Darpariaeth tai fforddiadwy: Ebrill 2023 i Fawrth 2024
Nifer yr unedau ychwanegol a ddarparwyd, yn ogystal â sut y mae'r system gynllunio yn cyfrannu at ddarparu'r unedau hyn ar gyfer Ebrill 2023 i Fawrth 2024. Saesneg yn unig.
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Introduction
Affordable housing applies to housing where secure mechanisms are in place to ensure that it is accessible to those who cannot afford market housing, both on first and subsequent occupation as defined in Technical Advice Note (TAN) 2.
The figures cover all additional affordable housing units, whether through new build, purchase, acquisition, leasing or conversion of existing dwellings. They do not take account of any loss of affordable housing stock through demolitions or sales during the year.
Within this release we are not able to publish the same detail of data for all providers. As the major provider of additional affordable housing across Wales, RSLs are required to provide extra information to Welsh Government including the tenure type of the housing units delivered and the number which are delivered by RSLs within the National Park areas. Therefore, this release includes more detail for RSLs than for local authority or ‘other’ providers.
The Programme for Government, first published in June 2021, and updated in December 2021, and the Minister for Climate Change’s Written Statement on Social Housing in Wales (15 June 2021), include the commitment to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector during this government term. Further detail is available in the glossary.
Throughout the report, references to financial years are used. When referencing financial years '-' are used (e.g. 2023-24).
Main points
Figure 1: Additional affordable housing provision, 2007-08 to 2023-24
Description of Figure 1: A bar graph showing the number of additional affordable housing units delivered in Wales each year from 2007-08 to 2023-24, split by total and registered social landlord units. The number of units delivered in 2023-24 decreased slightly from the previous year.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
Additional affordable housing provision by location and year (StatsWales)
Welsh Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) continued to make the largest contribution to additional affordable housing in Wales, delivering 75% of all additional affordable housing provision during 2023-24 (2,433 units).
75% of all affordable housing units were delivered with capital grant funding.
73% of affordable homes delivered were new build (excluding ‘other providers, as this is unknown).
92% of affordable homes delivered were for rent (including social and intermediate rent), 5% were shared ownership and 3% shared equity. These percentages exclude ‘other’ providers as tenure is unknown.
Measuring progress on the Welsh Government commitment to deliver 20,000 new low-carbon homes for rent in the social sector during 2021 to 2026
Welsh Government has committed to delivering 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector during this government term.
In measuring progress, we have included social rented, intermediate rented and shared ownership units, delivered by registered social landlords, local authorities, and private sector providers. Figures also include housing units leased to provide accommodation for homeless families where the lease is for more than a year. The reported target figure excludes shared equity affordable units and is therefore lower than the total figure of additional affordable housing delivered.
The chart below shows the cumulative total of homes delivered since the start of the current term. A data point is shown at 20,000 for 2025-26, to give an idea of progress towards the target over time.
Figure 2: Cumulative number of homes delivered in relation to the target measure
Description of Figure 2: A line graph showing progress towards the 2025-26 20,000 affordable housing target.
In 2023-24, 3,158 affordable units were delivered for rent in the social sector across Wales. This includes 1,942 social rented units, 249 intermediate rented, and 167 shared ownership units delivered by RSLs, 734 units delivered by local authorities at social or intermediate rent and a further 66 delivered by other providers.
This brings the total units delivered since 2021 to 8,933; of which, 8,074 were delivered for rent (including social and intermediate rent).
Additional affordable housing delivered
Affordable Housing Units delivered through the Rent to Own scheme-Wales are not included in the total additional affordable housing figures shown within this section as they do not fully conform with the TAN 2 definition.
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, a total of 3,255 additional affordable housing units were delivered across Wales. Since 1 April 2007, when information on affordable housing was first collected, a cumulative total of 43,898 additional affordable housing units have been delivered. The 3,255 additional affordable housing units delivered during 2023-24 were a decrease of 3% (114 units) compared to the units delivered the previous year but the third highest total since data was first recorded in 2007-08.
