Hundreds of thousands of Scots 'worry about housing costs'

More than a quarter of people in Scotland are worried about being able to afford to keep a roof over their head this year, a new survey suggests.

The poll from YouGov for Shelter Scotland found 28% of respondents – estimated as the equivalent of 456,400 households – have fears about paying their rent or mortgage during 2020.

It also shows 11% – equivalent to nearly 180,000 – could not afford any increase, while 14% would struggle to afford a rise of up to £25 a month.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “These figures reveal the stark reality faced by hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland who enter 2020 already struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, and many thousands more saying they would struggle with even a modest rise on those costs.

“Austerity, welfare cuts, stagnant wages, job insecurity and the high cost of housing are making it harder for people to make ends meet and plan for the future.

“It is a national disgrace that in 21st century Scotland so many people should still have to struggle and worry about the basic right of keeping a roof over their heads.

“Help is available. Don’t bury your head in the sand, speak to one of our advisers who can help you put a plan in place.”

Analysis by Shelter Scotland found one household was made homeless every 17 and a half minutes in Scotland last year, with nearly 11,000 households forced to live in temporary accommodation, including more than 14,000 children.

In the private rented sector, the average rent for a two-bed property rose by 12% between 2014 and 2019, with some areas including Glasgow and the Lothians experiencing much larger increases.

The survey had a sample size of 561 adults, with the fieldwork carried out between December 17 and 19.

There were a total of 1,630,000 households across Scotland in 2017, according to the Scottish Household Survey.