social sector homes completed in the previous year. The increase in the 12 months to end June 2018 is due to an increase in both Housing Association led and Local Authority led completions, which increased by 25% (618 homes) and 25% (306 homes), respectively.

Meanwhile, 1,158 social sector homes were started between April and June 2018. This is up by 90% compared to the same quarter in the previous year. This brings the total for the 12 months to end June 2018 to 6,617 which is a 6% increase (362 homes) on the 6,255 starts in the previous year. The increase in the 12 months to end June 2018 is due to a 48% (577 homes) increase in Local Authority starts and a 4% (215 homes) decrease in Housing Association led approvals.

Map C: New build housing - Housing Association sector completions: rates per 10,000 population, year to end March 2018

Map D: New build housing - Local Authority sector completions: rates per 10,000 population, year to end March 2018