Facts and figures

From the economy to the environment and Scotland's social well-being, home building is one of our country's most vital industries.

Providing much needed warm, sustainable housing, no other industry impacts such a wide range of policy areas.

Did you know, for example, that:

• every new home built supports around 4 jobs
• the industry as a whole supports 63,260 jobs
• the home building industry supported 380 apprentices and 200 graduates in 2014
• new homes built to latest standards have reduced their carbon emissions by 75% compared to 1990 levels
• highly energy efficient, new homes can save money on heating and help fight fuel poverty
• home building in Scotland generated £3.2bn in Gross Value Added in 2013

BUT:

• some 80,000 fewer homes have been built in Scotland since 2008 (assuming pre-recession completions rates would have been maintained) whilst the growth in number of households over broadly the same period has more than doubled
• with 17,650 new homes built in 2017, production rates remain 31.5% down on those of 2007 (half the 35,000 annual target set out by the Scottish Government in its Firm Foundations discussion paper)

To help improve understanding of longer term housing trends at both national and regional levels, HFS is now conducting its own data analysis to help improve understanding of longer term housing trends at both national and regional levels.  Read our latest bulletin here.

With over 130,000 households on local authority waiting lists and a growing population, there has never been a stronger case, or more urgent need, for significantly increasing housing supply of ALL tenures.  Click below to find out what we believe needs to be done to achieve this and reap the wide-ranging economic and social benefits on offer: 

Homes for Scotland Manifesto	Summary Infographic The Economic and Social Benefits of Home Building in Scotland	Full Report The Economic and Social Benefits of Home Building in Scotland