Source: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/social-tenants-scotland-2015/pages/4/
Timestamp: 2018-02-25 05:58:04
Document Index: 792317249

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2.1 Number of people in social housing and stock levels
Social rented housing in Scotland in 2015 was provided by 26 of the 32 local authorities who owned and ran local authority housing stock, along with 160 housing associations who owned and ran housing association stock. Of the 32 local authorities, 6 did not directly manage social housing stock due to previous stock transfers to housing associations across the years 2003 to 2007, however they still provided some housing services such as homelessness support.
There were an estimated 1.14 million people living social rented housing in 2015, a similar figure to the estimated 1.15 million people in the previous year, and a decrease of 24% from an estimated 1.49 million people in 1999.
Social housing stock totaled 595,052 units in 2015, a slight increase of 86 homes from 594,966 units in 2014, but a decrease of 18% from 726,283 units in 1999.
Chart 2.1: Estimated Number of People in Social Housing, and Stock Levels, 1999 to 2015
From 1999 to 2009 the number of people living in social housing in Scotland fell by 23% from an estimated 1.49 million people to 1.15 million people. During this time period the amount of social housing stock dropped by 18% from 726,300 to 594,100. The drop in the number of people was greater than the drop in the stock because the average size of a social rented household decreased from 2.1 people in 1999 to 2.0 people in 2009.
Since 2009 social housing stock levels have remained broadly stable at between around 594,000 and 597,000 units per year between 2009 and 2015. The number of people living in social housing between 2009 and 2015 has dropped slightly by an estimated 1% from 1.15 million to 1.14 million, due to a continued reduction in the average number of people per social household across these years.
The drop in levels of social housing stock between 1999 and 2009 can be attributed to the number of sales ( i.e. Right to Buy sales) and demolitions being higher than the number of units of new supply achieved through new build completions and other acquisitions of stock. Social housing stock levels have been broadly stable between 2009 and 2015, which suggests that the number of units lost each year across this time period has largely been balanced out by new supply provision.
Stock transfers in 6 local authority areas between 2003 and 2007 saw dwellings being transferred from local authority control to housing associations. Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders transferred their stock in 2003, followed by Argyll and Bute and Na Eileanan Siar in 2006, and Inverclyde in 2007.
There was an average of 1.9 people per social household in 2015, an average of 1.6 adults and 0.4 children, a slight drop from the average of 2.0 people per social household in the previous year, and a decrease from the 2.1 people per social household in 1999. The drop from 1999 to 2015 has been largely due to a fall in the average number of children per household from 0.5 in 1999 to 0.4 in 2015.
Chart 2.2: Average number of people per household, social rented households
Table 2.1: Social housing stock, average number of people per household, and estimated number of people in social housing, 1999 to 2015
Local authority stock as at March
584,375 564,783 546,962 527,454 414,256 388,160 373,554 361,876 345,744
Housing association stock as at March
127,894 130,925 138,709 143,188 238,472 251,074 251,475 251,100 261,447
Total social housing stock as at March
726,283 707,267 691,524 673,819 654,730 640,392 625,508 612,976 607,191
Vacant local authority stock as at March
19,843 21,530 22,062 20,746 16,474 14,399 14,050 12,060 10,289
Estimated vacant housing assocation stock
1,226 1,255 1,330 1,373 2,286 2,407 2,411 2,407 2,506
Total estimated vacant social stock as at March
21,069 22,785 23,392 22,119 18,760 16,806 16,461 14,467 12,795
Estimated occupied social stock as at March
705,214 684,482 668,132 651,700 635,970 623,586 609,047 598,509 594,396
Average number of adults per social household
1.6 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.6
Average number of children per social household
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4
Average total number of people per social household
2.1 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0
Estimated number of adults in social housing (millions)
1.12 1.08 1.04 1.00 0.99 0.95 0.93 0.92 0.93
Estimated number of children in social housing (millions)
0.37 0.33 0.31 0.31 0.30 0.27 0.29 0.27 0.26
Estimated total number of people in social housing (millions)
1.49 1.41 1.35 1.31 1.28 1.22 1.22 1.19 1.18
329,524 325,648 323,138 319,878 319,384 318,160 317,572 317,005
269,398 268,427 272,401 274,996 277,484 277,379 277,394 278,047
598,922 594,075 595,539 594,874 596,868 595,539 594,966 595,052
Local authority vacant stock as at March
9,269 9,120 9,756 7,667 7,847 7,013 6,556 6,515
2,583 2,573 2,710 2,605 2,576 2,855 2,470 2,676
11,852 11,693 12,466 10,272 10,423 9,868 9,026 9,191
587,070 582,382 583,073 584,602 586,445 585,671 585,940 585,861
2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.9
0.93 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.93 0.91 0.91
0.26 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.23 0.23
1.19 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.15 1.14
Sources: Scottish Government Housing Statistics for Scotland, Scottish Housing Regulator data, Scottish Household Survey data
Notes: Vacant housing association stock has been estimated for the years 1999 to 2009 by applying a percentage figure 0f 0.96% to the total stock figures for each year, a proportion based on the vacant normal letting stock figures available across the years 2010 to 2015.
