The number of homes which began construction in Scotland is at its lowest level in more than a decade, new figures show.
Statistics released on Tuesday show 15,450 homes were started last year, the lowest since 14,635 in 2013.
Housebuilding in 2025 continued to struggle, with the number of completions falling by around 10% from 19,687 in 2024 to 17,794 last year – the worst since 2020, when the pandemic shut down many construction projects.
But affordable housing improved last year, compared to the previous 12 months.
In the 2025-26 financial year, 6,787 affordable homes were approved, up from a of 4,775 the year before, which was the lowest in more than a decade.
The number of homes which began construction sat at 7,421 last year, compared to 5,424 the previous year, which was the lowest since 2011-12.
The number of completions, however, fell from 7,443 to 6,832.
Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Scotland continues to lead the rest of the UK in relative housebuilding with 35 homes per 10,000 population delivered in 2024–25, the highest rate in the UK.
“We have also delivered 45% more affordable homes than England and 69% more than Wales, per head of population.
“However, we know there is more to do – that is why we are providing record investment of up to £4.9 billion over the next four years to support delivery of around 36,000 affordable homes – providing a warm, safe home for up to 24,000 children.
“We are determined to help drive improvements in the private sector, including through our work with the Scottish National Investment Bank.
“Our new agency More Homes Scotland will also bring simplicity, scale and an all-tenure approach to supporting housebuilding – enhancing delivery and maximising savings.”
Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin said “alarmingly little progress” has been made since the Scottish Parliament declared a housing emergency in 2024.
Families across Scotland are desperate for affordable homes, but the SNP are presiding over a total collapse in housebuilding
He said: “The Government set ambitions for an increase of 10% in housebuilding – but today’s stats show a fall of 11%. Far from achieving their targets they are missing them by miles.
“With record numbers of children in temporary accommodation we cannot afford to be moving backwards.
“New builds are down, social house completions are down, private sector starts are at their lowest level since 2013.
“We will work with any government serious about ending the housing emergency and building the homes we need here in Scotland – but if we are to tackle child poverty, get kids out of temporary accommodation and make housing more affordable for everyone, we need to make sure we have real investment, reliable funding and actual ambition.”
Tory housing spokesman James Adams described the figures as a “damning indictment” of the Government’s record on housing.
“Families across Scotland are desperate for affordable homes, but the SNP are presiding over a total collapse in housebuilding,” he said.
“Years of SNP mismanagement, tax hike, anti-development policies and red tape have created a housing emergency which is continuing to escalate.
“Shirley-Anne Somerville has inherited this mess, but she cannot simply defend the same approach from her predecessors that has helped drive housebuilding in completely the wrong direction.
“She needs to cut the red tape, tear down the barriers to development and make building homes a priority, because families cannot afford another year of the SNP being asleep at the wheel.”