Glasgow’s Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2023 to 2028 Supporting Information Paper

Glasgow’s Local Housing

Strategy (LHS) 2023 to 2028

Supporting Information Paper

Contents

1. Key Terminology ......................................................................................................................................3

1.1. What we mean by an ‘affordable home’...................................................................................... 3

1.2. What we mean by ‘housing affordability’..................................................................................... 4

2. Review of Glasgow’s Housing Strategy 2017 to 2022 .......................................................................5

2.1. Key Outputs ..................................................................................................................................... 5

2.2. Housing Issues in 2023.................................................................................................................. 6

3. Glasgow’s LHS Partners.........................................................................................................................7

4. Cross Cutting Critical Success Factors................................................................................................8

5. Glasgow’s Housing Profile....................................................................................................................11

5.1. People and Households............................................................................................................... 11

5.2. Housing Tenure............................................................................................................................. 11

5.3. ‘Cost of living’ ................................................................................................................................ 11

5.4. Glasgow’s Rented Sector ............................................................................................................ 13

5.5. Housing Need and Demand Pressures..................................................................................... 14

5.6. Homelessness............................................................................................................................... 15

5.7. Asylum Seekers and Refugees .................................................................................................. 16

5.8. Student accommodation .............................................................................................................. 17

5.9. Care experienced young people................................................................................................. 17

5.10. Glasgow’s Housing Market.......................................................................................................... 18

5.11. Housing Conditions ...................................................................................................................... 18

6. LHS Priority 1: Delivering more homes and great places that reduce poverty and inequality

and increase opportunity and prosperity for all .........................................................................................19

6.6. Property Repurposing Strategy .................................................................................................. 21

6.7. Tackling Long-Term Empty Homes ........................................................................................... 22

6.8. Empty Homes Strategy Review and 10 Point Action Plan ..................................................... 22

6.9. Glasgow’s Transformational Regeneration Areas ................................................................... 23

6.10. Clyde Gateway.............................................................................................................................. 23

6.11. Wider Place-Based Planning for Infrastructure and Services................................................ 24

7. LHS Priority 2: Improving the energy efficiency of Glasgow’s homes, reducing fuel poverty and

supporting a Just Transition to Net Zero through decarbonising domestic heating and energy .......25

7.1. Improving the Energy Efficiency of Glasgow’s Homes ........................................................... 25

7.1.2. Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) ...................................................... 26

7.2. Decarbonising Glasgow’s homes and a Just Transition to Net Zero.................................... 28

7.2.2. The Glasgow Standard ................................................................................................................ 29

7.3. Fuel Poverty, Safety and Security.............................................................................................. 29

7.4. Keeping safe when keeping warm ............................................................................................. 31

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7.5. Affordable Warmth Area Based Schemes ................................................................................ 32

8. LHS Priority 3: Improving the condition of Glasgow’s homes and preserving Glasgow’s

tenements and built heritage........................................................................................................................33

8.1. Why focus on ‘Pre-1919’ buildings?........................................................................................... 33

8.2. Pre-1919 tenements..................................................................................................................... 34

8.3. Glasgow’s Housing Partnership Initiative Areas (HPIAs) ....................................................... 34

8.4. Factoring in Glasgow.................................................................................................................... 35

8.5. Raising standards of maintenance and repair across all homes........................................... 35

8.6. Preserving Glasgow’s Built Heritage ......................................................................................... 35

9. LHS Priority 4: Supporting people to live independently and well at home in the community...37

9.1. Providing new specialist housing ............................................................................................... 37

9.2. Social Care Housing Investment Priorities................................................................................ 38

9.2.1. Learning Disability ........................................................................................................................ 38

9.3. Adapting Existing Homes to Meet Particular Housing Needs................................................ 40

9.4. Supporting People through Care and Repair ........................................................................... 40

9.5. Gypsy Travellers ........................................................................................................................... 40

9.6. Travelling Showpeople................................................................................................................. 40

10. LHS Priority 5: Improving housing options, affordability and sustainability for tenants and

owners, to prevent and reduce homelessness..........................................................................................42

10.1. Glasgow’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 2019-2024 ........................................ 42

10.2. Preventing Homelessness........................................................................................................... 42

10.3. Prison Leavers .............................................................................................................................. 43

10.4. Supporting People Seeking Asylum and Refugees................................................................. 43

10.5. Tackling Domestic Abuse and Preventing Homelessness..................................................... 44

10.6. Changing Temporary Accommodation...................................................................................... 44

10.7. Moving to settled homes as quickly as possible ...................................................................... 44

10.8. Housing First for homeless people with complex needs ........................................................ 45

10.9. Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness................................................................................... 45

10.10. Supporting Tenants ...................................................................................................................... 45

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1. Key Terminology

In this Local Housing Strategy (LHS), there are terms which are used often to describe and denote

important features, qualities and types of housing. Most are explained within the particular

sections, for example ‘sustainability’ relates to both energy and thermal efficiency (how much

energy is needed to heat and power homes) as well as reduced carbon emissions.

There are two key terms that are outlined throughout the strategy and these are ‘affordable homes’

and ‘housing affordability’. There is significant debate over what is meant by these and there is no

single, agreed definition or measure of ‘affordable’. Here is an explanation of the meaning for

these terms as they are used in this strategy.

1.1. What we mean by an ‘affordable home’

When this strategy talks about ‘affordable homes’ the term is used to mean any current or future

home built or converted using public funding and offered for rent or for sale at a below market

level. There are three broad types of homes that are included in this definition:

Social rent housing

There are approximately 110,000 homes provided by Registered Social Landlords in Glasgow. The

vast majority, over 98%, are social rented homes, let to tenants with Scottish Secure Tenancies.

Other affordable rent

In Glasgow, there are over 1,900 affordable homes, just under 2% of all Registered Social

Landlord homes, which are not social rent. Most of these (over 1,500) are ‘mid-market rent’

homes. This type of affordable home is aimed to help people on modest incomes, who have

difficulty accessing social rented housing, buying their own home, or renting privately.

Mid-market rent is supported through the national mainstream grant-funded Affordable Housing

Supply Programme, as well as through innovative guarantee and loan models, including the

National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative and the Local Affordable Rented (LAR) Housing Trust.

As well as Mid-Market Rent homes provided by Registered Social Landlords, Glasgow also has

three developments with a total of 128 homes that are provided by the Local Affordable Rented

(LAR) Housing Trust.

Affordable home ownership

In Glasgow, over 3,600 households benefited from form support to buy their home.

Through Glasgow’s investment programme, just under 400 new homes for sale were provided

through shared equity and shared ownership arrangements with Registered Social Landlords to

assist people to become home-owners.

The national Low-Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) Open Market Shared Equity

(OMSE) scheme helps first time buyers, and other priority groups, get onto the property ladder by

providing an interest free loan towards the cost of a home. The Scottish Government provides

funding of between 10% and 40% of the sale price and gets the same percentage back when the

property is sold. Over eight years (2013 to 2021), 538 people and households were supported to

buy a home in Glasgow through the LIFT OMSE scheme.

In Glasgow, over six years (2016 and 2022), just over 1,500 homes were bought with £37.5million

assistance from the national Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme. This scheme was discontinued in

2021/22.

The First Home Fund was a Scottish Government shared equity pilot scheme which provided first-

time buyers with up to £25,000 to help them buy a property that meet their needs and was located

in the area where they wanted to live. It operated from December 2019 to March 2022. Over this

period, 1,200 people and households were supported to buy their first home in Glasgow with

support of £25.7million from the First Home Fund.

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1.2. What we mean by ‘housing affordability’

In this strategy, ‘housing affordability’ is used in two connected ways. The first is as a principle,

which guides our approach to addressing housing needs and demand and refers to a desired

outcome – that a person or household is able to pay their rent or mortgage and have sufficient

income remaining to feel that they are managing financially.

The second way is quantitative and considers the thresholds (at points) that households might find

it difficult to pay their rent or mortgage, pay for the upkeep of their home, and also feel that they are

not managing financially.

There are benchmarks and milestones that indicate when people and households may or are

experiencing housing affordability pressures. These include:

• Percentage of income spent on housing (above 33%).

• Income levels after housing costs (if below a certain amount depending on the type of

household).

• Low income levels – people and households in receipt of a minimum benefit entitlement;

• Debt levels.

• Housing maintenance costs.

• Homelessness.

At the start of this strategy (2023), it is clear that more people and households in Glasgow face

housing affordability pressures and these pressures are more acute due to wider economic

changes. How we support these people and households through housing investment and support

is a key challenge for the city.

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2. Review of Glasgow’s Housing Strategy 2017 to 2022

It is important to look back on Glasgow’s previous LHS 2017 to 22 and consider the progress and

lessons learned for preparing this strategy. The LHS 2017 to 2022 set out two main themes:

• Increasing supply and improving quality of housing available to Glasgow’s people; and

• Improving access to appropriate housing for Glasgow’s people.

Glasgow City Council and partners made significant progress delivering award-winning new low

and zero carbon homes, stimulating housing development and inward investment in the city,

adapting existing homes to meet the needs of our diverse households, retrofitting hard-to-treat

homes, preventing homelessness, and safeguarding our older tenements. The following key

outputs are a summary of some of the main achievements.

2.1. Key Outputs

The following key outputs are a summary of some of the main achievements:

Delivering New homes

✓ Over 10,000 new homes were delivered.

✓ 5,500 new homes were built for market sale and rent.

✓ Over 4,500 new affordable homes were provided. 76% were for social rent. Over 630 were for

mid-market rent and 445 were provided as low-cost home ownership.

✓ £509million grant funding approved to deliver 178 new affordable housing projects to provide

over 5,400 new homes.

✓ 780 homes (14.3%) were developed to meet particular housing needs and support people to

live independently in the community. This includes the development of over 460 new

wheelchair adaptable homes.

Adapting existing homes

✓ 13,495 adaptions were completed with over £31million investment.

✓ 11,218 adaptations to social rented homes.

✓ 2,277 adaptations to private owned homes.

Retrofitting existing homes to improve energy efficiency and sustainability

✓ 41 projects delivered through Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Schemes.

✓ Over 1,400 homes improved energy efficiency.

✓ Over £12.2million grants invested.

Preventing, reducing and alleviating homelessness

✓ Around 13,870 homeless households provided with settled homes.

✓ More than 80% of all households supported to avoid homelessness via the PRS Housing and

Welfare Hub.

Safeguarding tenements and improving the quality of homes

✓ South-West Govanhill Strategy invested £36.2million grant, 196 flats acquired and converted to

affordable homes.

✓ Housing Initiative Areas are established in Calton and Priesthill to tackle property condition and

management issues in 370 homes.

✓ Repairs joint initiatives underway in Haghill with Milnbank Housing Association, Ibrox/Cessnock

with Govan Housing Association; and East Pollokshields with Southside Housing Association.

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2.2. Housing Issues in 2023

Glasgow’s affordable housing needs

There remains a considerable need for increasing affordable housing supply option in Glasgow.

Evidence indicates that needs and demand for affordable housing increased at a faster rate than

new affordable housing supply was added. Overall housing needs increased as Glasgow’s

population grew. In 2023, significant pressures remained, particularly for larger family housing.

Affordable housing supply provided by Registered Social Landlords increased significantly,

however the ambitious housing supply targets were not met, (which was in part due to the impact

of COVID-19 disruptions and other external economic factors).

Net change to social housing supply over the period 2016 to 2021 (latest at time of publication) is

estimated based on Scottish Government statistics (see: www.gov.scot/collections/housing-

statistics/). For Registered Social Landlord housing supply these show a net increase of 3,608

affordable homes.

Affordable warmth and power

In 2023, more people are struggling to afford heating and power to their homes. Progress was

made improving the energy efficiency of homes but not enough to eliminate this as a factor driving

fuel poverty and not enough to off-set other drivers, in particular fuel cost increases. In August

2016, 34% of Glasgow’s households were estimated to be living in fuel poverty. For Glasgow, the

most recent official measure of fuel poverty (in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2019)

estimated 25%, around 73,000 households, were in fuel poverty, which suggests progress was

made. However, this figure predates the impacts of COVID-19 and the significant fuel prices and

inflation pressures in 2022. Investment to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes has

helped to reduce but not eliminate this as a driving factor for fuel poverty in Glasgow. There

remains a significant way to go and action is also needed to address the other drivers of fuel

poverty.

Preventing, reducing and alleviating homelessness

Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership agreed its first Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan

2019-2024, with the aim to support homeless people into ordinary, settled housing as quickly as

possible. It also established the Glasgow Alliance, a new partnership to end homelessness in the

city by 2030. Housing associations support the partnership to achieve these aims and by 2021/22

new tenancies to homeless households had increased by over 50%. However, with inflation and

cost of living increases in 2022, more people living in Glasgow may find themselves in a vulnerable

situation so the challenges of preventing, reducing and alleviating homelessness will remain high.

Housing conditions

The partnership approach and investment of Glasgow City Council, local Housing Associations, in

the private sector and social housing, has halted the decline and, in many cases, prevented the

demolition of pre-1919 tenements. However, the current and future needs of our older tenement

stock will require increased investment and more area initiatives. As some of the main component

parts of the properties are reaching or nearing the end of their recommended life cycle, demand

from owners for financial support will increase

A Just Transition to Net Zero

In recent years, a number of successful and award-winning retrofit projects were completed,

improving homes to meet Enerphit passivhaus standards. We established the Glasgow Standard

for new affordable homes and completed one of the first affordable housing developments in

Scotland to achieve Passivhaus status, Cunningham House (Shettleston Housing Association).

86% of Glasgow’s homes have gas central heating. The challenge of decarbonising our existing

homes remains significant.

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3. Glasgow’s LHS Partners

Glasgow’s LHS is developed and delivered with key partners and stakeholders, including

community planning partners, tenants and residents. This section summaries the main roles and

responsibilities of key internal and external partners:

Partners

Main role and responsibilities

Glasgow City

• The local strategic housing authority and the local planning authority

Council

•

responsible for preparing the LHS and Local Development Plan.

