Action call to prevent housing crisis for future generations

That was the warning from Shelter Scotland on Tuesday as it launched its Manifesto for Homes ahead of May’s Holyrood election.

Research carried by the homelessness charity found that 90 per cent of those surveyed agreed the children of today will find buying or renting much tougher than the generation before them.

Sixty-nine per cent it was harder for them to buy or rent a home now than it was for their parents’ generation when they were of a similar age.

And 87% of respondents agreed that unless many more new affordable homes were built, we will never be able to tackle the country’s housing problems.

In its Manifesto for Homes, Shelter Scotland outlines four priority actions to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis, at the heart of which is the need for all political parties to commit to ambitious targets for new affordable housing in the run up to the forthcoming election.

The charity is calling for at least a doubling of the current level of supply to build 12,000 new affordable homes each year for the next five years.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “This survey shows that the people of Scotland are worried about housing – now and in the future.

“Scotland’s housing crisis risks creating a devastating generational gulf between the housing haves and have nots.

“The high cost of housing and the stuttering supply of new affordable homes set against high and rising demand are at the heart of this crisis.

“Sadly, it is those on the lowest incomes and the most vulnerable people in our society who will bear the brunt of the housing crisis unless drastic and bold action is taken now.

“We want to see an end to housing-related poverty and homelessness in 21st century Scotland and our Manifesto for Homes outlines the four commitments we want all politicians to make to tackle our housing crisis head on.”

“We urge all political parties to use the 12,000 target for new affordable homes as a benchmark for their ambitions to bring real hope to the thousands of people in Scotland without a suitable or affordable home while also delivering a major boost to jobs and the economy.”

Shelter Scotland’s Manifesto for Homes asks politicians to commit to four key aspirations:

1 Deliver a home for everyone in Scotland

2 Meet the needs of every homeless person in Scotland

3 Make renting right

4 Put housing at the heart of social justice and tackling child poverty.

For advice and support on housing and homelessness visit Shelter Scotland.