The number of people in social housing has been estimated by applying the average number of people per household to the number of social stock units after netting off vacant stock
Further detail on public sector stock figures is available from the 'Housing Statistics for Scotland 2016: Key Trends Summary' [1] and associated web tables [2] .
The introduction of Right to Buy legislation in 1979 had a substantial impact on the profile of Scottish housing, with nearly half a million social housing properties being sold from 1979 to 2015. The provision to end Right to Buy with a two year notice period was included in the Housing (Scotland) Act which received Royal Assent on 1 August 2014, and the scheme subsequently closed to all new applicants on 31 July 2016.
Further detail on Right to Buy sales statistics is available in the 'Housing Statistics for Scotland Key Trends Summary 2016' and associated web tables [3] [4].
Detailed statistics on other factors associated with social housing stock levels, such as new build housing by local authorities and housing associations, are available in the quarterly housing statistics updates [5] .
2.2 Local authorities and housing associations – stock levels and operating areas
Table 2.2 below shows the number and percentage of local authorities and housing associations by the size of their stock as at end March 2015. It can be seen that local authorities generally had a larger size of stock, with almost two-thirds (65%) of the 26 local authorities having stock levels between 5,001 and 20,000 homes, whilst more than eight in ten (83%) housing associations had stock levels of 2,500 homes or less.
Table 2.2: Social housing stock by size, 2015
Local authority %
Housing association %
1 4% 88 54%
Over 1,000 to 2,500
1 4% 46 28%
Over 2,500 to 5,000
3 12% 18 11%
7 27% 8 5%
10 38% 1 1%
4 15% 1 1%
Sources: Scottish Government Housing Statistics for Scotland and Scottish Housing Regulator Stock data
Whilst local authorities operate within each of their own specific areas, housing associations can operate across different local authority areas. Table 2.3 below shows the number and percentage of housing associations by the number of different local authority areas that they operated in as at March 2015. It can be seen that 70% operated in a single local authority area; 18% operated in 2 to 5 different local authority areas, whilst the remaining 12% operated across 6 or more local authority areas.
Table 2.3: Housing association operating areas, 2015
Number of local authority areas operated in
Source: Scottish Housing Regulator Stock Data
Table 2.4 below shows the amount of social rented housing stock in each local authority area as at March 2015, split by local authority and housing association stock. The 6 stock transfer authorities had no local authority stock. For the other 26 local authorities, local authority stock as a proportion of all social stock varied from 52% in the City of Edinburgh to 83% in Aberdeen City. At a Scotland level 53% of social rented housing stock was owned by local authorities, with 47% being owned by housing associations.