The council does not own or manage any social housing stock following

a large scale voluntary transfer to Glasgow Housing Association (now

known as Wheatley Homes Glasgow). Under Transfer Management of

Development Funding (TMDF) arrangements, the council is responsible

for directly managing Glasgow’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme

(AHSP) budget.

Coordinating public capital funding streams, including the Scheme of

Assistance, Private Sector Housing Grant and Affordable Warmth Area

Based Schemes.

Health and

Social Care

Partnership

• Jointly planning and delivering all of Glasgow’s community health and

social care services – for children, adults and older people, including

homelessness and criminal justice services.

Registered

• 61 RSLs own and manage over 110,000 affordable homes across

Social

Glasgow, including specialist homes let to specific client groups such as

Landlords (RSL)

older people, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Sector

•

Applying specialist knowledge and local insights to address housing

needs and requirements.

Investing significant capital and revenue in planned and reactive

maintenance programmes for their existing housing stock.

Developing, maintaining and updating long-term (30 years) business

plans to undertake investment in new housing supply, as well and

mitigate risks and ensure financial resilience of their organisations in

response to the changing financial and policy environment.

Scottish

• Providing national direction on Housing Objectives as well as for related

Government

•

priorities including health and wellbeing, Climate Change and

sustainability.

Providing public capital grant funding including for the Affordable

Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and Affordable Warmth

Programme.

Private Housing

• Developing new market homes for sale and rent.

Developers

•

Identifying new market development opportunities.

Undertaking viability assessments and liaising closely with the Council to

prepare planning proposals that fit with the City Development Plan and

progressing to new housing development.

Construction

Sector

• Providing labour and skills to meet the needs of new development,

including private and affordable homes, as well as retrofit improvement

works to maintain or upgrade existing homes.

Property Factors

• Organising maintenance and repairs to Glasgow’s housing stock, where

over 70% is in flatted developments with areas of common repairing

responsibility.

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4. Cross Cutting Critical Success Factors

The strategy sets out 10 strategic, cross cutting and challenging critical success factors which are

vital to successfully reaching our vision and delivering on our priorities.

I. Continuing to support Registered Social Landlords to deliver affordable, suitable and

sustainable homes to meet needs (LHS Priorities 1-5)

Glasgow has around 110,000 social rented homes provided by 61 Registered Social Landlords

(RSL), the most social rented homes and RSLs in Scotland. This includes:

- Scotland’s largest housing provider, Wheatley Homes Glasgow, own and manage around

44,000 homes in Glasgow and are a major employer for the city.

- 45 community-based housing associations (CBHA) that are anchored within

neighbourhoods and communities providing

- 15 regional, national and specialist housing associations that bring experience, expertise

and capacity to the city, helping to meet our diverse and growing housing needs.

This diverse and dynamic sector is a key asset for Glasgow. Glasgow’s Place Commission

highlights the importance of community-based housing associations as one of Glasgow’s pre-

eminent success stories for creating better places. The Council values the contribution these

organisations have made through their knowledge, insights and links with tenants, residents and

communities, to improving the lives of Glasgow’s people since the late 1960s. The Council is keen

to continue working closely in partnership with CBHAs, and to explore potential new ways of

collaborating, to help achieve our housing and regeneration objectives, including new build and

acquisitions as well as continuing and expanding work to tackle poor private and mixed tenure

housing across the city.

Need and demand for social rented homes in Glasgow is high. In Glasgow, there is no single

source of data to consider demand for social housing. Improving data and intelligence on housing

need and demand is a key part of Glasgow’s Digital Housing Strategy. In 2022, Glasgow City

Council engaged with RSL partners to collate and analyse housing register data to determine the

nature and extent of need and demand for social housing in Glasgow. This covered 83,000 social

rented homes, 77% of all social housing supply in Glasgow. This housing pressure analysis

indicated there were over 64,000 applications held on RSL housing registers across the city and an

equivalent of 10 applicants waiting on housing registers for every home let during the previous 12

months.

Like the Council and other businesses, RSLs are facing significant budget pressures and

challenges. A vital consideration is how Glasgow City Council engages with and supports this

diverse social housing sector to maximum benefit for Glasgow and our citizens.

II. Delivering Glasgow’s affordable housing supply programme (LHS Priority 1)

Glasgow has a significant capital investment programme through the Affordable Housing Supply

Programme. However, development costs are increasing significantly, which is being driven by

inflation. There are shortages within global supply chains of key components and raw materials.

Uncertainties affect contracts and delivery as price guarantees are offered for shorter periods. It

will be extremely challenging for Glasgow and its partners to continue to deliver a high volume of

completed homes each year and meet our Housing Supply Targets for new affordable homes. We

need to look at design and procurement, innovative delivery methods, partnership working, and

planning policies, including consideration of an affordable housing policy.

III. Supporting strategic place planning (LHS Priority 1)

Glasgow’s eight Transformational Regeneration Areas will continue to be a major focus. This

includes securing activation agreements and moving to post-development legacy planning.

Glasgow’s city centre recovery is also a major focus. A Scottish Cities Alliance research project

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examined the ‘increased residential capacity and occupancy’ in cities and the findings will inform

our approach to supporting city centre living and increasing Glasgow’s city centre residential

population, with a key focus on housing’s contribution to developing Glasgow’s Property

Repurposing Strategy and approach. A key emerging priority is the Glasgow Metro and how

strategic housing planning and investment align with proposed routes and any future phased

infrastructure development.

IV. Residential Repurposing and Empty Homes (LHS Priorities 1-3)

Making the best use of existing buildings, assets and infrastructure, is a core strategic issue

embedded across Glasgow City Council’s main strategies and plans, including the LHS. Glasgow

City Centre is undergoing a further transformation as we move to become a carbon neutral city and

a more a people-centred, socially inclusive and climate resilient place. There are large-scale

residential development projects underway and re-development proposals being explored.

Glasgow has dedicated team and strategic approach for targeting long-term empty homes to bring

back into effective use. The strategy will seek to extend this work, including within Housing

Partnership Initiative Areas (HPIAs)

V. Affordable warmth and fuel poverty (LHS Priority 2)

Supporting our citizens during the cost-of-living crisis and reducing the number of households

affected by fuel poverty are urgent priorities. Home safety and security and health and wellbeing

are key concerns related to high energy costs. There are longer-term challenges to increase

investment to improve the condition and energy efficiency of Glasgow’s homes. Area Based

Schemes are challenging to deliver. Criteria restrictions can limit the scope for projects in

tenements with multiple ownership. Glasgow City Council has made a commitment to provide

100% grant funding, however, getting home-owners to participate is challenging.

VI. Retrofit and Pre-1919 tenements (LHS Priority 2-3)

About a quarter of Glasgow’s homes are pre-1919 tenement flats. Many need substantial

investment for required repairs, maintenance and improvement works. It is estimated over

£1billion is needed to undertake works. The Glasgow City Region is looking to develop a 10-year

regional housing energy efficiency retrofit programme. This could support over 75,000 jobs and

generate £4.4 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) across the City Region. In addition to the

employment and economic benefits, widespread insulation across the City Region could remove

10.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

VII. Delivering specialist housing and larger sized homes (LHS Priority 4)

Across Glasgow, the highest housing need pressure is for 4+ bedroom homes. This is due to the

increasing number of larger households needing and seeking family housing, existing supply levels

and low turnover of tenancies. Developing larger affordable homes is challenging and grant

benchmarks are less favourable financially. Strategic acquisitions through open market purchase

are possible, however, this depends on availability. Increasing the supply of larger affordable

homes contributes towards reducing poverty and inequality, including child poverty.

VIII. Preventing and reducing homelessness (LHS Priority 5)

Glasgow’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 2019-2024 sets out to support homeless

people into ordinary, settled housing as quickly as possible. The plan also outlines the Glasgow

Alliance, which is a new partnership and approach to end homelessness in the city by 2030. RSLs

support the partnership to achieve these aims. Since the introduction of the RRTP, the number

and proportion of lets to homeless households by RSLs have increased significantly. Looking

ahead, due to the current cost of living crisis and socio-economic outlook, more people living in

Glasgow may find themselves at risk of homelessness. Therefore preventing, reducing and

alleviating homelessness will remain a significant challenge.

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IX. Reducing poverty and inequality, and increasing opportunity and prosperity

During 2022, rising inflation and energy prices impacted on the city’s people, communities,

businesses and organisations. They, like the council, continue to experience severe budget and

financial pressures. Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to 2028 seeks to support individuals, households and

communities most vulnerable to the effects of the ‘cost of living crisis’. This includes, working with

partners to mitigate the worst of the immediate financial impacts, particularly in relation to the rising

costs of food and energy; preventing vulnerable individuals and households from falling into

homelessness; and supporting people, families and households to permanently improve their

financial circumstances. It also includes looking at how we can get maximum value from our

housing investment, generating wider community benefits through training and employment

opportunities.

X. Promoting good health and wellbeing in our communities

Glasgow continues to have the lowest median age (36) of any council in Scotland, but we know

there will be increasing demand on services from older people. We also have long-standing

challenges associated with poor health, addictions and mental health issues, across the whole

population but which are more concentrated in rented tenures. A key cross-cutting issue for this

strategy is how we can tackle these long-term structural challenges to promote better health and

wellbeing through targeted investment in new supply and existing homes to improve the quality

and condition of Glasgow’s homes.

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5. Glasgow’s Housing Profile

Glasgow is the heartbeat of the Scottish economy at the centre of a metropolitan city region. We

are a talented, vibrant and dynamic city. This section sets out key features of Glasgow’s people,

households and housing.

5.1. People and Households

• In 2023, it is estimated Glasgow has 637,000 people and over 302,000 households.

• Over five years (2023-28), it is projected Glasgow will grow to include 7,373 more people and

6,311 more households (National Records of Scotland, 2018-Based Projections).

Glasgow’s population is a younger and more diverse than other areas, with arrivals of new people

each year. Glasgow is also the Scottish city with the highest concentration of people living in

deprived circumstances, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2020.

There is a significant correlation of housing tenure and the 20% most deprived areas identified in

the SIMD 2020, with around 80% of all social rented housing (around 88,000 households) in the

20% most deprived areas.

Deprivation and poverty are disproportionately experienced by various groups, including children,

lone parents, minority ethnic groups, and disabled people (Glasgow Centre for Population Health,

‘Health in a Changing City’, 2021). Overall, life expectancy in Glasgow has increased but remains

lowest across Scotland’s local authority areas. Glasgow has a significant proportion of larger

households and families that require access to affordable housing.

5.2. Housing Tenure

• In 2023, it is estimated Glasgow has 313,000 homes (about 12% of Scotland)

• Most homes (55%) are rented.

70%

61%

Owner Occupied Private Rented Social Rented

Scotland Glasgow

15%

24%

45%

20%

35%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Since the mid-2000s, Glasgow has been growing. This is mostly due to more people arriving or

returning to settle in Glasgow. People come for study and for work and then are attracted to stay.

Glasgow also has a proud tradition of supporting people seeking asylum and refuge from conflicts

and danger overseas. Most commonly, people look for available housing options in the rented

sectors. From this time, the number of privately rented homes increased significantly to around

60,000. Since 2016, this figure has remained at about the same level but the demand for rented

homes continues to increase. This is recognised as a key pressure for housing.

5.3. ‘Cost of living’

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act came into force on 28

th

October 2022. It

developed as a response to the emergency situation caused by the impact of the ‘cost of living

11

crisis’ on people who rent their home in Scotland. The legislation included measures to protect

existing tenants by stabilising their housing costs with a temporary cap on rent increases. It also

included measures to prevent tenants being evicted from the rented sector by implementing a

temporary moratorium on evictions (a pause on enforcement of an eviction order or decree, similar

to what was in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic) except in a limited number of

circumstances. The measures were put in place until 31 March 2023 and the act includes a duty

for the Scottish Ministers to review the measures regularly to check that there is still a need for

them. It also includes a power to extend these measures for two further six-month periods if it is

necessary and proportionate to do so.

Regulation Amendments

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act (Early Expiry and Suspension of Provisions)

Regulations 2023 were laid in Parliament on 19 January 2023 to expire the rent cap provisions

relating to the social sector (on 26 February 2023) and suspend the rent cap provisions relating to

the student residential sector (on 30 March 2023). In the regulations, the Scottish Government set

out the reasons for these amendments. The social sector rent cap expiry followed the development

of an agreed approach on rent setting for 2023-24, taken forward on a voluntary basis, with social

housing landlords. Under the agreement on social rents for 2023-24, COSLA has committed to

keeping local authority rent increases to an average of no more than £5 a week. The rent cap for

social housing was expired and Registered Social Landlords (RSL) agreed to ensure rents remain

affordable and below inflation for 2023/24. Members of the Scottish Federation of Housing

Associations and Glasgow West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations reported planned

increases averaging 6.1%.

The suspension of the rent cap in relation to student residential tenancies was due to the evidence

of minimal impact that the rent cap is having in this sector. Tenancies are regulated by the terms of

the contract between the accommodation provider and the student, and by common law. These

contracts typically cover the whole academic year and there is only a very slight possibility of a

contract that permits in-tenancy rent increases arising. As such, the rent cap measures are having

minimal impact on the student residential sector.

Extending Tenant Protections into 2023/24

Scottish Government published a report covering the period from 28 October to 31 December

2022, which reviewed the provisions of Part 1 of the Act and to consider whether those provisions

remain necessary and proportionate in connection with the cost of living. The report determined

that the extension of provisions is required.

The review found that 63% of social rented households and 40% of private rented households in

Scotland were estimated to be financially vulnerable (defined as households with savings which

would cover less than one month of income at the poverty line). This compares to 24% of

households buying with a mortgage and 9% of households owning outright.

Additional factors were noted in the review including the Scottish Fiscal Commission Forecast (Dec

2022) projections that high inflation over 2022/23 and 2023/24 may result in the largest fall in the

real value of disposable income per person since records began in 1998 and will take time to

recover, only reaching its 2021-22 level in 2027-28.

In addition, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) 2023/24 rates were to remain frozen at 2020 levels.

For sitting tenants whose rents are close to or above the relevant LHA rate, this would mean that

an increase in their rent would result in little or no increase in their benefit payment.

