SFHA’s ‘Still Waiting’ campaign tells the stories of some of the nearly 250,000 people across Scotland stuck on waiting lists for a social home. 

The campaign will feature a report commissioned by SFHA and Wheatley Group, which will be launched in the coming weeks, outlining the scale of Scotland’s housing need and experiences from people trapped on waiting lists in the housing system, as well as staff on the frontline of the housing emergency.  

It comes after the housing body renewed calls for the Scottish Government to reverse ‘hammer-blow’ cuts to the country’s affordable housing programme.

Ministers came under severe criticism from SFHA and other housing campaigners last year after slashing almost £200 million from the country’s affordable housing budget, this was just months before the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency and homelessness soared to record levels. 

In recent months, Scottish Government ministers have repeatedly noted that the affordable homes programme would be the ‘priority’ should they receive additional funding from the UK Government. Following the UK Autumn statement, Scotland is set to receive an additional £3.4 billion- with £610m of this going to the capital budget which can be used for investment in infrastructure such as housing. 

SFHA chief executive Sally Thomas said: “Behind every statistic about waiting lists or temporary accommodation, there are people. We’ve heard from people trapped with their families in places that are woefully inadequate, parents who are facing another Christmas without room to put up a tree – too many people who are waiting for their lives to restart in a home that’s their own. 

“That’s why this week’s Budget needs to be a turning point. The Scottish Government can choose to keep its promise and reinvest in the affordable rented housing we so desperately need. That means reversing last year’s hammer-blow cut and taking immediate action to tackle spiralling waiting lists. Anything less would be unconscionable and would seriously jeopardise the First Minister’s defining mission to eradicate child poverty.”