New report lifts the lid on the hidden housing crisis in one area of Ayrshire

dailyrecord.co.uk:

More than 13,000 households in South Ayrshire face one or more forms of housing need, according to a new report.The stark figure, which is equivalent to 25 per cent of the total households in the area, follows one of the most comprehensive polls of its kind into the housing needs of the nation.The data also discovered that more than 690,000 households are in one or more forms of housing need.The independent report was commissioned by Homes for Scotland (HFS), the sector body representing the country’s home builders, and carried out by The Diffley Partnership and Rettie & Co.It finds that estimates of housing need to date, calculated through the Scottish Government’s Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) tool, have ‘significantly underestimated’ how many households are facing housing hardship, including those in South Ayrshire.According to the report, a significantly higher number of households in South Ayrshire than that currently identified should be counted as being in housing need.

Across the local authority area, the poll found:The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android.* 6,000 households in South Ayrshire had at least one concealed household.

A concealed household is defined as an individual or group of people in an existing household who wish to move out to form their own household but are currently unable to do so.* 2,000 households in South Ayrshire were