Nearly a third of Edinburgh's 31,500 housing applicants waiting over five years

City of Edinburgh Council’s housing wait list has reached more than 31,000, with nearly a third of applicants waiting more than five years. The figures – revealed by a Freedom of Information request – come as City of Edinburgh Council is in the midst of a freeze on new housing lets.

The figures reveal that the total number of active applications on City of Edinburgh Council's housing waiting list as of the most recent date for which data is held had reached 31,589.

City of Edinburgh Council’s housing list has reached more than 31,000 an FOI has revealed | PA

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Cllr Tim Pogson, said the council is facing “unprecedented demand for housing” with challenging market conditions, ongoing budget pressures and insufficient funding from the Scottish Government.

He added: “Over the past year, since the latest version of the Housing Emergency Action Plan was approved in June 2025, we have begun to make real progress. We have taken significant steps to tackle the housing emergency including accelerating the turnaround of empty homes, suspending the allocations policy and investing in homelessness prevention services.

“Thousands of affordable homes have been delivered or are in the pipeline, with more than 1,200 homes currently under construction, plans for 830 more approved and over 1,400 completed last year.

“Our efforts are being strengthened by significant investment including a record £1.6bn commitment to affordable homes over the next five years. While there is still much to do, the progress to date shows that sustained action, partnership working, and political commitment can make a real difference, and we must continue to do so if Edinburgh is to ensure safe, secure housing for all its residents.”

Cllr Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness & Fair Work Convener

City of Edinburgh Council declared a housing emergency in November 2023. In April 2025, the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee all agreed to suspend the Council’s house letting policy, other than for people who have been awarded Gold or Urgent Gold Priority.

This was continued in August 2025 and again in February 2026. City of Edinburgh Council confirmed that the allocation pause is in place until March 2027 and the committee continues to receive regular updates.

In a report to the committee in May of this year, it was reported that a recruitment exercise to recruit additional tradespeople into the Housing Service had seen only 50 per cent of posts filled due to a lack of suitably qualified applicants applying and being successful for the roles.

The report states that there is a risk that City of Edinburgh Council has “insufficient capacity amongst the current in-house workforce” to carry out work needed on properties purchased through acquisitions and large-scale purchases.

The report reads: “There is a risk that there is insufficient capacity amongst the current in house workforce and contractors on existing frameworks to carry out the scale of work associated with turning around voids and dealing with the work needed in the properties purchased through acquisitions and large-scale purchases.

“Work is underway to evaluate the capacity required and to secure additional contractors as necessary.”

The report also outlines how the council is set to suspend some criteria for acquisitions of new homes in an effort to increase its housing stock.

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