RSLs delivered 3% more additional affordable housing units during 2023-24 than in the previous year (2,433 compared with 2,366), and 14% more units than in 2021-22 (2,130). The proportion of all affordable housing units that were delivered by RSLs increased to 75% in 2023-24 from the 70% seen in 2022-23. Of these 1,990 (82%) were newly built properties.
A further 756 units (23%) were local authority owned affordable housing units, the highest total since data was first recorded in 2007-08. The majority of these (61%) were delivered by 3 local authorities, Cardiff (302 units), Carmarthenshire (84 units) and Pembrokeshire (74 units). Of the 756 units, 45% (336 units) were newly built with 51% (172 units) being built in Cardiff (see 'Provision' data on StatsWales for full details).
The remaining 66 units (2%) were delivered by other providers and included additional affordable housing units delivered directly by private developers through the planning system via Section 106 agreement. Further information on Section 106 agreements is in the glossary section of this release.
The number of additional affordable housing units delivered within the National Park areas decreased to 40 units in 2023-24. This is a decrease of 18 units compared to the 58 units seen in 2022-23. This represented 1% of all additional affordable housing provision during 2023-24.
Each local authority sets an affordable housing planned delivery target and this will influence provision. At an individual local authority level, 12 of the 22 authorities reported increases in the provision of additional affordable housing during 2023-24 compared to the previous year, with notable increases in Pembrokeshire (from 92 to 189), Flintshire (from 50 to 97) and Isle of Anglesey (from 124 to 169). The largest decreases were seen in Newport (from 359 to 254), Rhondda Cynon Taf (from 189 to 99) and Carmarthenshire (from 241 to 165).
It is estimated, by local authorities, that a further 3,645 affordable housing units are planned for delivery during 2024-25. However, when comparing statistics on planned and delivered units in previous years, figures may be subject to change so should be treated with caution. Further information is provided in the ‘Accuracy’ section of the quality report.
Further breakdown on affordable housing provision by location and year can be found on StatsWales.
Rate of all additional affordable housing
To take into account the number of households in each area, for 2023-24, the rate of additional affordable housing provision per 10,000 households has been calculated using Household estimates: mid-2020 for Welsh local authorities published by the Welsh Government 23 September 2021, prior to the revisions published 11 December 2024 (StatsWales).
Figure 3: Rate of all additional affordable housing units delivered per 10,000 households, by local authority area, April 2023 to March 2024
Description of Figure 3: A bar graph showing the rate of additional housing units delivered per 10,000 households in Wales, by local authority area. 6 of the 22 local authorities have rates higher than the Wales average.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government and mid-2020 Household Estimates, Welsh Government
Figure 3 shows that during 2023-24 the rate of additional affordable housing delivery across Wales as a whole was 23.6 units per 10,000 households.
The local authority with the highest number of affordable housing units delivered in 2023-24 was Cardiff (636 units or 20% of the Wales total). However, when considering the number of households in each area, Isle of Anglesey was the authority with the highest delivery rate at 53.6 units per 10,000 households.
Blaenau Gwent had the lowest delivery rate at 8.3 units per 10,000 households, with 26 units delivered in 2023-24.
Additional affordable housing by funding source
The availability of Welsh Government grant funding for affordable housing such as Social Housing Grant (SHG), recycled Social Housing Grant (RCG), Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme (TACP), Housing Finance Grant (HFG) and Housing with Care Fund will impact on the ability of all providers, but particularly RSLs, to deliver additional affordable housing across Wales.
Figure 4: Number of additional affordable housing delivered by funding source [Note 1]
Description of Figure 4: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units delivered each financial year with and without capital grant funding.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
Additional affordable housing provision by location, year and funding (StatsWales)
[Note 1] 2009-10 was the first time funding source was collected using the current definition.
75% of affordable housing units were delivered through capital grant funding in 2023-24, higher than the proportion for 2022-23 (72%). The proportion of affordable housing units delivered without capital grant fund decreased from 28% (929 units) in 2022-23 to 25% (822 units) in 2023-24.