The review concluded that the economic data demonstrates that the cost crisis continues to have a

significant and detrimental impact on household finances, with fuel poverty increasing, continued

high levels of inflation, and other costs. Rented households are more likely to have lower

household incomes, higher levels of poverty, and to be financially vulnerable. Therefore, the

Scottish Government considers that it is necessary and proportionate for the measures, which cap

rents in the private rented sector, to be extended in order to ensure that tenants continue to be

12

protected against the impact of the wider economic conditions through the stabilisation of their

housing costs at a time when the ‘cost of living crisis’ continues to place exceptional financial

pressure on households.

Changes to the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act will mean that from 1 April 2023, if a landlord

chooses to increase a private rent it is capped at 3%. The amended safeguard allows a landlord to

apply to increase the rent to recover up to the lower of either 50% of the increase in the prescribed

property costs, or 6% of the existing rent. Prescribed property costs have been defined as follows:

• The interest payable in respect of any mortgage or standard security over the rental

property.

• Any insurance premium payable by a landlord relating to insurance connected to offering

the property for rent, for example ‘landlords insurance’ (excluding building and property

insurance).

• Any ‘service charge(s)’ related to the rental property that are recoverable from the tenant as

part of the tenancy agreement between tenant and landlord.

Only one rent increase is possible in any 12-month period so that if the landlord increases rent

using the increased cap of 3%, they cannot also apply to increase rent using the safeguard. The

rent cap only relates to residential tenancies in place and does not apply to new tenancies.

Enforcement of evictions will continue to be prevented for all tenants except in a number of

specified circumstances. Such circumstances include:

• Where a tenant is to be evicted for antisocial and criminal behaviour and the negative

impact on the community delaying enforcement of an order would have.

• Where landlords themselves are in financial hardship and need to sell or live in the let

property.

• In cases where there are substantial rent arrears given the negative impact of accruing

further significant debt on both tenant and the landlord.

These temporary measures are extended to 30 September 2023, provided they remain necessary,

with the option to extend for another six-month period if required. Further legislation relating to rent

controls is expected to be published by the Scottish Government during 2023. The existing Rent

Pressure Zone system has been challenging to implement and there are limitations, particularly in

relation to gathering the required evidence, for example, discrepancies in rent levels across a

geographical area. There are no Rent Pressure Zones in Scotland.

5.4. Glasgow’s Rented Sector

In Glasgow, 55% of homes are rented (either social or private rented) compared to around 39% for

Scotland as a whole. As of February 2023, there were 59,505 properties legally entitled to be let

by private landlords in Glasgow, approximately 19% of all homes. There are around 108,500 social

rented homes provided in Glasgow by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), which is approximately

36% of all homes.

5.4.1. Social Rents

The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) reports on average rent costs per local authority area

broken down by property size and for all rents. In September 2022, the SHR published a report

'Rent increases by Scottish social landlords a Thematic Review’ . The report provided a table of

percentage rent increases for all RSLs in Scotland. Using this data to filter for RSLs with housing

stock in Glasgow showed an average annual rent increase of 3.43% for 2022/23. Table 1 shows

the estimated average annual Rent Change across RSLs with Housing Stock in Glasgow. The

average social rent during 2021/22 charged by RSLs that operated in Glasgow was £394 per

month.

Average Annual Rent Change Across RSLs with Housing Stock in Glasgow

Year

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Rent change

3.15%

3.07%

2.45%

1.24%

3.43%

13

In October 2022, NRS officers engaged with RSL partners to consider any trends in tenancy

management and allocations from April 2022. Various RSLs indicated that the turnover of

properties during 2022/23 is projected to be lower than previous years. This was reflected in the

forecast reduction of lets by RSLs to homeless households through the Section 5 process as

shown in Table 2. Factors influencing this trend include less tenants moving due to the cost-of-

living crisis as well as the successful impact of tenancy sustainment measures.

Lets by Registered Social Landlords to Homeless Households

Years

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Lets

2,322

2,412

3,288

3,311

2,700

(Projected)

Glasgow City Council receives the largest number of homeless presentations in Scotland,

disproportionate to the size of its population. In 2021/22, Glasgow received 6,995 homeless

presentations, approximately 20% of all in Scotland despite having 11% of Scotland’s total

population. At the beginning of April 2023, there were 5,311 live homeless applications.

5.4.2. Mid-Market Rent (MMR)

Mid-Market Rent (MMR) housing is provided by RSL partners in Glasgow and is suitable for

households that have low to moderate incomes, generally between £20,000 and £40,000. Levels

are set by RSL depending on rental levels and local market conditions. Rent levels are set

between social and private rented sectors and are at similar levels to the Local Housing Allowance

(which is currently £648 per month for a 2-bedroom property). At present, there are 1,535 MMR

homes in Glasgow, which are provided by 10 RSLs. Continuing to work with RSLs to develop new

homes for MMR is a key part of Glasgow’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme and

regeneration plans to create mixed tenure communities.

Going forward, NRS officers will work with RSLs to analyse MMR housing in Glasgow including the

supply of homes, the role the tenure provides in delivering tenure diversification in communities,

rent levels, and trends relating to turnover/letting. This action will be taken forward as part of

Glasgow’s draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS) 2023-28.

5.4.3. Market Rents

City Lets market information provides insight into the private rental market in the city between 2011

to 2022. This is a sample of the private rented sector market; however, it is understood that this

data gives an indication of the trends in the private rented sector market generally and the

reduction in listings is not a reflection of this data losing market share. The table below shows time

series trends for average rents and listings for all property sizes from 2011 to 2022.

Average Private Rents and Listings in Glasgow 2011 to 2022

Indicator

2011

2016

2021

2022

Average Rents

£587

£702

£855

£1,015

% change

0%

20%

46%

73%

Number of listings

9,570

6,237

5,253

4,551

% change

0%

-35%

-45%

-52%

This data indicates that average listed rents increased 73% from 2011 to 2022 and the average

number of listings decreased by around half (52%).

5.5. Housing Need and Demand Pressures

In Glasgow, there is no single source of data to consider demand for social housing. In 2022,

Glasgow City Council engaged with RSL partners to collate and analyse housing register data to

determine the nature and extent of need and demand for social housing in Glasgow. This analysis

covered 83,000 social rented homes, 77% of all social housing supply in Glasgow.

14

Analysis

All

1/2 apt

3apt

4apt

5+ apt

Applicants

64,583

30,502

18,967

10,321

4,793

% applicants

100%

47%

29%

16%

7%

Turnover (lets during the

previous 12 months)

6,789

2,847

3,137

725

80

% turn

8.1%

11.1%

7.7%

5.0%

2.9%

Demand to Supply

(applicant per 10 homes)

8

12

5

7

17

Demand to turnover

10

11

6

14

60

• There were 64,500 applicants on the housing registers of RSL providers in Glasgow

• Across Glasgow there were 8 applicants for every 10 RSL homes.

• 8.1% of homes were let to new tenants during the previous year.

• For every home let during the previous year there were on average 10 applicants on housing

registers

An applicant may apply to register with more than one RSL provider. These figures and analysis

are not an exact measure; however, they indicate the type and extent of need and demand

pressure for social rented homes in Glasgow. The analysis shows a high overall demand for social

rented homes and significant demand pressure for larger sized homes (4+bedrooms) with on

average 60 applicant on housing registers for every home let during the previous year.

5.6. Homelessness

As of 2023, Glasgow has significant supply pressures to meet its urgent housing needs, including

the duty to provide interim accommodation under section 29 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987

and complying with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. The COVID-19 public health emergency

and increased homelessness assessments contributed to extended use of hotel accommodation

as emergency temporary housing, with significant costs to Glasgow Health and Social Care

Partnership.

Glasgow City Council receives the largest number of homeless presentations in Scotland,

disproportionate to the size of its population. In 2021/22, a total of 35,230 homeless applications

were made to local authorities in Scotland with Glasgow receiving 6,995. This is 19.8% of all

homeless presentations in Scotland compared to having only 11.1% of Scotland’s total population.

Homeless presentations have been increasing. The table below shows figures for 2017 to 2022.

Number of Homelessness Applications in Glasgow per year

Year

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

Total homeless

presentations

5,254

5,684

6,086

6,425

6,995

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 public health emergency in 2020, GCHSCP saw a rapid

expansion in the use of emergency accommodation through the repurposing of hotel

accommodation, as well as significant support from our RSL partners. This increase in provision

allowed the local authority to continue to meet its statutory duties under section 29 of the Housing

(Scotland) Act 1987.

The initial lockdown and social distancing measures, introduced in March 2020, caused an

understandable virtual cessation of mainstream letting activity for four months and placed

significant pressures on Glasgow’s Homelessness Services. The concerted and coordinated efforts

of Glasgow’s Homelessness Service and its partner RSLs, ensured a 36% increase in lets

15

compared to 2019/20. 2021/22 saw the highest number of social rented lets (3,311) to homeless

households up slightly from 2020/21 (3,288 lets) but up significantly from 2019/20 (2,412 lets).

Number of lets to Homeless Households per year

Year

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

Lets

1,974

2,322

2,412

3,288

3,311

Private Rented Sector Leasing Scheme

Glasgow’s Private Rented Sector has significant demand pressure with a wide range of people and

households seeking accommodation. Through the PRS Leasing Scheme, 460 PRS homes are

provided as temporary accommodation to homeless households.

Offers of settled accommodation for homeless households are prioritised principally by the date of

the homelessness assessment decision in order to ensure fairness and transparency within the

system.

Local Connection

Prior to 29

th

November 2022, local authorities had the power to refer an unintentionally homeless

household, whom it had assessed as having ‘no local connection’, to another authority in the UK

with whom such a connection was believed to exist. After the legislative changes which have been

introduced, local authorities no longer have such powers to refer to other Scottish local authorities

(although the power still exists for English and Welsh authorities). Ultimately, this means that a

homeless household in Scotland can present to any of the 32 local authorities in the country.

Whilst this modification has only recently been introduced, it is anticipated that cities such Glasgow

and Edinburgh, as large metropolitan cities, alongside island authorities, will be disproportionately

affected by these changes as households will tend to gravitate towards such areas.

5.7. Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Glasgow has a long and proud history of extending humanitarian protections to people fleeing

violence and persecution. The 1999 Asylum and Immigration Act resulted in the creation of the first

nationwide system for the reception and resettlement of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom

and Glasgow is the UK’s largest dispersal zone.

From 2017 to 2022, there were an average of 809 referrals received each year by the Glasgow

Health and Social Care Partnership Asylum and Refugee Team. These referrals are received when

a household has made a successful claim for asylum and are required to leave their Home Office

accommodation, currently provided by Mears Group, and are eligible to apply for homelessness

assistance.

As of April 2023, there were around 5,000 asylum seekers in Home Office accommodation in

Glasgow. There is significant work underway to widen dispersal across the UK, including in

Scotland.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched on 14 March 2022. This national scheme is open to

Ukrainian nationals who were resident in Ukraine prior to 1

st

January 2022 (and also to their

immediate family members) to be sponsored to come to the UK. The number of people who can

access this scheme is uncapped and is dependent on the capacity of the sponsors (individual

hosts) who come forward.

The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme - which acts within the Homes for Ukraine

scheme - helps displaced people from Ukraine apply for visas by removing the need for applicants

to be matched to a host prior to being given permission to travel to the UK. Upon arrival in

Scotland, temporary accommodation is arranged via Welcome Hubs. These multi-agency centres

provide accommodation and meals in a safe, secure setting to address immediate wellbeing and

protection concerns.

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Ukrainian Long-Term Resettlement Fund (ULTRF) Capital Grants

Glasgow City Council Housing Services are working with RSLs to secure funding through the

Scottish Government’s Ukraine Longer Term Resettlement Fund. The total fund that is available for

Local Authorities and RSLs to bid for is £50million. As of April 2023, four RSL providers had

submitted bids for approximately £7million total funding to bring 210 long-term void properties back

into use for longer-term resettlement of Ukrainian Displaced People and Households.

Reasonable preference is set out within statutory guidance and simply means that certain groups

are given priority over other group that have a lesser (or no) housing need. We would suggest that

consideration should be given to temporarily revising the reasonable preference guidance in order

that there is a presumption that homelessness households will secure, by a significant margin, the

largest share of available social housing. Given the number of lets provided to homeless

households, as it stands, it will not be possible for Glasgow to meet the projected demand.

Subject to visa, displaced people from Ukraine will be able to live and work in the UK for up to

three years and access benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support including

homelessness assistance from the local authority.

5.8. Student accommodation

Scottish Government commissioned the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CACHE)

who published a report in December 2022, ‘Research Purpose-built student accommodation

(PBSA) and student housing in Scotland’. This found significant pressures arising from a shrinking

private HMO sector across Scotland which is putting upward pressure on private rents. It also

found that PBSA, for some stakeholders, has shifted from being a modern solution to

'studentification’ and poor quality PRS student accommodation, to becoming a key part of the

problem of perceived new forms of neighbourhood dominance.

Glasgow is the location for five of the 19 higher education institutes across Scotland. Figures on

student numbers published via the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) indicate that across

Glasgow’s five higher education institutions the number of enrolled students increased 41% from

2014/15 to 2021/22 (compared to 33% for Scotland).

There is an estimated increase of over 15,000 additional students domiciled in rented sector

accommodation. This is broadly equivalent to the increase in the number of enrolled overseas

(non-UK) students from 2014/15. The overall number of students has increased and oversea (non-

UK) students as a percentage of all students in Glasgow has increased from 20.9% to 29.8%.

The increase in students correlates with a significant increase in demand for rental

accommodation, as well increased inward investment in the housing market, contributing to

increasing rents and market sales values. This growth in demand impacts on the availability of

rental accommodation which is affordable for lower income households in housing need who

therefore have less access to rented housing options increasing pressures and risks of

homelessness arising from unsuitable and unsustainable accommodation.

5.9. Care experienced young people

In 2007, a Housing Protocol for care leavers was developed, initially between Continuing Care and

Aftercare Services and Glasgow Housing Association (now Wheatley Homes Glasgow), as a result

of low numbers of properties being allocated to care leavers at that time.

