Members of the Highland Council’s Housing and Property Committee met yesterday and noted the annual performance review of the Highland Housing Register (HHR) Policy for 2024/2025 on housing allocations. The report demonstrates that the policy is meeting its objectives and that the Highland Housing Partnership continues to provide affordable and secure social housing in Highland communities.

Members also approved the scope of a review of the Housing Allocations Policy.

Housing and Property Committee chair, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said: “Social and affordable housing is a key priority of the council, which is evidenced in the Highland Housing Challenge, Partnership Action Plan which was approved at council on 26 June 2025; and is integral to the Local Housing Strategy 2023-2028 approved by this committee. 

“In addition, the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Programme 2025-2030 has been verified by the Scottish Government and received positive feedback on the delivery of affordable housing in Highland. A Housing Need and Demand Assessment commissioned this June 2025 will also focus on the specific housing needs of communities later this year.”

Cllr Campbell Sinclair added: “Analysis of housing letting based on need has shown that the Allocations Policy is largely meeting its objective to provide housing to those with the greatest needs. I am particularly pleased to see that 16 households were helped to move into their first ‘independent living’ tenancy with support from NHS Highland and an additional 16 care-experienced young people were housed in line with our Corporate Parenting duties.”

The report presented to councillors highlighted that demand for housing and transfers has increased from 8,767 applications on the Highland Housing Register on 31 March 2025, compared to 8,618 in 2023/24. In 2025, over 70% of these applications were not HHR tenants; over half are in private rental or living with family and 10% are homeless.