Affordable housing completions in Scotland drops to lowest level since 2014, data reveals
Figures from the Scottish Government showed there were 5,833 approvals, 5,856 starts and 6,289 completions of affordable homes funded through the AHSP.
The Scottish Government has today, 31st March, published figures showing a drop in the number of affordable homes approved, started and completed in Scotland in 2025.
There were 5,833 approvals, 5,856 starts and 6,289 completions of affordable homes funded through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP).
This was 607 fewer approvals, 1,011 fewer starts and 2,041 fewer completions than in 2024, with decreases of 9%, 15% and 25% respectively.
Approvals were 53% below the peak in 2018, while starts were at their lowest point since 2013 and completions were the lowest since 2014.
The majority of approvals, starts and completions in 2025 were for social rent, with 87% of approvals (5,053 homes), 84% of starts (4,920 homes) and 79% of completions (4,954 homes) in this category.
Completions for affordable home ownership fell by 46% (204 homes), social rent dropped by 24% (1,528 homes) and other affordable rent decreased by 22% (309 homes) compared to 2024.
Data from the last two quarters of 2025 showed higher approvals and starts, with a 58% increase in approvals (1,153 homes) and a 21% increase in starts (543 homes) compared to the same period in 2024.
For the final quarter, approvals were up by 56% (611 homes) and starts by 22% (362 homes), but completions were down 17% (293 homes).
So far, 32,479 affordable homes have been completed towards the Scottish Government’s target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.
Of these, 25,016 homes were for social rent, 4,750 for affordable rent and 2,713 for affordable home ownership.
The Government’s ambition is for at least 70% of these homes to be for social rent and 10% to be in rural and island communities.
Related
Scottish affordable housing completions drop to lowest level since 2015/16
Scottish new build stock drops to lowest level since 2017, data reveals
Octopus Capital opens first affordable homes development in Scotland
Homes England delivers over 40,000 new housing starts and completions in 2025/2026
New home completions in Scotland fall by 13% as delivery crisis deepens – Savills
Lloyds sets out £500m package to boost UK affordable housing supply
Andy Burnham pledges quicker council housebuilding to tackle “housing trap”
DHI launches blueprint for smart rural homes in Scotland
Homes England achieves highest number of completions since 2020
Average selling prices up 2.7% in Scotland, ESPC finds
Planning stability drives highest housebuilding levels, research reveals