Social Housing List statistics collected through an Ipsos Mori omnibus survey have been released today by Scotland's Chief Statistician.

In August the Scottish Government placed some questions on social housing lists in an Ipsos Mori omnibus survey. The aim of this data is to get a better understanding of how many people are on a social housing list as administrative sources on housing lists have an unquantified amount of double counting as households can register for multiple lists.

As this data are collected using a survey there is an associated level of uncertainty with the estimates. More information in the levels of uncertainty can be found in the detailed tables

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The main points to emerge from new data are:

* It is estimated that 6 per cent of households contain someone who is currently on a social housing list. This equates to around 144,000 households

* Of those on a housing list 59 per cent are only on one list with 21 per cent on three or more lists

* Of those on a housing list 16 per cent are on the list as they want a larger house, 15 per cent because they are setting up a new household or are leaving the parental household, and only 6 per cent because they can't afford to stay where they currently are

* 40 per cent of those on a housing list, equating to approximately 58,000 households, say they have no other alternative for getting a house. Those who have considered other options have considered staying in their current property (10 per cent), renting from a private landlord (19 per cent), buying a property (10 per cent) or applying for shared ownership or a shared equity scheme (9 per cent)

(GK)