The SNP Government faces a vote over its “catastrophic” record on housing after the number of Scots without a home of their own reached a record high. It comes as John Swinney faces calls to sack his Housing Minister for failing to get to grips with the crisis across the country.
Official figures published this week revealed the number of people registering themselves as homeless had reached the highest level in over a decade. A severe lack of affordable housing – particularly in the country’s biggest cities – has also pushed the number of households stuck in temporary accommodation to a record high.
The total number of new homes completed over the year to the end of June 2024 is also down 17 per cent, with the number of properties built by councils and housing associations falling by a quarter to 5,053.
It comes after the Scottish Government cut the budget for affordable homes by £200million. Labour will now move a Parliamentary motion on Wednesday criticising the SNP Government’s failure on the issue.
“The SNP’s record on housing is one of abject failure, and the most vulnerable people in Scotland are paying the price,” said the party’s housing spokesman, Mark Griffin. “Thousands of children don’t have a permanent home and hundreds are stuck in limbo living in B&Bs. The SNP has admitted there is a housing emergency, but its actions have only fuelled this crisis.
“While thousands of Scots were suffering as a result of this housing emergency, the SNP slashed the affordable housing budget and let housebuilding collapse.
“The SNP has decided to defend the indefensible and protect its failing Housing Minister – but Scottish Labour will hold this government to account for its failings. This Wednesday Parliament has an opportunity to force the SNP to take responsibility for its catastrophic record on housing.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Since 2007, we have supported the delivery of more than 133,000 affordable homes, with more than 94,000 of those being for social rent – 40 per cent more affordable homes per head of population than in England and 70 per cent more than in Wales.
“We continue to build on that record with almost £600million of investment in the Affordable Housing Supply programme (AHSP) this year and we remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. To support the local authorities experiencing the highest pressure, £40million of our AHSP investment will be used to purchase existing homes and bring long-term empty homes back into use.”
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