Since then, a revised Care Leavers Statement of Best Practice has been produced and circulated

to all RSLs in Glasgow requesting that they adopt the Care Leavers Protocol and amend their

allocations procedures to recognise Care Leavers who are identified through the protocol in their

allocations policies.

As of 31st March 2022, there were 29 RSLs in Glasgow that had adopted the Glasgow Care

17

Leavers Protocol, and this has led to an increase in the number of tenancies offered to care

experienced young people over the past 5 years.

Number of RSL tenancies provided to Care-experienced young people

Year

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

No. of referrals

73

93

108

142

154

No. of tenancies offered

44

55

75

89

No. of tenancies allocated

31

40

37

47

54

Although the number of tenancies allocated through the protocol are relatively modest, it is evident

that the demand for tenancies for care-experienced young people is growing and will likely

continue to grow.

5.10. Glasgow’s Housing Market

• In October 2022, the average sale price for a home in Glasgow was about £201,000 compared

to £221,625 for Scotland.

Over 30 years (1990 to 2020), the average number of new homes delivered in Glasgow has varied.

The 2000s were a peak period, with an average of over 3,000 new homes built each year.

Housing development has always exceeded an average of at least 1,750 homes each year (over a

five year period).

Homes built

1990-

1995

1995-

2000

2000-

2005

2005-

2010

2010-

2015

2015-

2020

Market Homes

1,209

1,749

2,277

2,460

843

1,149

Affordable Homes

560

964

999

842

1,013

1,056

All Homes

1,769

2,713

3,276

3,302

1,856

2,205

Over 20 years (2003 to 2022), average sales prices in Glasgow increased 91%, an average of

around 4.6% a year, more than double the rate of inflation. Buying a home in Glasgow has

become more expensive relative to the costs of buying other things. Average private rents

increased by 41.7% in Glasgow over the period 2010 to 2021, about 4% each year. This was very

similar to the rate of increase in housing market sales prices.

5.11. Housing Conditions

• 51% of owner-occupied dwellings and 60% of private rented dwellings in Glasgow had critical

disrepair

The Scottish Housing Condition Survey estimates the amount of critical disrepair in our housing

stock. Critical disrepair means any issue with building elements that affects weather-tightness,

structural stability or property deterioration. The most recent official figures (SHCS 2019 local

authority tables) estimated 51% of owner-occupied dwellings and 60% of private rented dwellings

in Glasgow had critical disrepair, with higher proportions of critical disrepair evident in older and

flatted housing. A key challenge is addressing the condition of pre-1919 tenements and the

investment required to maintain and improve these properties and homes. There are just under

10,000 pre-1919 tenement buildings within the city, which consist of about 70,000 flats and 5,200

commercial premises.

18

6. LHS Priority 1: Delivering more homes and great places that reduce

poverty and inequality and increase opportunity and prosperity for all

Homes are integral to our sense of place. The quality and condition of homes influence how people

feel about a place and likewise the quality and condition of a place affect how people experience

their home. The ‘place principle’ is central to this strategy. This strategy seeks to support and

create vibrant mixed communities and a better functioning housing system for all. There are four

associated objectives:

• Build and provide new low and zero carbon affordable homes to meet Glasgow’s housing

needs.

• Support the delivery of new homes for sale and rent to meet Glasgow’s growing housing

demand.

• Undertake local housing-led regeneration and development, including Glasgow’s 8

transformational regeneration areas.

• Support wider place-based planning for infrastructure and services, including active travel,

transport and heat in buildings.

Over five years, 2023 to 2028, we estimate that Glasgow will need at least 8,325 more homes to

accommodate people and households. Based on the number of homes completed previously,

more homes are needed. Therefore, we have set a housing supply target to deliver 13,000 homes

over this period, of which 50% will be affordable.

6.1. Delivering new affordable homes

Affordable housing supply provided by Registered Social Landlords increased significantly over the

period of the previous LHS 2017 to 2022, however the ambitious housing supply targets were not

met, (which was in part due to the impact of COVID-19 disruptions and other external economic

factors).

Net change to social housing supply over the period 2016 to 2021 (latest available at time of

publication) based on Scottish Government statistics show an increase of 3,608 affordable homes.

(see: www.gov.scot/collections/housing-statistics/):

• Gross reduction of 1,869 homes removed through demolitions and sales.

• Gross increase of 5,477 homes added through new build and rehabilitation.

• Net supply increase of 3,608 homes

2016-2021

Scotland

Glasgow

Demolitions

1,704

1,352

Sales

5,684

517

Supply reduction

7,388

1,869

New Build

23,211

3,864

Rehabilitation

2,304

1,613

Supply Addition

25,515

5,477

Net Change

18,127

3,608

From 2023 to 2028, the city is planning for over £500million grant investment that would support

the delivery of 6,500 new affordable homes. Land for housing development is a key factor for

delivery. Glasgow City Council owns property and land. One of the important ways in which

Glasgow City Council enables the delivery of new affordable homes is through identifying land and

property that can be sold by City Property to developing RSLs through the Nominated Disposals

process.

19

Glasgow’s five-year Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) is updated each year. The plan sets

out all potential projects for delivering new affordable homes in the city and includes existing

commitments and new projects. The majority of affordable homes are planned for social rent.

Other affordable homes include Mid-Market Rent (MMR), which addresses a key housing pressure

targeted towards people on modest incomes, who have difficulty accessing social rented housing,

buying their own home, or renting privately. Due to differing funding arrangements, MMR can

deliver more homes for less grant subsidy, as well as contribute to creating vibrant, mixed

communities.

The SHIP outlines major strategic and high-profile sites, which are important not only for delivering

a high volume of new affordable homes, but also contribute towards area regeneration priorities by

linking with other investment in relation to improving infrastructure and amenities. Across these

strategically important housing initiatives, there is a balance of tenure planned to ensure that there

is provision for meeting affordable housing needs and market demand. Following residential design

guides and good practice for place-making, developments are planned to deliver a consistent

design so that the tenure of individual homes is not distinguishable.

As well as building, new homes can be delivered through open market purchases of existing

homes. Glasgow’s strategic acquisition programme provides support to RSLs to buy homes in the

private market and convert these to a social tenancy. This can be an efficient and value for money

option and achieve the following:

• increasing affordable housing supply in priority areas across the city;

• enabling investment and improvement of mixed-tenure tenement flats; and

• providing larger homes (4+ bedrooms) suitable for larger households and families, in areas

where there are shortages and limited options for development.

6.2. Delivering new market homes for Glasgow

Private developers build new homes for market sale and private rent. Glasgow has a diverse mix

of private developer operating in the city including: Volume housebuilders (delivering large

numbers of homes on major sites); area regeneration specialists; as well as small and medium

housebuilders.

From 2016 to 2021, over 100 projects were completed by over 50 different private developers,

which delivered about 5,500 new market homes for sale and rent across Glasgow. A total of 79%

of homes were delivered on major housing sites (50 homes or more) and about 30% were built on

‘non-urban’ sites. Major areas for new market sale and private rent housing included:

• Community Growth Areas in North East Glasgow (Robroyston; Easterhouse/Gartloch;

• Baillieston/Broomhouse/Carmyle);

• Transformational Regeneration Areas at Toryglen and Laurieston;

• The final phases of the long-term new neighbourhood regeneration at Oatlands; and

• Large developments near the M77 at Darnley and Pollok.

6.3. New Types and Models of Housing Delivery

Build to Rent is a relatively new form of housing delivery that offers purpose-built accommodation

for rent within high-quality, professionally managed developments. By 2022, Glasgow City Council

had approved 9 projects, of which one was fully complete and operational. The remaining 8

projects have potential to deliver over 3,300 Build to Rent homes. There are other projects

proposed through the planning system, which have a potential to deliver around 1,900 Build to

Rent homes.

Due to the availability of sites close to the city centre and a focused planning framework, Glasgow

is considered a prime location for Build to Rent. The proposed developments are high-density and

can contribute towards the City Centre Living Strategy ambition for doubling the city centre

population. It is important that these development proposals are considered alongside other

methods of housing delivery as part of an integrated approach that promotes sustainable, inclusive

20

growth and regeneration, particularly within Strategic Development Framework areas and Glasgow

city centre.

6.4. Purpose Built Student Accommodation

There are estimated to be around 130,000 further and higher education students studying in

Glasgow. About half are estimated to live within Glasgow City Council’s boundary. Traditionally,

students lived in halls of residence, at home, in Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) or private

rented accommodation. Over the past 15 years, purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) has

become an increasingly popular development model, which primarily attracts post-graduate and

international students.

Glasgow City Council expects purpose-built student accommodation to provide students with high

quality accommodation, including on-site amenity spaces and communal facilities. It must also be

designed to benefit its surroundings and include public spaces which are accessible to the wider

community. Glasgow’s City Development Plan includes supplementary guidance on meeting

housing needs. Section 2, ‘Student Accommodation’, of this guidance was revised and adopted in

October 2021. This sets out the requirements for considering plans for new purpose built student

accommodation developments, which include the following criteria: Location; Design; Amenity; and

Management and Security.

6.5. Self and Custom Build Housing

Glasgow City Council is one of the first local authorities across Scotland to promote self and

custom build as an affordable housing option. The Council has established an award-winning and

popular pilot scheme at Bantaskin Street, within the Maryhill Transformational Regeneration Area

(TRA). Glasgow City Council sought to tackle the three main barriers:

• land availability – For the Bantaskin Street pilot, the Council released six fully serviced plots at

very affordable fixed prices.

• Finance – We worked with Buildstore and Glasgow Credit Union to bring more lenders into

Scotland and to provide a savings approach to help people raise the money required for

deposits.

• Planning – The Council simplified the process, introducing a Design Code and Plot Passport

The Council has a Self-Builders Register for people to note interest in opportunities and there are

over 400 people registered. There is potential to scale up people led housing development in

Glasgow to meet our needs and demands, particularly for new affordable homes. We will examine

at options to develop new policy that could boost supply and delivery of custom and self-build

opportunities in the city.

6.6. Property Repurposing Strategy

It became clear over 2020 that the Covid-19 pandemic would have long-lasting impact on city

centres. Hybrid working and learning are likely to remain in some form post-pandemic, changing

patterns and volume of commuting to work, with particular impacts on town and city centre

businesses including retail, food, and hospitality.

Repopulating the city centre is a key challenge and opportunity for the city. Glasgow has set out an

ambition to double its city centre population by 2035. Glasgow has significant centrally located

retail, leisure, culture and heritage opportunities as well as access to further and higher education

institutes, which is driving demand for housing and investment.

There is significant potential for repurposing older offices to contribute to meeting housing needs

and demand. In 2022, Glasgow City Council considered research that estimated there are around

400 buildings built pre-1960 for which demand to use for commercial activity has declined

substantially in favour of newer, more flexible space, with communal/high quality amenity provision,

and space that is responsive to the net zero carbon agenda.

21

Residential repurposing of these city centre buildings will be challenging. There are technical,

practical and fiscal barriers that include VAT on conversions, conservation issues and costs

associated with meeting achieving high levels of energy efficiency and building thermal

performance alongside decarbonising the heat and energy supply to meet out Net Zero ambitions.

6.7. Tackling Long-Term Empty Homes

In 2019, Glasgow agreed a three-year Empty Homes Strategy, which relates to the housing

strategy. Long-term empty homes are a serious problem. They can become neglected and in a

poor state of repair. Empty homes in tenements can cause problems which prevent vital

maintenance and improvement works being undertaken. Glasgow’s strategic approach to tackling

empty homes aims to:

✓ To bring long-term empty homes back into effective use;

✓ To tackle environmental blight and improve neighbourhoods;

✓ To safeguard tenements and facilitate common repairs work; and

✓ To identify suitable housing for particular groups such as larger families, homeless people and

those with a variety of support needs.

There are several mechanisms that the Council uses to achieve these aims which include:

• Council Tax records and powers to identify and target long-term empty homes;

• Strategic acquisition through open market purchase; and

• Compulsory purchase order powers.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 enables local authorities to use Council Tax records to identify

long-term empty homes and bring them back into use. Glasgow’s Empty Homes Officers (EHOs)

work with Financial Services to identify these homes. The Local Government Finance

(Unoccupied Properties etc.) (Scotland) Act 2012 gives local authorities the power to vary Council

Tax for long-term empty homes. Glasgow City Council charges a 100% premium on long-term

empty homes (those that are empty for more than 12 months and not actively being marketed for

sale or let.)

The number of empty homes varies over time, with properties falling empty and being brought back

into use. Based on Council Tax data, on average just over 1% of Glasgow’s homes are empty

(around 3,500 homes), of which over 60% are private housing.

Glasgow’s Empty Homes Strategy set a target to bring 200-250 empty homes back into effective

use every year. As of April 2022, 677 homes had been brought back into effective use. The table

below sets out the number of homes brought back into effective use by financial year and length of

time empty.

DURATION

2019-2020

2020-2021

2021-22

2019-22

< 6 Months

0

6-12 Months

0

1-2 years

0

2

59

61

2-5 years

272

88

108

468

5-10 years

34

24

56

114

>10 years

17

10

7

34

TOTAL

323

124

230

677

6.8. Empty Homes Strategy Review and 10 Point Action Plan

A review of the Empty Homes Strategy was undertaken in 2023. The strategic approach is now

encompassed within the LHS 2023 to 2028 and the following ‘10 Point Empty Homes Action Plan’

is developed setting out the key requirements that will be taken forward over the next five years:

22

• We will aim to bring 1800 empty properties back into use during the 5 years duration

Glasgow’s LHS. This target will be reviewed in 2028 in line with future priorities and

resources.

• The service will aim to deliver innovative work programmes, which will qualify for funding

consideration in line with Scottish Government commitments outlined in Housing to 2040.

• Work closely with RSLs and encourage them to be more proactive in identifying and

tackling empty homes in their local areas and to ensure that all empty properties are

brought back into use timeously.

• Make greater use of Compulsory Purchase powers over the 5-year strategy period with

close links to Glasgow’s acquisition strategy and housing partnership areas.

