Changing demographics

Across Scotland, changing demographics are recognised with an increased healthier, ageing population projected. In addition it is suggested that there will be more people living alone with greater life expectancy. The number of people aged 75 and over is projected to increase by 82% between 2010 and 2035. The number of people pensionable age is to rise by 26%. In the same 25 year period, the number of people aged between 60 and 74 is projected to increase by 27%. In 2010, 23% of the population was aged 60 and over, by 2035 this figure is likely to increase by 30%.

In Scotland, the figures show an increase of 59% of people aged between 75 and 84 with dementia and a rise of 157% in people aged over 85 expected to have dementia. This presents a challenging picture which clearly demonstrates the need to change the way housing and support is delivered to ensure that peoples varying needs are met as they move into old age.

Key actions for Aberdeenshire Council for older people include:

Ensuring there is sufficient diversity in all new build housing, all sizes and tenures to meet the changing needs of Aberdeenshire residents, ensuring a minimum of 15% of new affordable homes developed meet identified need requirements per year.

Continuing to review ways to best maximise existing housing stock across all tenures, through the provision of equipment and adaptations in order to reduce the number of households with an unmet particular need by 2,310; 1,550 in the private sector and 760 in the public sector per year.

Identifying current and future housing support needs and harmonise housing support services across Aberdeenshire.

Critical disrepair is any disrepair to the critical elements of the dwelling. The critical elements are those whose condition is central to a dwelling being wind and weather proof, structurally stable and safeguarded against further rapid deterioration. Examples of critical elements are roof coverings, external doors/windows/walls and chimneys.

Based on figures from 2008-2010, in Aberdeenshire there are 39,000 (or 48%) of private sector houses with some form of critical disrepair.

20,000 (or 24%) of private sector houses have some form of urgent disrepair.

The main challenges in Aberdeenshire are:

Promoting greater responsibility amongst homeowners to carry out repairs and maintenance to their homes. Homeowners are generally not always aware of the condition of their property and do not always know the best way to carry out repairs.

Improving the energy efficiency of housing that is hard to treat or expensive to treat, especially in areas where there is no access to mains gas.

Promoting greater responsibility

The Scheme of Assistance is a major part of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and is a policy designed to improve the condition of private sector housing. Aberdeenshire Council’s Scheme of Assistance is available whereby homeowners are helped to carry out repairs and maintenance to their homes. It aims to bring about a cultural change in the attitudes of homeowners, whereby they take more responsbility for the repairs and maintenance of their homes.

The Scheme of Assistance aims to help homeowners to become more proactive in investing in the condition of their houses. Achieving a more proactive approach across Aberdeenshire, as with the rest of Scotland, is a major challenge and it is recognised that the required levels of repairs and improvements cannot be achieved through financial assistance alone. What is required is a culture amongst homeowners that promotes greater responsibility when dealing with repairs and improvements to their homes.

Scottish Government policy is focused on improving the standards in the private rented sector. Various pieces of legislation have been introduced, including the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 to raise these standards to ensure landlords and agents are operating the best management practises. Whilst it is recognised that the majority of landlords and agents operate high management standards, work will continue with private sector landlords to help improve the standards by offering training courses and providing information sessions to landlords and agents so they are aware of what their responsibilties are. It is recognised that the private rented sector plays an increasingly important role in the housing market and Aberdeenshire Council would like to see this sector thrive. In 2012/2013 a policy on the private rented sector in Aberdeenshire will be developed and implemented.

What would you like this policy to include?

Private renting plays a key role in addressing housing requirements in Aberdeenshire. Renting often provides long term homes for households, particularly in remote areas.  According to the Scottish Housing Condition Survey 2008-2010, the private rented sector accounts for approximately 11% (11,000 properties) of all housing stock within Aberdeenshire.