Table 2.4: Social housing stock in each local authority area, as at 31 March 2015
Total social housing stock
% of stock that is Local authority
% of stock that is housing association
Social stock as a proportion of all dwellings
22,328 4,454 26,782 83% 17% 113,871 24%
12,856 4,598 17,454 74% 26% 114,655 15%
7,764 3,476 11,240 69% 31% 55,443 20%
- 8,260 8,260 - 100% 47,606 17%
4,989 1,935 6,924 72% 28% 24,055 29%
- 13,889 13,889 - 100% 74,043 19%
12,774 8,403 21,177 60% 40% 73,632 29%
12,724 3,416 16,140 79% 21% 57,489 28%
3,604 1,898 5,502 66% 34% 45,480 12%
8,598 2,191 10,789 80% 20% 46,150 23%
3,003 1,381 4,384 68% 32% 37,957 12%
19,920 18,066 37,986 52% 48% 240,479 16%
16,328 3,465 19,793 82% 18% 72,957 27%
29,902 8,854 38,756 77% 23% 172,896 22%
- 106,207 106,207 - 100% 302,952 35%
13,799 6,794 20,593 67% 33% 115,071 18%
- 10,043 10,043 - 100% 38,743 26%
6,868 3,138 10,006 69% 31% 38,417 26%
5,996 2,309 8,305 72% 28% 43,942 19%
- 2,272 2,272 - 100% 14,549 16%
13,148 4,806 17,954 73% 27% 67,397 27%
36,834 9,481 46,315 80% 20% 151,859 30%
926 692 1,618 57% 43% 10,870 15%
7,415 3,797 11,212 66% 34% 70,570 16%
12,497 7,940 20,437 61% 39% 84,720 24%
- 11,732 11,732 - 100% 57,451 20%
1,747 597 2,344 75% 25% 10,986 21%
8,125 2,160 10,285 79% 21% 54,562 19%
25,201 6,536 31,737 79% 21% 147,387 22%
5,618 2,075 7,693 73% 27% 40,483 19%
10,766 5,853 16,619 65% 35% 44,895 37%
13,275 7,329 20,604 64% 36% 77,510 27%
317,005 278,047 595,052 53% 47% 2,549,072 23%
Note: Total dwellings for March 2015 are estimated based on an average of NRS dwelling counts from Sept 2014 and Sept 2015.
Total social rented housing stock as a percentage of all dwellings in 2015 varied from 12% in East Dunbartonshire and 12% in East Renfrewshire to 35% in Glasgow and 37% in West Dunbartonshire.
2.3 Stock by tenure, Scotland, England and Wales
Chart 2.3 and Table 2.5 below show stock by tenure for Scotland from 2001 to 2015. In 2015 Scotland had a total of 2.55 million dwellings. Social rented housing stock totalled 595 thousand dwellings, 23% of the total. There were 1.57 million owner occupied dwellings (62% of the total) and 382 thousand private rented dwellings (15% of the total).
From 2014 to 2015, the total number of dwellings in Scotland increased by 1%. The number of social rented properties stayed similar year on year (0% change), the number of private rented dwellings increased by 2%, and the number of owner occupier dwellings stayed similar year on year (0% change).
Over the longer term period from 2001 to 2015, the total number of dwellings in Scotland has increased by 10%. The number of social rented properties has dropped by 14%, whilst the number of private rented dwellings has more than doubled (a 121% increase), and the number of owner occupier dwellings has increased by 8%.
Chart 2.3: Stock by tenure (thousands of units), Scotland, 2001 to 2015
Table 2.5: Stock by tenure, Scotland, 2001 to 2015 (thousands of units)
Social Rented Housing Stock (%)
Private Rented Dwellings (%)
Owner Occupied Dwellings (%)
2,312 692 173 1,448 30% 7% 63%
2,329 674 171 1,485 29% 7% 64%
2,347 655 179 1,513 28% 8% 64%
2,367 640 203 1,523 27% 9% 64%
2,387 626 215 1,546 26% 9% 65%
2,406 613 224 1,569 25% 9% 65%
2,428 607 247 1,574 25% 10% 65%
2,451 599 248 1,604 24% 10% 65%
2,469 594 272 1,603 24% 11% 65%
2,482 596 288 1,599 24% 12% 64%
2,495 595 304 1,596 24% 12% 64%
2,508 597 347 1,564 24% 14% 62%
2,521 596 368 1,557 24% 15% 62%
2,534 594 375 1,565 23% 15% 62%
2,549 595 382 1,572 23% 15% 62%
change from 2001 to 2015
10% -14% 121% 9%
Source: Scottish Government Housing Statistics for Scotland
Note: Private Rented includes accommodation tied to employment and others living rent free. Vacant private dwellings have been apportioned to the owner occupied category
Chart 2.4 below shows stock by tenure as a percentage of all dwellings in 2015 for Scotland, England and Wales. It can be seen that Scotland had the highest proportion of social renting stock (23%) compared to both England (17%) and Wales (16%). England had the highest proportion of private rented dwellings (20%), compared to Scotland and Wales (both 15%), whilst Wales had the highest proportion of owner occupier dwellings (69%) compared to both Scotland (62%) and England (62%).