• Contribute to the development of policy in relation to Empty Homes and continue to lobby

the Scottish Government for further additional powers in the form of Compulsory Sales

Orders.

• Target abandoned empty shops on the ground floor of tenement properties, which could be

suitable for social/wheelchair housing and ensure that common repairs are not blocked as a

result of empty homes.

• Explore opportunities such as the Council improving properties for sale in areas where no

partnership arrangements are in place and the introduction of an empty homes grant

scheme.

• Aim to engage with and offer advice to 1500 owners of Long-Term Empty properties

annually by sending out monthly mailshots to owners.

• Strengthened partnership working with Environmental Health colleagues to minimise the

impact empty homes have on adjoining properties and tackle environmental blight to

improve the amenity of neighbourhoods.

• Monitor the progress of the strategy and ensure that Targets and Key Performance

Indicators are established in order to measure successful interventions and the delivery of

this action plan. The outcomes will subsequently be reported back through the LHS.

6.9. Glasgow’s Transformational Regeneration Areas

Glasgow’s Transformational Regeneration Areas (TRA) are one of the most ambitious long-term

urban renewal programmes in the UK with a total estimated expenditure of £665million to date.

Transforming Communities: Glasgow (TC:G) is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) regeneration

company formally established as a strategic partnership between the Council, Wheatley Homes

Glasgow and the Scottish Government. TC:G oversees the delivery of a regeneration and

development programme across Glasgow's eight identified TRAs.

The TRA Programme aims to deliver over 140 hectares of land for new housing, the demolition of

9,500 ineffective units and replacement with 5,000 new, high-quality homes within sustainable,

mixed-tenure communities. Most of the TRAs are in parts of the city that did not benefit significantly

from previous investment and have challenges associated with lower housing demand, quality and

choices, as well as the need to deliver improvements to public realm and economic regeneration.

6.10. Clyde Gateway

Clyde Gateway is an urban regeneration company that secures inward investment and

improvement for the people and communities across the east end of Glasgow and South

Lanarkshire. Clyde Gateway covers 840 hectares, including the communities of Bridgeton,

Dalmarnock and Rutherglen and is a partnership of Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire

Council and Scottish Enterprise with funding from the Scottish Government. It is identified within

the National Planning Framework as a key regeneration priority.

23

There has been a significant capital investment to improve roads, remediate contaminated land

and upgrade services and utilities which included: The M74 completion, East End Regeneration

Route, Commonwealth Games Village and other large scale housing led regeneration programmes

such as Dalmarnock Riverside. These will greatly enhance the area’s infrastructure and facilities

for decades to come. This area, which is included as part of Glasgow’s Local Development Plan,

Inner East Strategic Development Framework, will remain a key area for Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to

2028 to target housing investment and area regeneration.

6.11. Wider Place-Based Planning for Infrastructure and Services

Connecting Glasgow’s homes, neighbourhoods, and communities, to all the opportunities and

amenities on offer living in Glasgow is an important priority. Glasgow City Council has a set of new

transport plans for the city which aim to develop and improve this connectivity. Scottish

Government has confirmed support of proposals for a Clyde Metro, which was set out in the

Strategic Transport Projects Review 2. This could deliver investment and improvements to

Glasgow’s public transport system, which may provide significant opportunities for people living,

working and accessing jobs, services, education and health across the City Region. Glasgow City

Council is working with Transport Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and regional

partners, to progress the Clyde Metro. The housing development and investment proposals set

out in this strategy and associated Strategic Housing Investment Plans will seek to link in with

Glasgow’s plans for connecting people and communities living in Glasgow as well as the proposals

for Clyde Metro.

24

7. LHS Priority 2: Improving the energy efficiency of Glasgow’s homes,

reducing fuel poverty and supporting a Just Transition to Net Zero

through decarbonising domestic heating and energy

Scottish Government has set a target date in law for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases

by 2045, as well as targets for tackling fuel poverty and for homes to achieve energy efficiency

ratings. Glasgow is committed to becoming a Net Zero Carbon City by 2030 and having net-zero

emissions by 2045. A just transition is both the outcome – a fairer, greener future for all – and the

process that must be undertaken in partnership with those impacted by the transition to net zero.

Looking at how we heat and power our homes and buildings is a key part of this journey.

Glasgow has approximately 313,000 homes and we aim to build at least 13,000 additional homes

over five years (2023 to 2028). Our approach in this housing strategy is:

• to make sure new affordable homes meet the highest sustainability standards possible.

• to target investment in existing homes to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy

efficiency through retrofit.

• to prioritise investment for safeguarding Glasgow’s pre-1919 tenements and preserving

Glasgow’s built heritage.

We use the term ‘retrofit’ to describe any works to adapt existing homes to reduce carbon

emissions and improve energy efficiency, using technologies and materials.

The challenge is significant. For this LHS Priority, there are three associated objectives:

• We will increase the overall average energy efficiency of housing in Glasgow.

• We will reduce overall domestic carbon emissions in Glasgow.

• We will reduce overall fuel poverty levels in Glasgow.

7.1. Improving the Energy Efficiency of Glasgow’s Homes

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and EPC Bands are calculated using the Standard

Assessment Procedure (SAP) for energy rating of dwellings 2012 methodology.

• In 2014, just over half of Glasgow’s homes (52%) were estimated to be EPC Bands A-C.

• By 2022, it is estimated that this has increased 10%.

The estimates indicate that this steady progress has been achieved by mainly by increasing the

EPC rating of homes that were previously in EPC Bands D and E. In 2022, around 2.6% of homes

are estimated to be in EPC Bands F-G, a modest improvement on 2.8% in 2014.

EPC Bands

2014

2022

A-B

5.0%

11.4%

C

46.9%

50.7%

D

35.0%

27.0%

E

10.3%

8.3%

F-G

2.8%

2.6%

All

100.0%

7.1.1. Energy Efficiency Targets: Private Homes

The Scottish Government’s long-term national strategy, Housing to 2040. sets out commitments to:

• Bring forward regulations requiring private rented sector properties to achieve an equivalent

to EPC C by 2028.

• Consult on proposals for regulations from 2023-25 to require owner-occupied private

homes to meet a minimum level of energy efficiency (equivalent to EPC C) by 2035.

25

Using the Home Analytics database, developed by the Energy Saving Trust, it is possible to set out

an estimate of the percentage of homes within each EPC Banding by tenure.

EPC SAP Bands

Owner

occupied

Private Rented

Social Rented

All

A-B

9.7%

12.8%

13.2%

11.4%

C

41.4%

48.4%

64.8%

50.7%

D

34.0%

27.9%

16.6%

27.0%

E

11.2%

8.1%

4.3%

8.3%

F-G

3.6%

2.8%

1.1%

2.6%

All

100.0%

• In 2022, it is estimated that approximately 54% (109,000) of all private homes achieve a rating

of EPC Band C or above.

• There are estimated to be 93,000 privately owned homes which require investment to achieve

an EPC Band C or above.

• 70% of these are estimated to already achieve EPC Band D and 22.5% achieve an EPC Band

E.

For some private homes, there is potential for improving EPC ratings through lower cost measures,

including improved insulation. However, the estimated 93,000 private, owner occupied and rented

homes, will include solid-wall sandstone tenement flats, which require specialist insulation

measures to improve energy efficiency which are generally more expensive and technically

challenging.

Single Building Assessments

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the Scottish Government established the Building and Fire

Safety Ministerial Working Group. This group proposed the Single Building Assessment

programme, which was introduced as a pilot in 2021. A Single Building Assessment is a

comprehensive inspection of whole blocks of domestic residential buildings – looking at fire safety

and suitability for mortgage lending. There is no cost to property owners for these assessments,

which identify what needs to be mitigated or remediated on a building-by-building basis, and in line

with the most current building standards.

Scottish Safer Building Accord

Some of the country’s largest housing developers have agreed to work with the Scottish

Government and others to address cladding issues, giving affected homeowners a clear path to

ensuring their homes are safe. Under the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord, developers will be

expected to fund works to properties they built to address safety issues identified through the

Scottish Government’s Single Building Assessment programme. Public funding will be prioritised

for buildings that are not linked to an existing developer, also referred to as ‘orphan buildings’.

Cladding systems

In June 2022, changes to requirements on fire safety of cladding systems were introduced in

Scotland through the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 (legislation.gov.uk) Under

the legislation, developers are banned from using combustible cladding on high-rise buildings.

Since 2005, new cladding systems on high rise blocks of flats have either had to use non-

combustible materials or pass a large-scale fire test. The building standards legislation removes

the option of a fire test, completely prohibiting such materials from use on domestic and other high-

risk buildings, such as care homes and hospitals, above 11m.

7.1.2. Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH)

The Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) aims to improve the energy efficiency

of social housing in Scotland. The EESSH was introduced in March 2014 and set a first milestone

26

for social landlords to meet for social rented homes by 31 December 2020. A second milestone

(EESSH2) was confirmed in June 2019, for social rented houses to meet by December 2032. The

EESSH2 milestone is that: “All social housing meets, or can be treated as meeting, EPC Band B

(Energy Efficiency rating), or is as energy efficient as practically possible, by the end of December

2032 and within the limits of cost, technology and necessary consent.” In addition, no social

housing below EPC Band D should be re-let from December 2025, subject to temporary specified

exemptions.

EPC SAP Bands

Social Rented

All

A-B

13.2%

14,500

C

64.8%

72,000

D

16.6%

18,500

E

4.3%

5,000

F-G

1.1%

1,000

All

100.0%

111,000

• 78% of Glasgow’s social rented homes are rated as EPC band C or higher, indicated good

energy and thermal efficiency.

To achieve EPC Band B or higher requires additional investment to achieve ultra-high levels of

insulation and airtightness combined with new, low and zero carbon heating and energy systems.

In 2020, the Scottish Government introduced the Social Housing Net Zero Heating Fund launched

in 2020 to support Registered Social Landlord projects to deploy new heating systems.

A key challenge for RSL providers, and for Glasgow City Council’s commitment to a Just Transition

to Net Zero, is to maintain housing affordability and ensure that social tenants will not pay

disproportionately for energy efficiency improvements through their rent.

The Scottish Government proposes to review the EESSH2 in 2023 to strengthen and realign the

standard with the target for net zero heat in houses from 2040, as set out in the Climate Change

Update, the Heat in Buildings Strategy, and the Housing to 2040 Route Map. The review will look

at progress towards EESSH2, elements of the standard, air quality, alignment with the net zero

target, and how the standard fits with changes needed across other tenures.

27

7.2. Decarbonising Glasgow’s homes and a Just Transition to Net Zero

Most homes in Glasgow (86%) have mains gas central heating (See:

https://scotland.shinyapps.io/sg-scottish-energy-statistics). Gas heating using an efficient boiler

has tended to be a more affordable heating option. Government research indicates that over the

past decade, up to 2021, gas prices were stable or falling. However, they began to increase from

2021. Electricity prices increased for much of the last decade.

(See: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9491/CBP-9491.pdf)

Fuel price increases from 2021 mean that the cost of home heating using mains gas and other

energy sources has increased significantly for all households. The Scottish Government has

declared a Climate Emergency and set a target for a million homes (about 40% of all homes in

Scotland) to be converted to use zero emission heating by 2030. Changing primary home heating

fuel to a low or zero carbon option involves significant costs and may not reduce fuel bills by the

same amount. We need to look at how this can be funded and make sure that we only take

forward actions that are affordable and do not increase the risk of fuel poverty.

7.2.1. Glasgow’s retrofit challenge

Glasgow is committed to a just transition to Net Zero. This means meeting the retrofit challenge to

reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency of our existing homes, whilst also

reducing fuel poverty. To do this requires skills, research, innovation and commitment. Perhaps

most of all it requires partnership: between housing association and organisations, sharing

knowledge, ideas and good practice; and with people to learn from their experiences and insights

of living in Glasgow.

In recent years, a number of successful and award-winning retrofit projects were completed,

improving homes to meet Enerphit passivhaus standards, including:

Cedar Court, Woodside Multi-Storey Flats – Queens Cross Housing Association

In 2019, Queens Cross Housing Association (QCHA), working with Passivhaus Trust members,

Collective Architecture, and Engie as a contractor, undertook a £16million refurbishment and

thermal upgrade of three, 22 storey flats. The project was the largest of its kind in Scotland.

Overall, it achieved an 80% reduction in energy demand for 314 homes. At the request of tenants,

‘Winter Gardens’ were created by enclosing existing balconies to enable use all year round as well

as safe, usable communal spaces for children to play and residents’ communal activities.

Niddrie Road Enerphit Project – Southside Housing Association

This project involved a detailed retrofit of a typical tenement, with eight single bed flats in one

traditional tenement close on Niddrie Road in Strathbungo East, the southside of Glasgow. This

project features ultra-high levels of insulation and airtightness combined with new heating and

ventilation systems. These measures will drastically reduce energy bills for the tenants while

providing them with a comfortable and healthy internal environment

28

See video ‘Niddrie Road: A blueprint for energy-efficient traditional tenements?’

7.2.2. The Glasgow Standard

The Glasgow Standard was formally adopted in 2018. It outlines a design schedule and

requirements for all new build housing funded through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme

(AHSP), standards for internal and external spaces, accessibility and sustainability. As a result,

our affordable homes provide more liveable spaces, suitable to meet a wide range of diverse

needs, and are energy efficient and affordable to heat.

One of the sustainability options developed as part of this policy was to develop to Passivhaus

Certified Standard. This demonstrates the ambitions of Glasgow City Council and our RSL partners

who have embraced the standard and potential for change in delivering zero-carbon homes.

Examples include:

Cunningham House, Shettleston

Completed in 2019, this was one of the first affordable housing developments in Scotland to

achieve Passivhaus standard. Located within a densely built-up, busy area in the heart of

Glasgow’ East End community, this innovative project, combining retrofit and new-build, and

applying the Glasgow Standard, was designed to provide easy access for people with mobility

needs and built to ensure minimum energy was required for heat and power. Traditional skills,

such as stone masonry, were married with modern methods of construction using off-site

manufacturing to achieve a stunning and multi-award winning development. 13 new, energy

efficient, one and two bedroom flats, were created in the church itself, while the attached vestry is

now a three bedroom house. The new five storey apartment block, built to Passivhaus standard

and comprising five two bedroom flats, was constructed on the site of the church hall. A light, fully

glazed link corridor enclosing the stairwell and lift connects the old to the new.

