SNP Government has 'no plan' to end Scotland's housing emergency as spending on affordable homes drops
A leading housing charity blasted John Swinney's Government and said it was time for ministers to be "frank" with the public.
The SNP Government has been accused of having "no plan" to end Scotland's housing emergency after spending on affordable housing dropped across the country.
Shelter, a leading charity working to end homelessness, said 31 out of 32 local authorities are set to receive less cash for social homes this year than in 2021-2022.
The move comes despite John Swinney's Government reversing a previous £196m cut to its affordable housing budget following a campaign by this newspaper and various housing charities and organisations.
Official data shows Edinburgh City Council is the only local authority to see an increase in its resource planning assumptions (RPA) when compared with four years ago.
RPA is the amount of money allocated to each local authority from the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
It's used to buy and build affordable homes, with 70 per cent of the budget earmarked for social homes provided by councils and housing associations.
Shelter Scotland warned the trend showed spending remains lower – even in cash terms - than at the start of this parliament.
Alison Watson, the charity's director, said: "It is time for Scotland's politicians to be frank with the nation. There is no plan to end the housing emergency.
'It has been a year since a national housing emergency was declared by the Scottish Parliament, but almost all local authorities continue to have less money to spend on new social homes than they did in 2021/22.
"We need radical action from our politicians. As 2.3 million adults in Scotland are impacted by the housing emergency, it is crucial that the Scottish Government sets out a plan as to how it will end the emergency."
Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Social Justice Secretary, said: "This year, the Scottish Government is investing £768m to support the delivery of 8,000 homes for social and mid-market rent and low-cost home ownership.
"We have also announced a £4m homelessness prevention funding and £2m to increase the scale and pace of privately owned empty homes being returned to use."
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Telegraph
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