During 2023-24, 75% of all RSL affordable housing provision in Wales were delivered with some form of capital grant funding, down from 79% during the previous year. Across Wales, RSL provision with capital grant funding reached over 80% in 11 local authorities.
A breakdown of these figures can be found on the StatsWales website.
Additional affordable housing delivered by RSLs
Welsh RSLs continue to make the largest contribution delivering 75% of all additional affordable housing in Wales in 2023-24. As the major provider of additional affordable housing across Wales, RSLs are required to provide more detailed information to Welsh Government including the tenure type of the housing units delivered and the number which are delivered by RSLs within the National Park areas.
Welsh RSLs delivered all the additional affordable housing in 6 of the 22 local authorities across Wales and more than half of all the additional affordable housing in 15 of the 16 remaining local authorities. The exception was Carmarthenshire where RSLs were responsible for 49% of all affordable housing provision in 2023-24.
RSL delivery by tenure
Figure 5: Number of additional affordable housing delivered by Welsh Registered Social Landlords, by tenure [Note 1] [Note 2]
Description of Figure 5: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units delivered each year and the tenure of the units. Each year since the start of the collection, the majority have been for social rent.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
[Note 1] Information taken from Registered Social Landlords returns, detailing all additional affordable housing delivered within the local authorities in which they operate.
[Note 2] Shared ownership Wales was introduced in February 2018 with the first purchase occurring in 2017-18.
Figure 5 shows that of the 2,433 affordable housing units delivered by Welsh RSLs during 2023-24, 80% were social rented housing (1,942 units). This is similar to the proportion of RSL social rented units delivered in 2022-23. The social rented housing units provided by RSLs during 2023-24 accounted for 60% of all additional housing delivered by all providers.
A further affordable housing option is intermediate rented properties where the rents are above those of social rents, but below market housing rents.
During 2023-24 a total of 249 intermediate rented properties were delivered by RSLs, a 24% increase on the 201 units delivered in 2022-23. Intermediate rented properties accounted for 10% of all RSL provision.
RSLs also provide shared equity units for those who are not eligible for social housing, but who cannot afford to buy or rent a property on the open market (see glossary). During 2023-24, 75 shared equity units were delivered, a decrease of 34% from 2022-23 but similar to the figure seen in 2021-22. Shared equity units accounted for just 3% of all RSL provision.
Through April 2023 to March 2024, RSLs across Wales delivered 167 additional affordable housing units via the Shared-ownership - Wales scheme (see glossary), an increase of 50% on 2022-23.
Most of the additional affordable housing provided during 2023-24 by RSLs were ‘general needs’ properties. These properties include self-contained units that are not reserved for specific client groups and also properties that are adapted for use for people with disabilities but where no additional services or support are provided as part of the terms of occupancy. During 2023-24 these types of property accounted for 85% (2,063 units) of all additional affordable housing provision by RSLs. The remaining 15% (370 units) were housing units provided for use by particular client groups or for specific purposes.
Further information on social rented, intermediate rented, shared equity and also shared ownership- Wales housing units is available in the glossary.
Additional affordable housing through planning obligations
The number of affordable homes to be provided in a particular area will be determined by the local planning authority’s planning policy and discussions with developers about what is feasible given the economic circumstances and other factors. The agreed affordable housing contribution will be secured by what is known as a planning obligation (or a section 106 agreement) which is a legally binding contract between a developer and a local planning authority that operates alongside a planning permission to make a development acceptable to both parties. These arrangements may be used to offset negative consequences of development, to help meet local needs or to secure benefits which would make a development more sustainable.
Figures 6a and 6b below show the number of additional affordable housing units that were granted planning permission each year through planning obligations (section 106 agreements) or planning conditions either as part of, or as a result of, market housing developments. Granted planning permission refers to final detailed (i.e. not outline) planning permissions granted during the year and will mean that a section 106 agreement (where applicable) has already been signed.
The figures also show information on the number of additional affordable housing units that were delivered each year, irrespective of when the planning permission was granted. This includes local authorities, registered social landlords, community land trusts and private sector provision.