(www.shettleston.co.uk/about-us/development/)

Springfield Cross

In 2014, Glasgow hosted the 20

th

Commonwealth Games. The Athletes Village was rightly

celebrated as a centre-piece of the regeneration masterplan and is now home to over 700 Glasgow

residents living in a vibrant, sustainable community. Work continues to transform the area. This

West of Scotland Housing Association development, working with CCG, at Springfield Cross is

located on the edge of the Commonwealth Village, next door to Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena.

Built to passivhaus standards, it is an ultra-low energy building requiring minimal energy for heating

and cooling, which means low fuel bills for tenants. The project, the largest of its kind in Glasgow at

time of development, comprises 36 flats over six storeys, created and built to

meet Passivhaus standard, which reduces the building’s carbon footprint and contributes towards

reducing Glasgow’s housing carbon emissions (https://c-c-g.co.uk/project/springfield-cross-

dalmarnock/)

7.3. Fuel Poverty, Safety and Security

In Scotland, following the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019 ("the

Fuel Poverty Act"), fuel poverty is defined as having two elements. A household is considered fuel

poor if:

• after housing costs have been deducted, more than 10% (20% for extreme fuel poverty) of their

net income is required to pay for their reasonable fuel needs.

• after further adjustments are made to deduct childcare costs and any benefits received for a

disability or care need, their remaining income is insufficient to maintain an acceptable

standard of living, defined as being at least 90% of the UK Minimum Income Standard (MIS).

We understand fuel poverty as being driven by a combination of four factors. The table sets out the

factors and main trends for Glasgow.

29

Fuel Poverty

Factors

Glasgow Trends

• income

(earnings and

benefits)

Median average incomes have increased though at a significantly lower

rate than energy costs.

• energy costs

On 24

th

November 2022, OFGEM announced its price cap will rise to an

annual level of £4,279 in January 2023. The Energy Price Guarantee

protects consumers reducing the unit cost of electricity and gas so that a

typical annual dual fuel direct debit bill remains at £2,500 in January 2023

and rises to a new level of £3,000 in April 2023. The UK Government

2022 Autumn Statement announced the Energy Price Guarantee will be

extended to April 2024.

• Buildings’ poor

RSLs have invested significant resources as part of long-term plans to

energy

improve the condition and energy performance of their homes.

efficiency

Steady progress has been made in Glasgow to improve energy efficiency

of privately owned homes, with a strong focus on ‘fabric first’ through the

Area Based Schemes. However, there remains a significant number of

homes that have a low energy efficiency rating.

• how energy is

used in the

home

The largest share of energy used in the home is for space heating. It

accounts for about three quarters (75%) of all energy use in the home.

For Glasgow, the most recent official measure of fuel poverty (in the Scottish House Condition

Survey 2019) estimated 25% of all households (around 73,000) were in fuel poverty. This estimate

predates the impacts of COVID-19 and the significant energy prices and inflation pressures in

2022. Considering these factors and trends, we can be reasonably certain that as of January

2023, significantly more than 25% of households in Glasgow would meet the definition of being fuel

poor.

Homes and households at risk of fuel poverty are not a single group and a range of circumstances

contribute to the risks faced. These include:

• Low incomes

• young households (aged 16-24)

• renters

• Single parents

• Pre-payment meters,

• 15% most deprived areas

• No central heating

• long term health conditions

7.3.1. Addressing the Four Factors of Fuel Poverty

Factors

What we can do

Impacts

How we can measure

income

(earnings

and

benefits)

Financial inclusion

services to support

people to maximise

their income from

entitlements to benefits

and employability

support to increase

earnings from

employment.

HIGH

The success of support

services such as the

PRS Housing and

Welfare Hub make

substantial contributions

to household incomes.

They can also offer

advice and support for

reducing fuel debts and

other debt burdens.

✓ The number of

households provided

with financial

inclusion. support

services

✓ The amount (£)

secured for

households as a

result of financial

inclusion support.

✓ The amount (£) of

fuel debt reduced as

a result of financial

inclusion support.

30

Factors

What we can do

Impacts

How we can measure

energy

Offer free, impartial and

LOW/MEDIUM

✓ The number of

costs

expert advice on

supplier switching

Investing in alternative

energy and heating

systems.

Explore options for

setting up a public

interest energy

producer/supplier to

offer affordable energy.

There are reduced

options available that

offer significant cost

savings from switching

energy supplier that

would offset price

increases.

However, there is

potential for exploring

alternative energy

provision, both for

individual and for

multiple households.

households provided

with advice.

✓ The number of

households investing

in alternative heating

systems.

poor

Investing to improve

MEDIUM/HIGH

✓ The number of

energy

buildings fabric and

Investing in improving

homes receiving

efficiency

insulation.

the fabric and insulation

of homes is a

cornerstone of Area-

Based Schemes and

reduces the impact of

the building on fuel

poverty. The challenge

is to scale up the

approach to support

more households

across Glasgow.

Area Based

Schemes

improvement works.

✓ The average energy

efficiency gains for

all homes improved

through the Area

Based Schemes

programme.

✓ The overall average

energy rating for

Glasgow’s homes.

how energy

Work with community-

MEDIUM / HIGH

✓ the number of

is used in

based organisations to

Targeted information

targeted information

the home

advise people on

effective measures to

reduce heat loss

Work with partners to

promote key messages

on safety and security

and advice can help

promote straightforward

energy saving

measures that are safe

and low cost for

households.

campaigns

✓ the number of

households and

priority areas

targeted with

information

7.3.2. The Fuel Poverty Gap

Where a household is in fuel poverty, the fuel poverty gap is the annual amount that would be

required to move the household out of fuel poverty. In 2019, the median fuel poverty gap (adjusted

for 2015 prices) for fuel poor households was £700 (in other words, on average a fuel poor

household would need an additional £700 per year to no longer be in fuel poverty). The Scottish

Government aims to reduce the fuel poverty gap across all local authority areas. A key task for

Glasgow will be developing and monitoring a robust measure for the fuel poverty gap alongside

other key measures and indicators.

7.4. Keeping safe when keeping warm

Developing an up-to-date measure of fuel poverty is important in order to understand the scale of

need in Glasgow. However, it is secondary to responding to the immediate pressures on costs of

living. Under these pressures, people face hard and unenviable choices. This may include

sacrificing heat for other essential living items, which can impact negatively on health and

wellbeing.

31

People may consider using portable heating devices as an alternative to heating systems. It is vital

that people follow proper guidelines and instructions to ensure safety. Every year people die and

are injured in their homes as a result of fires caused by heating appliances. Many of these fires

involve portable heaters. Any type of portable heater can start a fire if it is misused. Scottish Fire

and Rescue Services provide useful guides to heating sources in the home to make sure you are

safe when you are keeping warm, see: www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety/at-home/heating-and-

gas-safety/

Energy theft is when someone tampers with an electricity or gas meter so that it doesn’t record

how much gas or electricity is being used. This is both illegal and dangerous. There is a risk that

increased pressures of rising fuel costs may contribute to more incidences of energy theft and this

is a key home safety and security issue.

7.5. Affordable Warmth Area Based Schemes

• From 2017 to 2022, there were 41 Area Based Schemes projects delivered across Glasgow

using £12.2million grant funding to retrofit over 1,400 homes with external wall insultation.

The Scottish Government's Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes provide grant funding

for delivering energy efficiency measures to owner occupied and private landlord owned

properties. The funding is available to assist owner occupiers and private landlords to participate

in planned projects. Grant funding is provided to owners and private landlords in wholly owned

project areas and to those participating in a programme of works in mixed tenure blocks carried out

by a RSL. Following Scottish Government criteria, Glasgow’s Area Based Schemes programme is

targeted towards areas that are:

• within the bottom 25% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation; and

• have properties that are mainly council tax bands A-C.

The Area Based Schemes is entirely voluntary. Projects proceed if there are enough owners willing

to participate. This is challenging in multiple tenure blocks of flats where title deeds require the

participation of all owners for works to proceed. Private landlords may participate in a project if

they own three or less properties other than their main residence. They are allowed one full EES

grant contribution across Scotland.

The Council procures works using the Scotland Excel Contractor Framework. Home Energy

Scotland (HES) is a key partner and act as a first point of contact for participating owners to help

the access all eligible services, including free impartial and independent advice to help reduce their

fuel bills and make more effective use of the money they spend on fuel.

Glasgow City Council is looking at introducing a LA Flex Scheme. This would provide an

opportunity for individual owners to act independently to carry out energy efficiency measures to

their property and benefit from Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding to help reduce the

overall cost of the installation.

32

8. LHS Priority 3: Improving the condition of Glasgow’s homes and

preserving Glasgow’s tenements and built heritage

For this LHS Priority, there are two associated objectives:

• Increase investment to preserve Glasgow’s tenements; and

• Support owners to maintain and improve existing homes.

Over 70% of homes in Glasgow are flats and include 77,000 pre-1919 tenements, which make up

about a quarter of the city’s housing supply. These iconic sandstone buildings are critical for

meeting housing needs and demand.

The challenge is significant. For this LHS Priority, the strategy sets out two key missions:

✓ We will increase investment to preserve Glasgow’s tenements; and

✓ We will support owners to maintain and improve existing homes.

Section 26 of the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 defines a tenement as:

"Two or more related but separate flats divided from each other horizontally. The definition is

framed broadly in order to include not only traditional tenement properties, but also four-in-a-block

houses and larger houses which have been subdivided".

Glasgow’s tenements include:

• Traditional sandstone tenements, 2 to 5 storeys high, built between 1840 and 1919. They are

found within the city centre and the original former burghs;

• Four-in-a-block tenements built originally by Glasgow Corporation and some private builders

between 1919 and 1939;

• Any 2 to 4 storey tenement "walk up" flats built after 1920;

• Multi storey and deck access, maisonette blocks, mainly in the ownership of Glasgow Housing

Association and other Registered Social Landlords operating in the city;

• Any new build flats with communal features built on vacant sites and gap sites by housing

associations from the early 1980s onwards; and

• Private flats, 2 or more storeys, with or without lifts, built after 1945.

8.1. Why focus on ‘Pre-1919’ buildings?

Buildings constructed before 1919 used traditional, solid wall construction methods and materials,

including wood and stone. These require specialist insulation measures to improve energy

efficiency (to retain more heat so as to use less energy), which are generally more expensive and

technically challenging. Glasgow’s pre-1919, blonde and red sandstone tenements also have a

distinct appearance. Many are located within conservation areas designated to protect the unique

character and heritage of these places.

Solid wall buildings have no cavity to fill with insulation. To insulate these homes, there are broadly

two options: External wall insulation (EWI) and internal wall insulation (IWI). EWI is generally

considered to be lower risk and an easier solution technically as it creates fewer potential problems

with moisture build-up within the walls. However, it is more expensive and unsuitable for

Glasgow’s pre-1919 sandstone tenements. IWI requires space to install and can lead to moisture

build-up in external walls (interstitial condensation), as exterior walls stop receiving heating and

become more likely to attract and retain moisture (Under One Roof - External brick and block

walls).

33

8.2. Pre-1919 tenements

Glasgow has about 77,200 pre-1919 tenement homes. These include:

• 61,300 are flats in 7,700 traditional tenement buildings;

• 6,800 flats have been created through the conversion of around 2,200 townhouses and

terraced properties;

• 9,100 are villas/terraced properties which remain in their original form; and

• About 5,900 commercial units, mostly ground floor shops, within these traditional tenement

buildings and a further 900 commercial units within townhouses/terraces.

Glasgow partnered with IRT Surveys to survey around 500 pre-1919 buildings, using drones,

digital cameras and thermal imaging technology. This enabled detailed roof inspections and

investigation of defects in the stonework of the buildings. Surveyors also inspected the buildings to

consider structural issues and the condition of the common closes. The surveys found:

• Around 5% of the buildings surveyed were found to be in a state of serious disrepair;

• Roofs in particular were highlighted as an area requiring attention due to their age and lack of

maintenance;

• Stonework defects, particularly at higher levels resulting from gutter and roof disrepair; and

• About a third of all buildings did not have a factor.

Glasgow City Council works in partnership with RSLs and engages private owners to invest and

improve tenements. Current funding levels are insufficient to meet the current and future needs of

our older tenement stock. More area initiatives are required and with some of the main component

parts of the properties reaching or nearing the end of their recommended life cycle, demand from

owners for financial support will increase. Safeguarding the pre-1919 tenement stock will require a

number of key enablers including:

✓ Developing a long-term funding package;

✓ Developing retrofit expertise and capacity;

✓ Piloting and extending Housing Partnership Initiative Areas;

✓ Putting forward the case for legislative changes; and

✓ Providing digital access to free, impartial, expert advice and information.

8.3. Glasgow’s Housing Partnership Initiative Areas (HPIAs)

Housing initiatives are progressing in areas where the pre-1919 tenement housing is in poor

condition, mainly due to a lack of factoring and property maintenance, and there are high

concentrations of private rented properties. Housing Initiative areas include: Calton; Govanhill;

Haghill; Ibrox/Cessnock; and Priesthill.

The learning from developing and delivering these programmes has greatly informed the thinking

around how the Council can best maintain the city’s pre-1919 housing. This partnership approach

has helped shape a targeted, open market acquisition programme, enabling RSLs to gain majority

control in tenements in need of major repairs that have no property management service or

effective maintenance regime in place.

Ibrox Cessnock HPIA

This was the original pilot area for thermal imaging drone surveys. It covers 33 blocks, 295

buildings and around 2,800 flats. There was a high concentration of private rented homes (over

50% of all tenure). Many tenement homes were in a poor state of repair and there were significant

issues of environmental decline including abandoned shops on the ground floor of many tenement

buildings, non-functioning back courts and improper disposal of bulk waste. The local housing

market showed signs of dysfunction and there were a significant number of sales at auction where

people were effectively “buying blind”, unaware of the true state of repair of maintenance and

investment requirements of the homes they were purchasing.

