Increasing the roads budget by £50 million – while the housing budget falls by £204 million is "unjustifiable and a road to nowhere", according to housing charity Shelter Scotland.

The charity is issuing a rallying call to politicians from all parties to "put the money where their mouths are" and make this a 'Budget for Homes' – it comes ahead of the week that the 2010/11 Scottish Budget enters its formal parliamentary stages and on the day the Budget Bill is introduced to Parliament.

Politicians report that housing is the biggest issue they're contacted about, while a survey carried out by the charity last year showed 8 out of 10 people think the Scottish Government must make building more affordable housing to rent a top priority in the Budget.

Despite this - and ever growing waiting lists – housing remains the biggest loser in this upcoming year's budget round.

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Shelter Scotland is calling for an extra £200 million in the 2010/11 budget – just 0.6 per cent of the total Scottish budget. The charity believes the money would help meet the 10,000 affordable rented homes a year needed to meet demand.

The charity is urging MSPs from all parties to push for an increase in the budget for affordable rented homes – or face the consequences of continually growing waiting lists and more homeless households stuck in temporary accommodation.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, said: "Scotland faces a housing crisis with hundreds of thousands in need of a home. Spending an extra £50 million on roads from this year to next – compared to a drop of £204 million – in the housing budget is completely unjustifiable and a road to nowhere.

"Workers are crying out for jobs, the house building industry has lost thousands of jobs, land is historically cheap and we have hundreds of thousands of people in need of a home. Ask yourself what more or better reasons are needed to increase funding for affordable rented homes?"

He added: "A quick win for John Swinney would be to reallocate the £50 million from the roads budget but to truly solve Scotland’s housing crisis, we need nearer £200 million.

"MSPs across all parties regularly say a lack of housing is the number one issue in their constituency postbag. It’s time for them to put the money where their mouths are and push for a substantial increase in the housing budget. 2010 must be a Budget for Homes."

(GK/BMcC)