Gillian McLees

CIH Scotland responded to calls for evidence from both the Finance and Public Administration Committee and the Public Service Reform Committee, setting out the case for increased investment in housing supply, adaptations and homelessness prevention.

In its response to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, CIH Scotland highlights that the current Scottish Government commitment to invest £4.9 billion to support the delivery of 36,000 social and affordable homes over four years, an average of 9,000 homes per year supported by £1.23bn, will fall far short of identified housing need.

The Scottish Government’s own affordable housing target of 110,000 homes over 10 years would need 11,000 homes to be delivered each year, and independent research commissioned by CIH Scotland, SFHA and Shelter Scotland found that 15,693 social and affordable homes need to be delivered each year to meet housing need.

The Scottish Government aims to deliver on average £0.5bn in savings through efficiencies each year for the next three years. CIH Scotland’s response to the Public Service Reform Committee warns that failure to invest in housing will increase the risk of homelessness and result in additional costs to services like the NHS.

Commenting on both responses, Gillian McLees, national Director of CIH Scotland, stressed the importance of housing funding at the upcoming budget: “We know that the Scottish Government faces some difficult financial decisions in the coming years, but cutting investment in housing is not an option. Investing in housing is part of the solution.

“Housing provides the foundations for people to thrive. Good housing and housing services improve our health and wellbeing and save money in other areas.

“Accessible, adaptable and affordable homes support people to live well in our communities, maintaining independence as their needs change. Housing providers create the space for social connections, they build resilience in our communities and are key to tackling poverty and inequality across Scotland.”