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The Council is partnering with Govan Housing Association to address these issues. This approach

includes Govan HOME Team (Govan Housing Association), who are working with Glasgow City

Council’s street cleansing services to remove litter and bulk items. In many areas across Glasgow,

RSLs are undertaking street cleansing, removing litter and bulk items, free of charge for tenants

and residents, which contribute towards better quality places and environments.

8.4. Factoring in Glasgow

The majority of tenement properties in Glasgow have been managed over a long number of years

on behalf of owners by established property factoring companies. Since 2012, by law all property

factors must be registered by the Scottish Government. The property factor will either be a private

company or a RSL. In some tenements, the name of the property factor is written into the Title

Deeds because that company was involved in the management of the letting and maintenance of

the property at the time the tenement was constructed. One of the major findings of the Glasgow

Factoring Commission in 2014 was the need for establishing effective property management to

repair and maintain properties in common ownership.

8.5. Raising standards of maintenance and repair across all homes

Glasgow’s first Housing Associations (RSLs) emerged in the 1970s and showed there was a

different way to preserve buildings, neighbourhoods and communities. The previous approach

involved either demolition or wholesale rehabilitation. As a result, households had to move out of

their dwellings and buildings were vulnerable to vandalism while work was carried out. This

successful approach seeded a movement for housing and area rehabilitation, which grew in

Glasgow. There are lessons about the importance of supporting people to remain within

communities and undertaking timely works to maintain and improve homes, which still resonate

today.

One of the key challenges is to avoid buildings reaching a dangerous point. This is not easy where

so many buildings have not been maintained by owners for a long time. The Council’s Building

Standards and Public Safety services intervene to act when a building is deemed dangerous. This

often requires a property to be evacuated for a long period of time, which could have been avoided

in some cases had regular maintenance and repair taken place.

It is a legal requirement under the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004 for individual owners to have

building insurance but not a common policy for their property. When fires or flooding occur in

tenement buildings and impact adjoining tenements, often the properties affected have not had

common building insurance policies in place. This means multiple owners having different insurers

leading to complex negotiations and delays, some owners being under insured and others with no

insurance in place.

Reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency of Glasgow’s homes are important

priorities. It is critical that any investment is protected by first ensuring that buildings are

maintained in a good state of repair. Climate Change is a major long-term threat. More severe

and unpredictable weather patterns, particularly the prospect of more rain and wind, are likely to

have a greater impact on older housing stock, accelerating disrepair. Before installing any energy

efficiency measures, a building must be wind and watertight and in a good state of repair.

8.6. Preserving Glasgow’s Built Heritage

There are many historic buildings across Glasgow that have been converted into homes. Often,

due to these buildings age and more complex arrangements with multiple owners, the

maintenance and condition of these buildings can deteriorate badly. Glasgow City Council works

with Glasgow City Heritage Trust and Historic Environment Scotland to preserve and protect

Glasgow’s unique and iconic buildings and architecture. Examples include:

33 Dalintober Street/53 Morrison Street

The building was designed by architect James Ferrigan as a warehouse for the Scottish Co-

operative Wholesale Society. In 1999, the building was converted to 60 flats and 4 commercial

units. A survey discovered that the 100 year-old roof was beyond repair and needed replaced.

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Without this, the building would deteriorate, homes would suffer from dampness and rot, and

become difficult to sell. The total repairs cost was £1.135 million which threatened the future of the

building. Glasgow City Council funded half of the restoration costs and further funding was

provided by Glasgow City Heritage Trust.

The Linen Bank (Southside Housing Association)

The former British Linen Bank in Glasgow is a Category A-listed building, built in 1900. It is one of

the last remaining examples of traditional Gorbals tenement buildings and retains original stone

carvings and iron work. Southside Housing Association (SHA), with support from Glasgow City

Council, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, and Historic Scotland, carried out extensive works

both internally and externally to renovate the building. A total of £2.4million was invested in the

restoration. As well as bringing back original features such as the former bank windows and

shopfront and missing turret and chimneys, the restoration also introduced artwork to the building

designed by Gorbals Art Project. The upper floors are now six desirable family homes, and the

ground floor includes commercial and community spaces that function as an important social hub

for the local area. This iconic building is an important feature within the wider £140m revitalisation

of the Gorbals area.

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9. LHS Priority 4: Supporting people to live independently and well at

home in the community

This strategy is about people living in Glasgow. It has a strong focus on meeting needs and

demand: what we can do to enable homes to be built, of the right type and in the right places, to fit

our growing population; and what we can do to enable homes to be adapted to be more suitable to

support people to live independently and well in the community. There are two associated

objectives:

• Increase the supply of affordable housing options to meet the needs of larger families and

core social care groups; and

• Adapt more homes so they are suitable for people to live independently in the community.

Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to 2028 supports the Glasgow City Integration Joint Board’s (Glasgow City

Health and Social Care Partnership) Strategic Plan, which aims to ensure that Glasgow’s people

will have access to good quality and appropriate housing that matches their needs and is

responsive to the needs of the changing demographic profile of the city. The six Strategic Plan

priorities are:

1. Prevention, early intervention and well-being.

2. Supporting greater self-determination and informed choice.

3. Supporting people in their communities.

4. Strengthening communities to reduce harm.

5. A healthy, valued and supported workforce.

6. Building a sustainable future.

A Housing Contribution Statement was prepared as part of Glasgow City’s Integration Joint

Board’s Strategic Plan. The statement outlines a range of housing, health and social care

challenges and how the housing sector can contribute towards meeting the six priorities that are

outlined in the current plan.

9.1. Providing new specialist housing

As Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow has a more diverse mix of people and a wider range of needs.

The proportions of people living in Glasgow with particular needs are higher than for Scotland

across three core care groups (www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files/statistics/council-area-data-

sheets/glasgow-city-council-profile.html)

• mental health condition is 48% higher;

• learning disability 20% higher; and

• physical disability 16% higher.

Within Glasgow, a higher proportion of people living in the North East have identified mental health

and physical disability care needs.

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9.2. Social Care Housing Investment Priorities

Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership work with Housing Services to set out Social Care

Housing Investment Priorities (SCHIP). These identify the key priorities for developing additional

specialist housing options to meet the needs of five main social care groups:

Core Care Group

Priority Needs

Learning disability

Young people becoming adults

People moving after long-stays in hospital

People within the autistic spectrum

Physical disability

People who are wheelchair users

Mental Health

People moving after long-stays in hospital

Older People

People with frailty

People with dementia

Children and

Families

Children and Young People looked after moving on from residential

care

Children and Young People looked after who are young parents

This LHS sets out a joint target between housing, health and social care, to deliver 300 new

properties, new build and refurbished, to facilitate core care group needs.

9.2.1. Learning Disability

Around 3,700 people in Glasgow (0.6%) have a learning disability and about 13,600 (2.1%) have a

learning difficulty. There are around 2,200 adults with learning disability that are known by

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership Services. Around 1 in 5 are known to be on the

autistic spectrum. About two-thirds are known to live in mainstream housing, half of whom with

identified support services. About 21% are known to live in specialist housing, most of whom are

in supported accommodation. Less than 5% are known to live in adult residential care homes (see

Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities).

As outlined in the SCHIP, Glasgow City Health and Social Care partners forecast that there will be

a significant increase in the number of young people with learning disabilities requiring high levels

of support and in most instances. These needs will not be easily met by mainstream housing

(either social rented or owner occupied).

There is an identified need and commitment within the Glasgow City Integration Joint Board’s

Strategic Plan for developing specialist housing, which would be designed to meet the needs of

young people with a range of complex social, health/nursing needs and severe mobility problems.

The type of development is a Core and Cluster model, which involves individual homes with a 24/7

Care & Support Service delivered on site and to individual homes including overnight support. The

individual homes should be designed as fully adapted, barrier free and have enhanced features to

allow for more space and privacy, such as heavy-duty wall materials, safety glass and noise

cancelling insulation.

9.2.2. Physical disability

Based on the Horizon Housing Study, Still Minding the Step (2018), the Housing Need and

Demand Assessment for Glasgow City Region estimated there may be demand for between

10,000 and 12,400 wheelchair accessible and adaptable homes and about 30% of this need and

demand may be in Glasgow. Glasgow has set a target for 10% of all homes within new affordable

housing developments of 20 homes or home to be fully wheelchair adaptable.

9.2.3. Mental health

The proportion of people with mental health needs is estimated to be about 50% higher in Glasgow

than for all of Scotland. Current demand for accommodation based Mental Health services in

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Glasgow outstrips supply. For many people with acute mental health needs this leads to extended

stays in psychiatric hospital settings. Glasgow’s key aim is to move away from hospital wards to

community alternatives for people requiring longer term, 24/7 care. There is an identified need for

single person Supported Living service models with on-site staff support 24/7. This would be

accommodation-based services for individuals with severe and enduring Mental Health issues.

Supported Living services can be stand alone with a 24-hour staff presence or clustered properties

close to a staff base.

9.2.4. Older People

There are projected to be more older people, aged 65 and over, living in Glasgow in coming years.

As part of a focus on ‘maximising independence’, we are looking at alternative ways of supporting

more older people to live independently at home or in a homely setting within the community. This

means looking at new models and considering where existing supported housing (such as sheltered

and very sheltered homes) can be redesigned. There are opportunities for greater use of new smart

technologies, which are outlined in Glasgow's Digital Housing Strategy.

This LHS sets out a joint target between housing, health and social care, to deliver 90 homes within

specialist housing developments for older people (by 2028). These will be for older people at risk of

admission to or long-stay within to hospital or residential care. The model will include clustered

Supported Living developments across the city and aim to support people moving on from a range

of settings: Care Homes; Hospital; Intermediate Care; and mainstream general needs housing.

9.2.5. Children and Families

• There are around 2,300 looked after children and young people in Glasgow.

• About 7% are looked after in children’s houses. There are over 20 across Glasgow.

• About 27% are looked after by foster carers.

Meeting the housing and support needs of care experienced young people is fundamental to

delivering on ‘The Promise’ for transforming Scotland’s care system to make sure care

experienced children grow up loved, safe and respected. Securing suitable accommodation

options for care leavers is about much more than finding them a place to stay. Care leavers should

be made aware of the full range of options available to them; including having the opportunity to

remain in their care setting until they are ready to move. Glasgow City Council follows the ‘Housing

Options Protocols for Care Leavers’ to ensure that young people are supported through their

transition out of care and provided with a range of appropriate and sustainable accommodation

options.

Aftercare services support young people becoming adults who are ready to move on to living

independently in their own home for the first time. Aftercare can begin from 16 years, though the

local authority has a legal duty to meet assessed need for supported accommodation until the age

of 21 and possibly up until 26 years old. Across Glasgow, there is an identified need for more

supported tenancy housing. This is an option for looked after young people looking to live

independently in their own home who require additional support in making their first move. This is

mainstream, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom housing, when a young person becomes a tenant of a

RSL.

This LHS sets out a joint target between housing, health and social care, to deliver 80 Aftercare

specialist housing properties to help care experienced young people build independence, support

young people with complex needs, as well as young parents.

9.2.6. Glasgow’s Unpaid Carers

More than a quarter of Glasgow adults, 28.6%, live with a limiting long-term illness or condition. It

is estimated around 74,000 adults in Glasgow are unpaid carers, looking after a partner, relative or

friend who cannot manage without help because of an illness (including mental illness), addiction,

frailty or disability. A carer may or may not live together with the cared for person. There is also a

significant number of young carers (about 2.5% of all children under 15 years of age). The

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Scottish Government recognises that there are at least 44,000 young carers in Scotland

and 29,000 of them are under 16 (see: www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-carers). Glasgow’s

unpaid carers are vital. This Strategy seeks to work with housing providers and health and social

care partners to recognise and support carers to access appropriate housing options, services and

support so they can continue to care, as long as they so wish, and have a life alongside caring.

9.3. Adapting Existing Homes to Meet Particular Housing Needs

Glasgow’s Joint Protocol Housing Solutions and Adaptations’ was developed by Housing, and

Health and Social Care Partners within Glasgow to support the delivery of a person-centred,

equitable, tenure-neutral approach, to the provision of housing based solutions that support people

to live independently within the community. The Protocol aims to create a seamless, end to end

Housing Solutions and adaptations service, which supports people to stay at home for as long as

possible, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, supporting people to get home from

hospital, and helping people make the right housing choices.

The Protocol sets out five key principles:

• Explicit person-centred approach to identifying effective outcomes and - meeting needs.

• Promotion of a shared responsibility, to support service users to identify their outcomes, and

meet their needs.

• Early intervention and avoidance of ‘crisis’ response.

• Minimum intervention in order to maximise independence.

• Promotion and full exploration of rehousing opportunities as a first stage.

9.4. Supporting People through Care and Repair

Glasgow Care and Repair Service is provided by Southside Housing Associations. It provides a

range of services city wide, offering practical assistance, advice and information to older and

disabled people living in Glasgow. Glasgow Care & Repair also carry out small repairs for

Southside, Govanhill, New Gorbals, Thenue, Linthouse, Blackwood, Rosehill and Whiteinch &

Scotstoun Housing Associations.

A review, which was completed during 2021, outlined that Care and Repair provides a valuable

service to private owners over the age of 65 years old and those with a disability. It supports

vulnerable people in complex that involve repairs, maintenance and adaptations, as well as

supporting hospital discharge a keysafe fitting service.

9.5. Gypsy Travellers

The term 'Gypsy/Travellers' refers to distinct groups – such as Roma, Romany Gypsies, Scottish

and Irish Travellers – who consider the travelling lifestyle part of their ethnic identity. The 2011

census was the first to include an option for Gypsy/Travellers in the ethnicity category. Census

responses indicated there were just over 4,200 people in Scotland identifying as ‘White:

Gypsy/Traveller’, of which 10% resided in Glasgow. Organisations that work with Gypsy/Travellers

believe Scotland's community comprises 15,000 to 20,000 people.

