Investing in the future housing workforce
It also calls for prioritising increased labour market participation to expand the tax base—boosting housing supply while strengthening the skilled workforce in construction and maintenance.
Findings from CIH Scotland’s research, shared with the FPA as part of its pre-budget scrutiny, highlight the urgent need to address the adaptive housing challenges facing the ageing population
New research from CIH Scotland and partners has found that the average cost of installing adaptations in social housing has increased, but this has not been reflected in the budget. By 2040, the need for adaptations is projected to increase from 342,448 in 2022 to 372,627, and delivery costs are expected to rise from £68m per year in 2025 to over £76m per year by 2040.
CIH stresses that meeting changing needs requires housing that is truly fit for purpose—building more accessible homes, investing in aids, adaptations, and technology to help people live independently for longer, and expanding specialist housing for those who need it.
Scotland’s population is ageing more rapidly than the rest of the UK, while healthy life expectancy is falling—leaving more people likely to require support to maintain a good quality of life for longer. The Fiscal Sustainability Report recognises that this is a significant challenge and will be financially unsustainable if not addressed. The provision of good quality housing and support services is key to addressing this challenge, says CIH.
Increasing investment in housing and housing services will result in:
- Reduced poverty and better life chances, including education and employment
- Reducing homelessness and time spent in temporary accommodation
- Reducing rough sleeping and related health conditions
- Reducing instances of damp and mould and related respiratory issues
- Greater independence for older people and people with mobility issues
- Reduced hospital admissions from trips and falls
- Reducing/delaying unnecessary moves to expensive residential care
- Increased community cohesion, reduced social isolation and loneliness
- Improved outdoor space and encouraging active travel.
CIH recommends that the Scottish government should:
- Commit to long-term funding for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to tackle homelessness and ensure that everyone who needs it has access to social and affordable housing.
- Commit to long term funding focussed on homelessness prevention including the implementation of the new Homelessness Prevention Duty being developed through the Housing Bill.
- Fulfil its commitment to review the delivery of adaptations and commit to cross-tenure funding that will ensure people are able to live well at home for longer.
- Review funding mechanisms for specialist accommodation, such as housing with care, to ensure financial viability.
Affordable Housing Need in Scotland
A second report, Affordable Housing Need in Scotland, will be published on 23 September 2025. It will set out the number of social and affordable homes required across Scotland in the next parliamentary term to address homelessness and emerging housing needs, along with estimated delivery costs.
An early-release section of their affordable housing research highlights that, if housing supply levels were brought back up to pre-2008 levels, around 25,000 homes per year, it would create:
- 8,100 extra jobs (direct, indirect and induced)
- £62 million increase in annual resident expenditure
- £53 million more tax paid nationally
- £3 million more council tax paid locally
- £52 million extra investment in infrastructure
- £123 million increase in capital expenditure (on land and suppliers)
- £0.3 billion increase in economic output.
The Scottish government should:
- Classify housing as essential infrastructure and a priority for capital investment.
- Commit to delivering social and affordable housing in line with the findings of new research due to be published in September.
More resources for young people to get into the Scottish social housing sector, specifically, should also be a priority, as many young people aren’t aware or don’t recognise that options within the sector are available to them.
The research recommends:
- Working with the housing sector to develop a national housing workforce planning strategy that reflects the increasing demands and complexity of housing organisations in Scotland.
- Creating a national framework to promote high standards and professionalism within the social housing sector, with a focus on CPD for all practitioners.
Scotland’s planning fees came under fire last year
Scotland has seen several changes to construction in recent years, some of them controversial, as can be seen in the Royal Town Planning Institute’s response last June to the Investing in Planning consultation that increased planning fees.
At the time, Caroline Brown, director of RTPI Scotland, said that the proposals aim to “ensure that any additional fee income is invested or reinvested in planning services” and avoid ” suggesting ring-fencing fees.”
However, RTPI members noted that “historically, fee increases have failed to bring about meaningful change, and increasing fees without ringfencing may lead to the same result.”
More information about the pre-budget scrutiny can be found on the Scottish Parliament website.
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