Chart 2.4: Stock by tenure as a percentage of all dwellings in 2015 - Scotland, England and Wales
Charts 2.5 and 2.6 and Tables 2.6 and 2.7 below provide further detail on changes to stock by tenure for England and Wales. From these, along with the equivalent figures for Scotland, it can be seen that there have been similar increases in the total number of dwellings over the 2001 to 2015 time period in Scotland, England and Wales (10%, 11%, and 10%, respectively).
Social rented stock fell by 14% in Scotland between 2001 and 2015, a higher proportion than the equivalent figures for England (a 6% drop) and Wales (an 8% drop).
Each country has seen a similar increase in the number of private rented dwellings between 2001 and 2015, with increases being 121% in Scotland, 123% in England and 131% in Wales.
The number of owner occupier dwellings in Scotland in 2015 was 9% higher when compared to the numbers in 2001. Wales saw a 4% increase between these two years whilst England saw little change.
Chart 2.5: Stock by tenure (thousands of units), England, 2001 to 2015
Table 2.6: Stock by tenure, England 2001 to 2015 (thousands of units)
21,207 4,339 2,133 14,735 20% 10% 69%
21,354 4,310 2,197 14,846 20% 10% 70%
21,513 4,212 2,549 14,752 20% 12% 69%
21,684 4,120 2,578 14,986 19% 12% 69%
21,870 4,050 2,720 15,100 19% 12% 69%
22,073 4,034 2,987 15,052 18% 14% 68%
22,288 4,013 3,182 15,093 18% 14% 68%
22,511 4,000 3,443 15,067 18% 15% 67%
22,694 4,022 3,705 14,968 18% 16% 66%
22,839 4,032 3,912 14,895 18% 17% 65%
22,976 4,044 4,105 14,827 18% 18% 65%
23,111 4,072 4,286 14,754 18% 19% 64%
23,236 4,086 4,465 14,685 18% 19% 63%
23,372 4,076 4,623 14,674 17% 20% 63%
23,543 4,085 4,747 14,710 17% 20% 62%
11% -6% 123% 0%
Source: Department for Communities and Local Government Live Tables on Housing Stock
Chart 2.6: Stock by tenure (thousands of units), Wales, 2001 to 2015
Table 2.7: Stock by tenure, Wales 2001 to 2015 (thousands of units)
1,275 243 90 941 19% 7% 74%
1,285 240 89 957 19% 7% 74%
1,296 233 97 966 18% 7% 75%
1,307 224 104 979 17% 8% 75%
1,319 221 109 989 17% 8% 75%
1,331 220 113 997 17% 8% 75%
1,343 220 122 1,002 16% 9% 75%
1,355 219 135 1,001 16% 10% 74%
1,366 220 157 989 16% 11% 72%
1,375 221 170 984 16% 12% 72%
1,384 223 180 981 16% 13% 71%
1,389 223 189 977 16% 14% 70%
1,394 223 188 983 16% 13% 71%
1,400 223 196 981 16% 14% 70%
1,406 224 208 974 16% 15% 69%
0% 0% 6% -1%
10% -8% 131% 4%
2.4 Types of dwellings (houses/flats)
Based on households interviewed as part of the Scottish Household Survey, 44% of social rented households in Scotland in 2015 were living in a house, a similar level to the 42% figure in 1999. Correspondingly, 56% of households were living in a flat in 2015, a similar level to 58% in 1999.
