More than 90,000 children on waiting lists for social housing, figures show

The Scottish Government has been accused of failing to tackle the country’s housing crisis after figures revealed that more than 90,000 children are on a social housing waiting list.

The figures, released through freedom of information requests to councils by the Scottish Conservatives, showed 90,797 children were on a waiting list as of September this year.

The figure for all of Scotland is likely to be higher as it does not include data from Glasgow, Clackmannanshire and the whole of the Scottish Borders.

In total, more than 253,000 people of all ages are on a social housing waiting list.

Meghan Gallacher, the party’s housing spokeswoman at Holyrood, described the statistics as “grim” and said they were a consequence of the SNP “letting the housing crisis spiral”.

She said the Government’s Housing Bill – which allows for the creation of rent control zones – would do “little or nothing” to tackle the issue and would not “deliver a single extra home in Scotland”.

Ms Gallacher said: “These grim figures lie firmly at the door of the SNP Government who have let the housing crisis spiral on their watch.

“It is shameful that more than 90,000 children in Scotland are currently stuck on a waiting list for a social house.

“They should be living in a permanent house of their own, but the nationalists have completely failed to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency.

“SNP ministers have wasted an opportunity with their Housing Bill which will do little or nothing to tackle Scotland’s underlying housing problems.

“It will not deliver a single extra home in Scotland and all Holyrood’s cosy left-wing consensus have to offer is doubling down on their rent controls plans, which has actually driven investment away from the sector.

“Paul McLennan needs to show some common sense, ditch rent control plans for good and outline a real plan that delivers the homes that Scots need.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “To reverse the trend of increasing numbers in temporary accommodation, we have provided additional funding of £42 million in 2024-25, the majority of which has been targeted towards the five local authorities with the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures.

“This funding will help increase the supply of social and affordable homes – including larger properties suitable for families – through acquisitions and, where appropriate, to bring long-term empty social homes back into use.”