As at December 2011, 19% of households in receipt of housing benefit in Aberdeenshire were within the private rented sector. This relatively small proportion, alongside tight housing market conditions, suggests that this sector could be aiming at households who are mobile and in better paid jobs, who do not want the additional responsibilities of home ownership. If housing need and demand remain high compared to supply, then landlords may further restrict access to households reliant on housing benefit rather than accept lower rents once the downward adjustments of the Local Housing Allowance take effect.

If the private rented sector are to play a greater role in providing affordable housing, particularly in rural areas, the Government will need to review current capital gains and inheritance tax regulations whereby 40% of the value of assets such as private rented housing stock would have be be paid. Conditional exemptions to these tax regulations would secure existing affordable housing within the private rented sector; encourage an increase in affordable housing provision by the private rented sector by encouraging lower rents to be charged from existing portfolios in return for the conditional exemption.

I would value your views on the above.

Some more highlights from the Local Housing Strategy.

Home ownership for the first time buyer is increasingly difficult. Since the onset of the credit crunch in 2008, there has been a continued reluctance from financial institutions to lend as well as increased mortgage deposit requirements, both of which pose barriers to first time buyers.

Whilst mortgage to income ratios may have generally increased (possibly as a result of lower interest rates), clearly there are implications for first time buyers. Typically a first time buyer in Aberdeenshire would require a deposit of around £26,250 to purchase an ‘entry level’ house at £125,000.

More households are seeking rehousing and Aberdeenshire Council’s waiting list has almost doubled from 3,637 applicants in 2002 to 7,084 applicants in 2011. Furthermore, homelessness presentations have continued to increase with 1,107 presentations in 2002 to 1,772 in 2011. Social rented lets across Aberdeenshire – both local authority and registered social landlords relets – averaged 1,018 annually in the four years to 2010/11 demonstrating continued pressure within the social rented sector.

There has been a net loss of social housing stock across Aberdeenshire. Aberdeenshire Council’s housing stock has reduced by 15% mainly through Right to Buy (RTB) sales; falling from 15,125 units in 2002 to 12,851 units in 2011 – an average annual loss of 227 units, with far more houses and larger properties sold than flats and smaller properties. RTB sales have however declined since 2008 due in part to the difficult housing market conditions, changes in RTB legislation and Pressured Area Designation and is expected to remain low in the future.

Let’s hope that the Scottish Government’s consultation on the future of Right To Buy will result in this policy finally being put to bed.

As you will see from my previous post, the consultation document is quite large and there’s a lot of reading in it. Over the next few days, I am going to be highlighting a few issues which may be of interest. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your comments or respond to the consultation online.

Today, I am going to highlight some facts about fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty is caused by three main factors; household income, cost of fuel and the energy efficiency of the home. A household can move in and out of fuel poverty depending on the variables of these causes, therefore the council and its partners will aim to reduce the incidence of fuel poverty through improving the energy efficiency of homes and maximising household income.

Almost one-third of households in Aberdeenshire are living in fuel poverty. Within the private sector, 30% of all households are living in fuel poverty and although 29% of all social sector households are also in fuel poverty, this has reduced substantially from the previous period mainly due to the number of energy efficient measures carried out. The biggest challenge is to encourage private sector households to carry out energy efficient measures in their own home.

Aberdeenshire Council has launched an online consultation on its draft Local Housing Strategy for the next five years. The council is seeking feedback from residents on the draft strategy, which outlines the important issues facing the council and its partners until 2017 across all housing tenures. It deals with all aspects of housing and related issues, including affordable housing, homelessness, fuel poverty, private sector housing, housing for older people or those with a disability, minority ethnic communities, repairs and improvements to council housing, housing management and tenant participation.

The consultation will run until Friday, August 31 and gives residents the chance to have their say on the strategy and what they consider to be the key housing issues for Aberdeenshire.

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Social Work and Housing Committee, Councillor Karen Clark, said: “Engaging with Aberdeenshire residents and finding out their thoughts on strategies such as this one is vitally important to us as a council.

“I would urge people to get involved and give their feedback on the proposed strategy.”

Residents are asked to read the draft strategy then give their feedback on what is currently proposed by visiting

http://aberdeenshire-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal