The SNP’s Plan to Tackle the Housing Emergency in Scotland

Scotland is facing a housing emergency that affects families, young people, pensioners and communities across the country. Rents have risen sharply in many areas, home ownership is out of reach for too many, and thousands of people remain stuck in temporary accommodation or living in unsuitable homes.

The SNP’s approach is based on treating housing as a foundation of national wellbeing rather than simply an investment asset. That means building more affordable homes, strengthening tenants’ rights, preventing homelessness and giving communities the powers needed to shape development.

For Ochil and South Perthshire, these priorities matter in villages, towns and rural communities as much as in Scotland’s cities. Annabelle Ewing’s record of parliamentary service and local campaigning reflects a commitment to ensuring that Westminster decisions work for Scotland’s communities.

Building More Affordable And Social Homes

Scotland needs a sustained programme of housebuilding, with public investment focused on homes that people can genuinely afford. New social housing can reduce pressure on private rents, give families greater security and help young people remain close to their communities.

The SNP plan prioritises council and housing association homes, alongside affordable homes for rent and shared-equity opportunities. Construction should support local employment and use high standards for energy efficiency, reducing household bills as well as carbon emissions.

A strong social housing programme also provides a long-term answer to temporary accommodation. Instead of paying escalating costs to house people in hotels or unsuitable properties, public funding can create secure homes that remain part of Scotland’s housing stock for generations.

Making Renting Fairer And Safer

Private renters need predictable costs and protection from unfair treatment. A stronger housing framework can improve standards, tackle exploitative practices and give tenants confidence that raising a legitimate repair issue will not put their home at risk.

Rent regulation must be designed carefully, with consideration for local conditions and the supply of available properties. Alongside fairer rents, Scotland needs effective enforcement, clear rights and proper support for tenants who face unlawful eviction or unsafe accommodation.

The housing emergency is also connected to wider questions about how public services use information and technology. Annabelle Ewing’s digital rights work shows why privacy, accountability and access must remain central when housing services become more digital.

Preventing Homelessness Before Crisis

Homelessness prevention should begin before someone loses their home. Earlier support with rent arrears, debt, family breakdown, domestic abuse and mental health can stop a short-term difficulty becoming a life-changing crisis.

Local authorities need sufficient resources to provide advice, emergency accommodation and permanent housing options. Every person facing homelessness should be treated with dignity, while children and families deserve particular protection from disruption to education and community life.

A prevention-first approach can also improve outcomes for public services. Stable housing makes it easier for people to access healthcare, sustain employment, support children and participate fully in their communities.

Housing Priority	Practical Action	Benefit For Communities
Social housing	Invest in councils and housing associations	Secure, affordable homes
Private renting	Strengthen rights and enforcement	Greater stability for tenants
Homelessness	Fund early intervention and permanent homes	Fewer people in temporary accommodation
Rural housing	Support local, community-led development	More families able to remain locally
Energy efficiency	Upgrade homes and improve building standards	Lower bills and warmer homes

Supporting Rural And Local Communities

Housing policy must reflect the different needs of Scotland’s regions. In Ochil and South Perthshire, land availability, transport links, wages and access to services all influence whether a new development strengthens a community or places additional pressure on it.

Rural and small-town housing should include homes for local workers, families and older residents. Community-led housing, accessible homes and planning that connects new developments with schools, shops and public transport can help prevent villages from becoming places that people can no longer afford to call home.

Local authorities should have the powers and funding to respond to local conditions. Decisions about housing supply are more effective when communities have a meaningful voice and when development is matched by investment in roads, health services, schools and green spaces.

Bringing Empty Homes Back Into Use

Thousands of properties across Scotland are empty while people struggle to find somewhere to live. Bringing long-term empty homes back into use can provide a faster, lower-carbon addition to the housing supply than relying exclusively on new construction.

A coordinated programme should identify vacant properties, support owners where renovation is viable and use enforcement powers when homes are deliberately left unused without good reason. Empty commercial buildings may also offer opportunities for carefully planned conversion.

This work should complement, rather than replace, a major programme of new social housebuilding. Scotland needs both immediate action on vacant properties and long-term investment that creates homes suited to changing communities.

Funding A Long-Term Housing Settlement

The scale of the emergency requires stable funding instead of short-term announcements. Scotland should be able to plan across decades, train the workers needed for construction and retrofit, and give councils confidence to commission projects that meet local demand.

That is why greater powers for Scotland matter. With the full responsibilities of independence, decisions about taxation, borrowing, migration, land and investment could be aligned with Scotland’s housing needs rather than constrained by choices made elsewhere.

Annabelle Ewing’s campaign connects practical local representation with the wider case for Scotland’s future. A fair housing system would strengthen families, improve public health, reduce poverty and make it easier for people to build their lives in the communities they call home.

A Home For Every Community

The housing emergency will not be solved by a single policy. It requires social homes, fair renting rules, effective homelessness prevention, action on empty properties and investment in energy-efficient buildings. It also requires communities to have a decisive voice in what is built and where.

Support Annabelle Ewing’s campaign for Ochil and South Perthshire, share the case for a housing system built around security and dignity, and help put Scotland’s communities at the centre of the decisions that shape their future.