Within the Glasgow City Council area, there are no dedicated local authority owned sites for

‘Gypsy / Travellers’. The Glasgow City Region HNDA does not find evidence of unmet need for

sites for the gypsy traveller community within the Glasgow City area. Whilst the Glasgow City

Region Housing Need and Demand Assessment has not established evidence of unmet need for

gypsy traveller sites within the Glasgow City Council area, we are aware of the need arising from

temporary roadside encampments. Glasgow City Council has supported COSLA’s agreed position

on roadside assistance for Gypsy Travellers that access to safe stopping places and good quality

culturally appropriate accommodation is a public health imperative as well as a human right.

9.6. Travelling Showpeople

Travelling Showpeople are a distinct community in Glasgow that have a long association with the

city. Around 80% of the Scottish Travelling Showpeople community is estimated to be located in

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Glasgow. Historically, showpeople stayed on established regularly leased sites in the winter

months, vacating these to travel during the summer season. As the travelling pattern has changed,

Travelling Showpeople tend to occupy around sites across the Greater Glasgow area on a

permanent, year-round basis.

The Scottish Showmen’s Guild has expressed concern about the difficulties in acquiring yard sites

and negotiating the planning process, as well as experiences of discrimination. Leasing land has

become more difficult due to larger scale regeneration initiatives of vacant and derelict sites. It is

important that the needs of current site occupants are addressed and that alternative sites can be

identified, where needed.

During May 2021, Glasgow City Council submitted an expression of interest to the Scottish

Government’s Accommodation Fund. The interest outlined opportunities to potentially explore

relocating Travelling Showpeople that lived in Glasgow. Glasgow City Council engaged with the

Scottish Showmen’s Guild to identify possible sites that offered the correct mix of both industrial

and amenity uses and allowed for pitches and work/storage.

During June 2021, Glasgow City Council met with Scottish Government’s Gypsy/Traveller

Accommodation & Residential Mobile Homes Team to discuss the eligibility of the fund. It was

confirmed that the £20million Accommodation Fund is to be used to develop/improve Gypsy

Traveller sites and deliver commitments set out in the Scottish Government and the Convention of

Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) joint action plan to improve the lives of Gypsy/Travellers (2019-

2021).

There is a need to understand specific housing-related need which cannot be met or is unlikely to

be met on existing sites for Travelling Showpeople. There is also a need to ensure that permanent

residents have fair access to education, health and social care opportunities. Glasgow’s LHS 2023

to 2028 sets out an action commitment to undertake research engaging with the Travelling

Showpeople community to establish a robust quantitative estimate of the number of sites and type

of accommodation that may be required in Glasgow. There is a key requirement to establish a

clear evidence base that can inform development planning. Glasgow’s City Development Plan sets

out the spatial strategy and land use framework and this may include zoning for designated

purposes. Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to 2028 will inform the preparation of the next City Development

Plan.

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10. LHS Priority 5: Improving housing options, affordability and

sustainability for tenants and owners, to prevent and reduce

homelessness

In 2018, the Scottish Government set out its plan to ‘End Homelessness Together’. Since 2018,

the focus has been on supporting homeless people into ordinary, settled housing as quickly as

possible. Homelessness in Glasgow has a long and challenging history. Two decades ago,

Glasgow set out on a journey to change how we prevent, alleviate and reduce homeless, with the

closure of the large-scale hostels.

10.1. Glasgow’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) 2019-2024

Glasgow’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan aims to help us to work towards completing the

journey, and to transform both the quality of our service and the outcomes experienced by people

affected by homelessness. It sets out a vision: ‘Homeless people in Glasgow access settled

housing at a rapid pace and with flexible, personal support services which enable housing

sustainment and long-term success.’

Glasgow’s RRTP sets out five objectives:

1. Prevent homelessness wherever it is possible to do so.

2. Ensure that all homeless households in Glasgow access settled housing quickly and

effectively.

3. Upscale Housing First as the optimum model for homeless households with complex needs.

4. Work with Alliance partners to reduce the scale of temporary accommodation in the city.

5. Invest city resources in the delivery of person-centred housing support services.

Glasgow’s RRTP identifies six priority targets:

• To reduce time in temporary accommodation by more than 50%.

• To eradicate the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people.

• To reduce the supply of temporary furnished flats by 1,000 units.

• To reduce the supply of hostel provision by 500 units.

• To develop 600 Housing First tenancies for the city's most complex and disadvantaged service

users.

• To invest savings in the delivery of person-centred floating support services.

Glasgow’s RRTP desired outcomes:

• Transformation of the experiences and outcomes achieved by homeless people in Glasgow.

• Significant reductions in temporary accommodation and movement away from unsuitable

accommodation.

• A system change in the homeless commissioning model from accommodation based services

to community based services.

• Net savings in public expenditure on homelessness of up to £70million.

From 2016 to 2021, 13,870 homeless households in Glasgow secured a settled home, about 63%

of all that were assessed as homeless during this time. Since 2017, the total number of lets by

RSLs to homeless households has increased by 50%. During 2021/22, over 3,300 homeless

households were provided with settled, secure tenancies. Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to 2028 aims to

support all the objectives set out in the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. Over the lifetime of this

housing strategy, we aim to prevent and further reduce homelessness so that by 2030 we have

ended homelessness in Glasgow.

10.2. Preventing Homelessness

Glasgow’s Private Rented Sector Housing and Welfare Hub started in 2017 as a financial inclusion

project with a single officer seconded to the Council from Wheatley Homes Glasgow (formerly

Glasgow Housing Association). Since then, it has grown and developed to deliver its unique ‘hub

model’ approach to meet identified housing and welfare needs and demand.

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The PRS Housing and Welfare Hub supports families living in Glasgow’s private rented sector and

landlords. Private sector rents in Glasgow have increased at a rate above inflation, particularly

since 2015. Housing benefit payments and household incomes have not increased at the same

rate. This contributed to housing affordability pressures across Glasgow. Households most

vulnerable in private tenancies are families on low income or benefits and people with no recourse

to public funds, including refugees.

The ‘Benefit Cap’ was first introduced in the Welfare Reform Act 2012. The cap limits the total

amount of benefits that workless households can receive to £20,000 per year (£13,400 for

households without dependent children). Groups most likely to be affected by the Benefit Cap are

larger families and lone parents with three or more children.

The PRS Housing and Welfare Hub combines:

- Housing Advice – provision of housing advice that focuses on the prevention of homelessness;

- Financial inclusion – looking at rents, payment arrangements, income from Social Security and

employment;

- Property services – looking at the quality and suitability of accommodation, including

compliance with the statutory Repairing Standards for private rent; and

- Support services – looking at wider needs, including health and wellbeing, and social care

The PRS Housing and Welfare Hub’s unique integrated “people and property service” advises of

any works required to ensure that property repairing standards are met and advises landlords and

tenants of the relevant support that is available. Critically this includes improving the safety of

family homes and ensures adequate smoke and carbon monoxide detection is in place. Landlord

registration is also checked and verified, and enforcement action is taken where necessary.

The PRS Housing and Welfare Hub provides holistic support to tenants, including income

maximisation which generates additional income from Social Security of around £40,000 per

month. As well as Social Security, the PRS Housing and Welfare Hub helps people access

employability services and routes to work/training to help them back into employment. It is often

the first service to have direct contact with a vulnerable person and family and their home

environment. As a visiting service, the team has a key protection role to make referrals to statutory

services where required, including social care as well as Fire and Rescue.

The single biggest impact of the PRS Housing and Welfare Hub is homeless prevention. Over 80%

of all people are supported to prevent homelessness. This brings benefits in avoiding short-term

costs of providing temporary accommodation, which are estimated to be over £14million since

2017. Perhaps more importantly, it reduces the long-term costs associated with experience on

homelessness, particularly for children and young people.

10.3. Prison Leavers

Glasgow’s RRTP 2019-24 identified prison leavers as a key priority group. Prison leavers are more

likely to make repeat Homeless Applications, lose contact after the initial homelessness

assessment, and are less likely to have a settled housing outcome of a Scottish Secure Tenancy

with a RSL. Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership has a Prison Casework Team located in

HMP Barlinnie that works with people leaving prison to determine their housing needs. Glasgow’s

Housing First Service works with homeless people with complex support needs, which includes

people with experience of living in institutions, including care homes, secure hospitals and prison.

10.4. Supporting People Seeking Asylum and Refugees

Mears Group delivers an Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract on behalf of the Home

Office. The contract requires Mears to provide an accommodation service and associated support

to asylum seekers in Glasgow whilst their application for asylum is being considered. In March

2022, there were around 4,500 people seeking asylum in Glasgow and 500 refugees. During 2022,

there was a significant increase in the number of refugees arriving as a result of the conflict in

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Ukraine. The majority of people granted leave to remain present and seek support from Glasgow

City Health and Social Care Partnership’s Homelessness Services.

10.5. Tackling Domestic Abuse and Preventing Homelessness

Domestic abuse is a major cause of homelessness across Scotland and Glasgow. This is not only

through direct individual experience of fleeing violence, but also associated post-trauma

behaviours, including symptoms such as drug and alcohol use, and increased vulnerability. The

Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership is a city-wide multi-agency partnership concerned

with preventing and eradicating all form of violence against women. The GVAWP has a role in

supporting the delivery of Equally Safe, the Scottish Governments strategy to tackle violence

against women and girls.

10.6. Changing Temporary Accommodation

The Council has statutory duties under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to provide emergency

accommodation to any household that it believes to be homeless. The COVID public health

emergency placed significant pressures on the Council to ensure continued access to emergency

accommodation for people that needed it. Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership is

working to reduce the need to use emergency accommodation including the use of hotels and bed

and breakfast accommodation.

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024

commits the Council to ending the use of bed and breakfast to accommodate homeless

households. Due to the pandemic, a new service model was developed incorporating the

Homelessness Health Services and additional Social Work Services. This includes a multi-

disciplinary city centre complex needs team that ensures targeted early intervention wherever

necessary.

The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP) set out an ambition to close the Bellgrove Hotel due

to concerns regarding the standard of care and accommodation to a vulnerable group of men. The

Bellgrove Hotel is a listed building, originally built in the 1930s to provide accommodation for

working men. In more recent years it became a hostel. The Bellgrove Hotel closed during 2022 and

Wheatley Group acquired the building.

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, Glasgow City Council and the Wheatley Group

worked together to move 50 men who were living there to housing that met their needs and

provided the appropriate support. The site now forms part of the next phase of regeneration of the

Gallowgate, driven by Transforming Communities: Glasgow and by local people through a local

delivery group, with plans for new affordable homes.

10.7. Moving to settled homes as quickly as possible

There are 61 RSLs operating in Glasgow. An important area for improvement identified in

Glasgow was how homelessness services make referrals to housing associations for homeless

households seeking settled homes. Two key projects were set-up to address this area for

improvement.

Local Letting Communities and Plans

Local Letting Communities and Plans are designed to be a practical framework that allow

Homelessness Services and the wider Health and Social Care Partnership to engage all housing

associations within defined areas to agree and deliver shared goals for rehousing homeless people

in settled tenancies. Across Glasgow, there are 10 identified Local Letting Communities. The

partnership forums, and the commitment of local housing associations, have been key for

increasing the overall number of settled tenancies and homes provided for homeless people.

Glasgow Matching Project

In 2021/22, a joint ‘test of change’ project was undertaken with Wheatley Group, Govan based

community-controlled housing associations and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.

This project explored ways to improve the matching housing options for homeless households. The

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project achieved an increase of more than 50% lets to homeless households and a 14% reduction

in offer refusals. The success of the project hinged on partnership working with dedicated support

within Community Homeless Teams to enable effective conversations with prospective tenants

about their housing options

10.8. Housing First for homeless people with complex needs

‘Housing First’ is a simple but radically different approach to tackling homelessness. It means

providing permanent, mainstream accommodation as the first response for people experiencing

homelessness who have multiple and complex needs including experiences of trauma, mental

health problems and addiction. Glasgow was one of the ‘pathfinder’ Housing First local authorities,

working to make Housing First a reality on a much bigger scale than had previously been known.

This involved finding new and collaborative ways to understand and establish the relationships,

structures and processes needed. Glasgow’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024

prioritises the Housing First approach. By July 2022, 264 Housing First tenancies have been

provided by RSLs in Glasgow.

10.9. Glasgow Alliance to End Homelessness

Alliance was set up in 2019. It brings together Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership

(HSCP), third sector and independent organisations, and local people with personal experience of

being homeless with the aim of transforming homelessness services. The Alliance sets out plans to

support the ending homelessness together objectives and these include key focuses on:

✓ Enhancing outreach housing support;

✓ Learning from Covid responses to ensure there is no return to rough sleeping;

✓ Points of transition such as leaving institutions;

✓ co-designing new models of community-based support that are trauma-informed; and

✓ tackling stigma by valuing homeless people’s voices, stories and insights.

10.10. Supporting Tenants

Glasgow’s Tenant-Led Housing Commission (Private Rented Sector) was set up to investigate the

nature and extent of private rented sector housing across Glasgow and how it functions to meet

different housing needs and demand including consideration of housing supply options, conditions

and repairs, energy efficiency, rents and affordability. Glasgow City Council engaged Tenants

Information Services (TIS), through the ‘Engage Influence Change’ (EIC) project, to help

coordinate and support the Commission. The Commission set out 16 recommendations. These are

taken forward in Glasgow’s LHS 2023 to 2028 across the relevant priorities.

Under LHS Priority 1, this strategy considers options for planning policy to address affordable

housing as well as issues of affordable rent. Under LHS Priorities 2 and 3, this strategy considers

actions to address landlords, including targeted enforcement to improve the quality of housing and

standards of management.

Under LHS Priority 4, this strategy highlights the importance of aids and adaptations for supporting

independent living and notes the specific challenge for improving knowledge and information

regarding accessibility within the private rented sector.

Under LHS Priority 5, this strategy considers the recommendation for preventing homelessness for

vulnerable private tenants and families and highlights the importance of developing advice and

information as well as formal networks for engaging and supporting private sector tenants. Such

networks would be key to tackling any discriminatory practice.

As a key priority, this strategy proposes to set out a framework to monitor and evaluate progress in

delivering Glasgow’s Tenant-Led Housing Commission (Private Rented Sector).

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