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In relation to the EIR request 202100240457, the information was collected via a portal that included a privacy notice where applicants were made aware that the information they provided would not be shared outwith the Scottish Government.

When affordable housing supply programme projects are submitted to the Scottish Government for approval an estimated completion date will have been provided. Details on approvals by financial year can be found in our published statistics at the following link, in the table ‘Affordable Housing Supply Programme Summary Tables – new style’ .

https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-statistics-for-scotland-new-house-building/

Local authorities have statutory responsibility for improving houses in their area and broad discretionary powers to provide advice and support to owners. It is for a local authority to determine whether this is best provided through a local care and repair service or directly by the local authority.

In connection with the new standard for fire and smoke alarms, Care and Repair Scotland have undertaken to liaise with local services that are adjacent to areas that do not have a service, and, if it is possible, to provide support across the boundaries, but this will depend on the practicalities of delivering support and the agreement of the local authority concerned.

In the case of South Ayrshire support for the purpose of assistance with fire alarms is being provided by the service at Shire Housing Association, which provides the Care and Repair service for East Ayrshire. Contact details are available on their website at https://shirehousing.co.uk/our-services/care-repair/ .

The following table shows the actual funding provided to Cunninghame, Irvine and Trust Housing Associations between 2011-12 to 2020-21, and planned funding levels for 2021-22, through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) to deliver affordable homes. The AHSP supports delivery of new build homes, rehabilitation projects, conversions and off-the-shelf purchases of both new and second hand homes.

Figures for future years planned investment by housing associations have not been agreed. Each Local Authority prepares and publishes its Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs) annually, setting out their strategic priorities for affordable housing over a 5 year period. SHIPs for the period 2021-26 currently published by local authorities, may include information relating to housing projects for these associations which have been identified as priorities.

Funding provided through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to Cunninghame, Irvine and Trust Housing Associations 2011-12 to 2021-22*

The Programme Business Case, published in February 2020, provides future forecasted operating costs for Social Security Scotland. The link to the Business Case can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-programme-business-case-executive-summary/documents/

The 2021-22 Autumn Budget Revision, published on 27 September 2021, set out the financial position for Social Security in the current year. The Social Security budget line captures staff and running costs, and Social Security Assistance covers benefits expenditure. The document can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/2021-22-autumn-budget-revision-budget-scotland-act/

The 2022-23 Scottish Budget, which is set to be announced on 9 December 2021, will set out what the Scottish Government will invest in Social Security over the next financial year. The 2021 Medium Term Financial Strategy will be published alongside the new Budget and will focus on the fiscal position within the Parliamentary term.

Rents for social rented homes should not be set without regard to the importance of affordability for tenants. The Scottish Government therefore considers the proposed rents for Registered Social Landlord social rented homes at the point of first let as part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme grant assessment process.

Applications from Registered Social Landlords for grant funding to deliver projects through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme at tender stage contain information on any projected rent levels at the date of completion which are more than 5% above the relevant social rent benchmark published by the Scottish Government.

Information on the number of units which were approved at tender stage which contained Registered Social Landlord projected rent levels at the point of completion which exceeded the relevant social rent benchmark by more than 5% began to be collected in 2018-19.

The following table shows the number of units approved at tender stage – by Registered Social Landlord – where the projected rent levels at the date of completion were more than 5% and up to 10% above, and more than 10% above, the relevant social rent benchmark. The table also shows – by Registered Social Landlord – the average forecast yield above benchmark (calculated as the weighted average of the rent as a percentage above benchmark) where the projected rent levels at the date of completion were more than 5% and up to 10% above, and more than 10% above, the relevant social rent benchmark.

The Scottish Government will shortly commence a national marketing campaign to increase awareness of the support available to people and their families, including financial support, and encourage them to take it up. This campaign will ensure that information on the availability of, and access to, free debt advice will be available, planned to begin in January 2022. We will signpost to free debt advice providers which offer a full range of support with problem debt – from budgeting through to statutory solutions – and to services across the public sector.

The Scottish Government has no plans to regulate the sale or installation of interlinked fire alarms. The best way to avoid scams is to use trusted sources of information, to not deal with cold callers, and to be wary of any company that says their products or services have been endorsed by the Scottish Government. We have included messages on the importance of using reputable tradespeople including signposting to local government Trading Standards in our awareness campaign for the new fire alarms standard.

It is for individual local authorities to determine the amount of grant that they require to apply for in order for a project to be financially viable. We are therefore unable to say how much the Scottish Government will contribute to local authorities – on average – in the current financial year for each council house that is built, and what the range of funding support will be per house based on their size and type.

However, Annual Out-turn Reports relating to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are published around the end of each calendar year and, as well as providing background information on the planning, delivery and scope of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, these include various out-turn tables in respect of spend, along with the number of approvals, site starts and completions, broken down by local authority, in the preceding financial year. The Out-turn Reports also include a table showing the average total cost per home and the average grant per home. These are the actual costs relating to the delivery of the projects within the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, calculated at tender approval stage.

The information to be included within the AHSP Out-turn Report for 2020-21 is currently being collated, but the Out-turn Report in respect of 2019-20 is available on the Scottish Government website.

This EIR was reviewed and the outcome of that review will be published on the Scottish Government website.