Scottish government set to announce National Housing crisis declaration

Posted on May 20, 2024   |  

The Scottish government is poised to declare a national housing emergency, with an announcement expected during a Labour-led debate at Holyrood.

Despite receiving approximately 25% more funding from Whitehall compared to other UK regions, Scottish Labor accuses the government of implementing severe cuts to the housing budget.

Last year, councils including Argyll and Bute, the City of Edinburgh, and Glasgow City, along with Fife Council in March, declared housing emergencies due to various issues like pressure on homelessness services and rising property prices.

The Scottish government is urging reversals of cuts to its capital budget, particularly in the affordable housing sector.

Earlier this year, the Scottish government slashed the affordable housing budget by £200 million, representing a reduction of around 26%.

In a recent move, Humza Yousaf, in one of his final acts as first minister, announced an £80 million increase to the affordable housing budget over two years.