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Scottish government to increase affordable housing funding by £70m
The Scottish government will put £826m into affordable housing in the 2019/20 budget, it has announced.
This is an increase of £70m on the amount put into the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in the current year.
The announcement is the latest in attempts by ministers to build 50,000 affordable homes in Scotland by 2021, a pledge made by first minister Nicola Sturgeon in 2015.
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Aileen Campbell, the communities secretary, said: “At the heart of our ambition for a fairer Scotland is that everyone has access to a safe, warm and affordable place to call home.
“This increased budget forms part of the single biggest investment in, and delivery of, affordable housing since devolution with over £3bn committed, which will deliver good quality, secure and affordable homes, which will in turn help create strong, sustainable communities.
“We have set an ambitious target to deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes over the course of this parliament, including 35,000 for social rent and are making good progress towards that. By ensuring councils and housing associations have financial certainty, we are confident that this commitment can be fulfilled.”
The affordable housing budget also increased in last year’s budget, when the Scottish government also created the £150m Building Scotland Fund.
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) welcomed the announcement but urged the government to commit to funding beyond the lifetime of this parliament, which ends in 2021.
Sally Thomas, chief executive of the SFHA, said: “While we welcome the Scottish government’s funding of £826m, which is part of its commitment to build 50,000 affordable homes, we would urge the government, and all political parties, to commit to a longer-term programme of delivery beyond the lifetime of this parliament.
“It is vital that the post-2021 Affordable Housing Supply Programme maintains the existing levels of funding to meet outstanding and future need. As well as longer-term funding, it is equally important that we ensure we have the right homes in the right places to meet people’s needs and aspirations.”
The SFHA is also calling for reform to the planning and land system, which it says needs to be changed in order to provide affordable land for housing development.
It also believes the Scottish government should reform the housing system so that “a range of high-quality affordable housing is available to meet people changing needs throughout their lives”.