Chart 2.7: Dwelling type of social rented households, 1999, 2006 and 2015
There were however some differences in dwelling types between social landlord providers in 2015, with 50% of local authority households living in houses and 50% living in flats, whilst only 35% of housing association households were living in a house and 65% living in a flat.
Chart 2.8: Dwelling type of social rented households 2015, by social landlord
In 2015, 35% of private rented households were living in houses, the same proportion as housing association households. Owner occupied households were much more likely to be living in houses, with 78% of households buying with a mortgage living in a house and 82% of households who own outright living in a house.
Chart 2.9: Dwelling type of households 2015, by tenure
When looking solely at social rented households in which an adult had moved into the property within the last 12 months (which includes new-lets as well as changes to existing household compositions), 49% of local authority and 35% of housing association households were living in a house in 2012 to 2015, figures which are similar to those for all social households in 2015. This would suggest that newly formed social rented households are living in dwelling types (houses/flats) that are similar to more established social households.
Chart 2.10: Dwelling type of social rented households, 2012 to 2015 - where an adult has moved into the address within the last 12 months
2.5 Number of bedrooms
Based on responses from households interviewed for the Scottish Household Survey, Dwellings occupied by social rented households in 2015 contained an average of 2.0 bedrooms, a decrease on the average of 2.1 bedrooms per dwelling in 1999.
The most common size of social rented dwelling in 2015 was 2 bedrooms, with 45% of dwellings being this size, a similar level to 1999 (45%).
In 2015, 29% of social rented dwellings contained 1 bedroom, an increase from 25% in 1999, whilst 22% of dwellings contained 3 bedrooms, a drop from 27% in 1999.
Chart 2.11: Bedroom size of social rented households, 1999, 2007 and 2015
There were similar values for average numbers of bedrooms between social landlord providers in 2015, with local authority dwellings on average containing 2.0 bedrooms compared with 1.9 for housing association dwellings.
Chart 2.12: Bedroom size of social rented households, 2015, by social landlord
There were some differences in bedroom sizes of dwellings in 2015 by tenure, with social rented dwellings having the smallest average size of 2.0 bedrooms. This compared to an average size of 2.2 bedrooms in private rented dwellings, 2.9 bedrooms in dwellings being bought with a mortgage and 2.9 bedrooms in dwellings owned outright.
Dwellings being bought with a mortgage and owned outright were much more likely to have 4 or more bedrooms (25% and 21% respectively).
Chart 2.13: Bedroom size of households 2015, by tenure
When looking solely at social rented households in which an adult had moved into the property within the last 12 months (which includes new-lets as well as changes to existing household compositions), bedroom sizes of these dwellings have been similar when compared to the figures for all social rented dwellings. Dwellings occupied by households where an adult had moved into the address within the last 12 months in 2012 to 2015 had on average 2.0 bedrooms. This is the same as the figure of 2.0 bedrooms of all social rented dwellings in 2015. This would suggest that newly formed social rented households are on average living in dwellings with a similar number of bedrooms to more established social households.
Chart 2.14: Bedroom size of social rented households 2015 - households where an adult has moved into the address within the last 12 months
2.6 Location of households in Areas of Multiple Deprivation
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD [6] ) is a Scottish Government statistical tool for identifying places in Scotland suffering from deprivation. It incorporates several different aspects of deprivation, combining them into a single index. It divides Scotland into small areas and provides a relative ranking for each area from most deprived to least deprived.
Based on responses from households interviewed for the Scottish Household Survey, 46% of social rented households in 2015 were living in dwellings in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland (as defined by the SIMD 2012 measure), a similar proportion to the years 2012 to 2014. Only 2% were living in the 20% least deprived areas of the country.
Chart 2.15: SIMD location of social rented households, 2012 to 2015
There were some differences in deprivation locations between social landlord providers in 2015, with 52% of housing association households living in dwellings in the 20% most deprived areas, compared to 41% of local authority households.
Chart 2.16: SIMD location of social rented households, 2015, by landord
There were also differences in deprivation locations between social households and other tenures. In 2015, 46% of social rented households were living in the 20% most deprived areas, compared to 17% of private rented households, 13% of households buying with a mortgage and 10% of households owning outright. Only 2% of social rented households were living in the 20% least deprived areas, which compared to 16% for private rented households, 23% for households buying with a mortgage and 27% of households owning outright.
