The plan outlines methods intended to tackle the high number of families and children living in temporary accommodation
The Scottish Housing Emergency Action Plan intends to build on progress made to date.
A housing emergency was declared in the country in May 2024, with more than 10,000 children in temporary accommodation as of 30 September 2024, and focus moving to building new homes to help remedy the issue.
Measures to tackle the crisis
Several actions are outlined in the plan:
- Increase the supply of affordable housing by doubling investment in acquisitions, effectively increasing the second year of the targeted ‘voids and acquisition’ fund from £40 million to £80 million this financial year, with a focus on acquisitions, and in particular family homes – bringing total investment over two years to £120 million. Councils will be asked to ‘flip’ accommodation from temporary to permanent where appropriate and to proactively contact all relevant households to discuss the option of flipping. This fund will help to replenish stock that has been flipped to create permanent homes.
- Raise the standard and quality of all rented accommodation by, subject to Parliament, bringing Awaab’s Law into force, starting with tackling damp and mould in Scotland from March 2026.
- Fund pilot schemes, including private sector leasing, to reduce the use of unsuitable temporary accommodation such as hostels, hotels and B&Bs.
- Invest up to £2 million through the discretionary housing payments scheme to support households currently in temporary accommodation to find settled homes in the private rented sector.
- Introduce a long-term system of rent control to support keeping private rents affordable, subject to Parliament agreeing the Housing (Scotland) Bill.
- Amplify and scale-up best practice techniques, including working with partners on guidance to help drive positive behaviours as we tackle the housing emergency – continuing our activist and interventionist approach when working with front line partners.
The plan can be read in full here.
Scotland has a strong pipeline
On the Scottish Housing Emergency Action Plan, Callum Chomczuk, CIH Scotland’s national director said: “The Housing Emergency Action Plan published today by Scottish Government sets out a number of welcome priorities that CIH Scotland have called for in recent months. We delighted that there is a commitment to exclude mid-market rent homes from rent controls, giving social landlords assurance to keep developing; the fund to leave will help victims of domestic abuse leave an abusive home – the main cause of homelessness for women; and the additional £40 million for acquisition – if new money – will support social landlord buy properties to move families and children out of temporary accommodation. These are all to be applauded.
“The headline announcement of £4.9 billion investment over four years for social and affordable housing is a step in the right direction. The commitment to multiyear funding provides confidence to social landlords and developers, creating jobs, economic growth and providing homes for those who need them. However, as noted in the report published today from CIH Scotland, Shelter Scotland and the SFHA, £8.2 billion is needed over the next five year to build the 78,465 social and affordable homes Scotland needs by 2031. £4.9 billion is welcome demonstration of intent, but it fails to meet Scotland’s social and affordable housing need and resolve the housing emergency.
“We hope the Housing Emergency Action Plan published today sets the tone for a cross-party consensus on housing policy for Scotland, and that our MSPs build on the priorities set out by the Scottish Government today and prioritise the financing of more than 75,000 social and affordable homes in the next Parliament. This is required so that everyone in Scotland has a secure, affordable home.“
Last month, the Scottish construction pipeline forecast tool showed that the country currently has £18bn spread over 1,000 projects up to 2035.
Claire Pollock, data & insights manager at the Scottish Futures Trust, added: “The continued engagement and support by our public sector partners is greatly appreciated and we have seen an increase in membership and usage of the platform. This underpins our ambition to improve the transparency of Scotland’s construction pipeline to support the sector.
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