How is the SNP helping people on to the housing ladder?

We’re taking a range of measures to support people get onto the housing ladder.

Firstly, we abolished Margaret Thatcher’s council house policy, which was eating up Scotland’s social housing stock.

While the scheme did extend the benefits of home ownership to many families, the SNP believes it had past its sell-by-date by failing to replenish council housing stock.

Thus, since 2007, over 141,000 affordable and social homes have been completed under the SNP to meet social housing needs – a rate far in excess of every other UK nation.

Also since 2007, our Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) shared equity schemes has helped over 12,000 people to buy a home for the first time.

And the 2026-27 Scottish budget invests £926 million in the Affordable Housing Supply to further improve Scotland’s affordable housing supply.