Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron has welcomed an increase in funding for affordable housing.
A rise in the Scottish Government’s ‘voids and acquisition’ fund, which will double in its second year, means Edinburgh will receive £28.6m, an additional £13.8m compared to 2024/25. This brings the total Scottish Government funding for affordable housing supply in Edinburgh to £73.7m in 2025/26.
The funding is targeted at councils with the highest sustained pressures on temporary accommodation and is focused on the acquisition of existing properties, in particular family-sized homes.
Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said:
I warmly welcome this award of £73.7 million for Edinburgh from the Scottish Government and believe this funding recognises the pressures in Edinburgh in terms of acute housing demand and increased dependence and spend on temporary accommodation.
Sadly, far too many families in Edinburgh continue to struggle to find affordable places to live and are living in temporary accommodation. This is why we are prioritising acquiring much-needed larger, family-sized homes for residents across the city, helping to reduce further the number of children living in unsuitable accommodation. This funding will go towards that.
We’re also now fast approaching the two-year anniversary of declaring a housing emergency in Edinburgh, and whilst we are making every effort to deliver more new homes, housing supply simply isn’t meeting Edinburgh’s level of housing demand. Much more needs to be done, and much more money needs to come to Edinburgh.
Find out more about affordable homes in Edinburgh.