The latest Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) report has been published by the Chief Statistician, with figures on fuel poverty, energy efficiency and the condition of housing other key descriptors of the occupied housing stock in Scotland.

The publication provides the first release of information from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) for the year January to December 2018.

In 2018 the level of fuel poverty remained similar to 2017: 25.0% or 619,000 households were fuel poor, with 11.3% or 279,000 households living in extreme fuel poverty. This compares to the 23.7% or 583,000 fuel poor households in 2017, with 11.9% or 293,000 households living in extreme fuel poverty.

There has been little change in the fuel poverty rate over the past 3 years, but there has been a reduction from the peak of 31.7%, or 761,000 households, in 2013.

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Levels of extreme fuel poverty have been decreasing since the peak in 2013 of 16.0%, or 384,000 households.

In 2018, 43% of Scottish homes were in the highest energy efficiency bands, C or better, and half had an energy efficiency rating of 67 or higher (using Standard Assessment Procedure 2012, Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure version 9.93).

Using Standard Assessment Procedure 2009 allows the longer-term trend to be explored and shows strong improvement in the energy efficiency profile of housing. The share of the most energy efficient dwellings, those rated C or better, increased from 24% in 2010 to 49% in 2018. In the same period, the proportion of properties in the lowest EPC bands (E, F or G) more than halved, reducing from 27% to 12%.

The level of disrepair increased 7 percentage points on 2017, with 75% of all dwellings having some degree of disrepair, however minor. The increase is likely driven by the increase in disrepair to critical elements, which increased 7 percentage points from 50% in 2017, to 57% in 2018.

The Scottish Housing Quality Standard failure rate in the social sector was 36%, not allowing for abeyances and exemptions which are taken into account by the Scottish Housing Regulator. This has fallen from 60% in 2010.

Overcrowding levels in Scotland remain unchanged: 2%, or 53,000 households, were living in overcrowded accommodation in 2018.

(MH/JG)