Scotland's 'generation rent'

Abstract

In recent decades, more young people in Scotland have come to rely on the private rental sector due to barriers in accessing social housing and homeownership. Stricter requirements for social housing and economic
pressures like austerity and the global financial crisis have reduced alternatives. As a result, many young people today can only choose between staying in the family home or renting privately, which is linked to higher housing instability, greater mental and physical health risks, and delayed family formation.
This research uses Scottish Household Survey data from 1999/2000 to 2022, stratified by household type, local authority, and relative deprivation measures, to identify those young households (under 45 years old) most exposed to the private rental sector. The findings show that young urban households without children are most likely to live in the private rented sector, with widening inequalities between the most and least deprived areas. The study highlights the need for more affordable housing and tighter private rental sector regulation,
aligning with the Scottish Government’s ‘Housing to 2040’ and ‘Population Strategy’ which recognise the role of safe, good quality, and affordable housing to support young people’s residential independence and family
formation.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Teresa Mcgowan: orcid.org/0009-0002-9231-3743

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