Angry North Ayrshire Labour have lashed out at lack of Scottish Government support for housing repairs, after it was revealed that Cunninghame Housing Association had experienced the largest cut to their funding.
And while CHA, Riverside and ANCHO are reporting a reduction in completed adaptations and an increase in their waiting list, following a Freedom of Information enquiry by the main council opposition, CHA hadn’t carried out a job in the first six months of this financial year.
A woman’s father, they found, was housebound because the housing association had failed to complete a minor adaptation (a handrail). However, they responded by saying that cuts in funding left them facing major challenges.
CHA have experienced the largest cut to funding and whilst all are reporting a reduction in completed adaptations and an increase in their waiting list, alarmingly CHA hadn’t carried out a job in the first six months of this financial year (the FOI was submitted around late October).
ANCHO found their grant allocation from the Scottish Government had fallen from £25,000 in 2023-24 to £20,000 in 2024-25.
The budget for adaptations slumped from £16,000 in 23-24 to £5,000 in 24-25.
In 23-24, a total of 32 medical adaptations were completed and in 24-25, there were 18 medical adaptations requests to date with one on the waiting list from last year.
Cunninghame Housing Association secured £440,867 from the Scottish Government in 23-24 with 113 adaptations completed. In 24-25, just £242,550 has been allocated, with no adaptations completed.
There are 109 adaptations on the waiting list as of November 5, compared to just 55 on March 31.
Riverside Scotland secured £81,000 for adaptations in 24-25, down from £89,000 in 23-24.
Adaptations requested in 24-25 were 82, compared with 94 in 23-24.
On the waiting list for adaptations on November 11 were 69, compared with 40 on March 31.
Total adaptations completed in 24-25 to date are 25, compared with 63 in 23-24.
Reacting to the figures, Labour Cllr Nairn Angus-McDonald of Irvine East and a member of the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The SNP Government’s own website says that housing adaptations ‘make an important contribution to supporting older people and disabled people to live safely, comfortably and independently at home’ – and yet they made massive cuts to funding for adaptations in social housing.
“For the last nine months, I and other members of the Labour Group, have been approached by constituents who either they, or a family member, can’t leave their home due to being stuck on a waiting list for adaptations.
“Sometimes these jobs have been as small as installing handrails at the person’s front door but due to SNP funding cuts, the Housing Association landlord have said they don’t have the funding to complete the work.
“The figures from these Freedom of Information disclosures highlight the impact of these cuts. Funding – down. Completed jobs – down. Waiting lists – up.
“From a financial perspective, cuts to adaptation funding make zero sense. It is the very essence of preventative spend. Every pound invested in someone able to live independently, eases the pressure on our services including the NHS.
“However, the human cost is worse. It is heartbreaking to have constituents who are struggling so badly when all they need is an adaptation to their home. The SNP should be ashamed of the cuts they made to this vital funding.
“The Scottish Government is continuing to provide support to help Registered Social Landlords meet their responsibilities to deliver housing adaptations.
“The 2025-26 budget will more than double the budget for this to £20.9 million, if Parliament approves it.
“This reflects our commitment to support social landlords to deliver necessary adaptations that help disabled tenants to live independently at home for as long as possible.”
Don’t miss the latest Ayrshire headlines –sign up to our free daily newsletter