Chart 2.17: SIMD location of households, 2015, by tenure
When looking solely at social rented households in which an adult had moved into the property within the last 12 months from 2012 to 2015 (which includes new-lets as well as changes to existing household compositions), 49% of social rented households were living in dwellings in the 20% most deprived areas, a value similar to the equivalent figure for all social households across this time period (46% in 2015). This suggests that newly formed social rented households had a similar likelihood of living in dwellings located in the 20% most deprived areas of the country compared with more established social households.
Chart 2.18: SIMD location of social rented households, 2012 to 2015, where an adult has moved into the address within the last 12 months
2.7 Location of households in rural or urban areas
The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2013/14 [7] provides a standard definition of urban and rural areas in Scotland.
Based on responses from households interviewed for the Scottish Household Survey in 2015, 27% of local authority households were living in dwellings in large urban areas, compared to 56% of housing association households. Also, 47% of local authority households were living in other ( i.e. non-large) urban areas, compared with 27% of housing association households. These differences may be partly explained by stock transfers that have happened, for example all social rented housing in Glasgow is now provided by housing associations, properties which are mostly likely to fall within the large urban area category.
Chart 2.19: Urban Rural location of social rented households, 2015, by landord
The urban rural location of households in 2015 also varied across other tenures, with households buying with a mortgage or owning outright being more likely to live in accessible small towns or accessible rural areas compared to social households.
Chart 2.20: Urban Rural location of households, 2015, by tenure
2.8 Scottish Housing Quality Standard
The Scottish House Condition Survey ( SHCS) module of the Scottish Household Survey assesses properties under the Scottish Housing Quality Standard ( SHQS), a common standard for assessing the condition of Scottish housing.
The SHQS target for social housing was incorporated into the Scottish Social Housing Charter and the independent Scottish Housing Regulator ( SHR) is responsible for monitoring landlords' performance. Latest figures published by the SHR indicate that 92.8% of social homes met the SHQS in 2015/16. This is higher than the compliance rate estimated through the SHCS. Although both sources have shown substantial improvements in quality standards over time, there are some differences in the methods and the timing for collecting the data that account for the difference in headline rates.
In 2015, SHCS results showed that 38% of social rented dwellings failed the SHQS, a decrease from 52% of dwellings in 2012. Local authority properties were more likely to fail the standard (45%) than housing association properties (30%).
In 2015, social rented dwellings were on average less likely to fail the SHQS (38%) when compared with private housing dwellings (46%), although this difference was only marginally statistically significant.
Table 2.8: Number and proportion of dwellings failing the Scottish Housing Quality Standard ( SHQS), 2012 to 2015
54% 2,787 49% 2,725 47% 2,680 44% 2,750
57% 900 53% 880 48% 900 46% 930
50% 850 47% 850 47% 790 42% 810
59% 420 51% 390 47% 390 45% 380
42% 280 33% 280 41% 290 30% 280
63% 290 55% 300 54% 320 51% 360
55% 2,050 51% 2,020 48% 2,010 46% 2,100
52% 700 43% 660 45% 670 38% 660
Source: Scottish House Condition Survey Key Findings
Note that figures in 2014 and 2015 are not fully comparable with previous years
The most likely reason for social rented properties to fail the SHQS in 2015 was due to not being sufficiently energy efficient (26%). Whilst 10% were assessed as failing due to not being healthy, safe or secure, 8% failed due to lacking modern facilities or services, and 1% failed due to being below tolerable standards.
Table 2.9: Scottish Housing Quality Standard ( SHQS) criteria failure rates by tenure, 2012 to 2015
All tenures:
54% 49% 47% 44%
42% 36% 35% 32%
16% 14% 14% 13%
52% 43% 45% 38%
39% 28% 30% 26%
15% 12% 12% 8%
13% 13% 14% 10%
55% 51% 48% 46%
43% 39% 37% 33%
11% 11% 11% 9%
17% 14% 14% 14%