Housing Statistics 2022 & 2023: Key Trends Summary

Annual statistics up to 31 March 2023 on total new housing supply in Scotland across all sectors, along with information on various elements of local authority housing such as stock, lettings, house sales, evictions, housing lists, and housing for older people and people with disabilities.


As of 31st March 2023, there were 323,146 local authority units. Most of the stock is letting stock (91%; 294,079), 2% (7,159) is designated temporary accommodation for homeless households, and 7% (21,908) is for other use (such as tied housing or dwellings currently out of use).

Local authorities report 11,534 units of vacant stock, an increase of 1.4% (160 units) from the previous year.

Table 1 shows the composition of vacant stock by reason as well as percentage annual change. Vacant normal letting stock or other vacant stock was the largest proportion of total vacant stock. The smallest group of vacant stock were properties in low demand areas.

The largest annual increase was seen in vacant properties that are part of a modernisation programme. The largest annual decrease was seen in properties located in low demand areas.

Table 1: Reason for vacant unit in local authority stock, March 2022 and 2023

 

Reason for vacant unit

March 2022

March 2023

% total vacant stock in March 2023

% annual change

Awaiting demolition

2,472

1,721

15%

-30%

Low demand area

781

452

4%

-42%

Used as temporary accommodation for the homeless

818

762

7%

-6.8%

Part of a modernisation programme

2,195

3,116

27%

42%

Vacant normal letting stock or other vacant stock

5,108

5,145

45%

1%

Total vacant stock

11,374

11,534

100%

+1.4%

 

Table 2 illustrates that the length of time that properties have been vacant is closely related to the reason for the vacancy. Normal letting stock, or temporary homeless accommodation tends to be empty for less time than other types of vacant stock.

Table 2: Vacant local authority units by length of time, 2023

 

< 2 weeks

2 to 6 weeks

6 to 26 weeks

26 weeks to 2 years

> 2 years

Length of vacancy unknown

Used as temporary homeless accommodation

25%

25%

29%

11%

10%

0%

Awaiting demolition

2%

2%

6%

23%

67%

0%

Part of a modernisation project

3%

8%

25%

20%

40%

4%

Low demand area

11%

19%

30%

19%

21%

0%

Normal letting stock, or other reason

13%

26%

39%

18%

5%

0%

Total vacant stock

9%

16%

28%

19%

24%

4%

 

Vacant stock in each local authority area (except those which have transferred their social housing stock) is shown in Chart 8. Chart 8 shows vacant stock, by reason for vacancy, as a proportion of all local authority housing stock. This shows that total vacant stock as a proportion of all stock varied between 9.15% in Renfrewshire and 1.26% in Moray.

Chart 8: The types of vacant local authority stock as a proportion of local authority stock varied between each local authority in 2022-23

a stacked bar chart showing the proportions of vacant stock by local authority

Further detailed figures are available in:

Local authority housing stock excel web tables

Public authority vacant stock Excel web tables

Contact

housingstatistics@gov.scot

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