The head of Shelter Scotland has described the slump in socially-rented housing as a "devastating blow" to those waiting for a home.

Young couples are being particularly disadvantaged after the Scottish Government's housing statistics were revealed and Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: "Today’s news that the number of new socially-rented homes started by Scottish Housing Associations and Local Authorities has slumped by 36 per cent over the last twelve months is a devastating blow to the housing aspirations of the 156,000 households waiting for a home in Scotland.

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"Over the last twelve months only 3,696 new socially-rented homes were started compared to 5,775 over the previous year. Whilst a larger proportion are now council homes rather than housing association homes, it will make little difference to those in desperate need of a home.

"The slump in new starts is compounded by the continued loss of homes through the ‘Right-to-Buy’ - 1,396 last year alone."

Graeme Brown added: "The Scottish Government is committed to delivering 4,000 new socially-rented homes each year. It is good news that, using the Scottish Government’s preferred method of measurement – homes completed rather than started - they have been successful in that aim this year.

"However, with homes taking an average of two years from start to completion, the massive slump in new starts clearly shows that they are set to fall short in this aim in the second half of this Parliament onwards."

(GK)