It should be noted that additional affordable housing units delivered or granted planning permission through planning obligations may or may not be on affordable housing exception sites.
Figure 6a: Additional affordable housing delivered through planning obligations (number granted planning permission) [Note 1]
Description of Figure 6a: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units granted planning permission through planning obligations in local authorities and national parks. This number peaked in 2009-2010.
Figure 6b: Additional affordable housing delivered through planning obligations (number delivered) [Note 1]
Description of Figure 6b: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units delivered through planning obligations in local authorities and national parks. This number peaked in 2022-23.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
[Note 1] Housing units delivered through planning obligations cannot be summed with those delivered on affordable housing exceptions sites, as a housing unit may be delivered through planning obligations and be on a housing exception site.
During 2023-24, the number of additional affordable housing units granted planning permission decreased by 50% to 522. Affordable housing units granted planning permission in National Parks increased by 88% from the previous year to 49, whilst in local authorities (outside National Park areas) decreased by 43% to 473 units.
During 2023-24, the number of additional affordable housing units delivered through planning obligations (Section 106 agreements) decreased by 16% compared with the previous year to 856 units.
The number of additional affordable housing delivered through planning obligations was down by 13% (from 941 to 820) for local authorities. Denbighshire and the Vale of Glamorgan each accounted for 17% of the units delivered through planning obligations, followed by Wrexham with 11% and Caerphilly with 10%. For National Parks the number of additional affordable housing delivered through planning obligations was down by 57% (from 83 to 36 units) during 2023-24 (Figure 6b).
During 2023-24, 26% of all additional affordable housing was delivered through planning obligations compared with 30% the previous year and 27% during 2021-22.
The number of additional affordable housing units delivered through planning obligations is consistently lower than the number granted planning permission. This may be due to the time lag between the planning permission being granted and the final delivery of the housing unit.
Additional affordable housing on housing exception sites
Affordable housing exception sites are small scale housing sites within or adjoining existing settlements for the provision of affordable housing to meet local needs, which would not otherwise be allocated in the development plan. Prior to July 2010 these were known as ‘rural exceptions sites’.
The number of affordable housing units granted planning permission to be built on affordable housing exception sites increased by 10% to 112 units in 2023-24, all of which were within local authorities (Figure 7a).
Figure 7a: Additional affordable housing delivered on housing exception sites (number granted planning permission) [Note 1]
Description of Figure 7a: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units granted planning permission on exception sites in local authorities and national parks. This number peaked in 2021-22.
Figure 7b: Additional affordable housing delivered on housing exception sites (number delivered) [Note 1]
Description of Figure 7b: A bar chart showing the number of affordable housing units delivered on housing exception sites in local authorities and national parks. 2023-24 was the highest figure recorded.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
[Note 1] Housing units delivered through planning obligations cannot be summed with those delivered on affordable housing exceptions sites, as a housing unit may be delivered through planning obligations and be on a housing exception site.
Where a local planning authority has identified a lack of affordable housing it must consider including an 'affordable housing exception site' policy in its development plan, setting out the circumstances where sites may be released for 100% affordable housing to meet local needs as an exception to the policies for general housing provision.
Additional affordable housing on public sector land
Figure 8 below shows the extent to which the public sector, including local authorities, is releasing their own land for the purpose of providing additional affordable housing.
During 2023-24, the number of additional affordable housing units delivered on all public sector land decreased by 64% to 485 units and accounted for 15% of all affordable housing provision.
Figure 8: Additional affordable housing delivered on land made available by the public sector, April 2023 to March 2024 [Note 1] [Note 2]
Description of Figure 8: A bar chart comparing the number of affordable housing units delivered on local authority land and other public sector land for 2023-24. As well as comparing what was delivered with and without capital grant funding.
Source: Affordable Housing Provision data collection, Welsh Government
[Note 1] Information taken from returns from local authorities detailing all additional affordable housing provided within their respective areas.
[Note 2] Other public sector bodies include the Welsh Government and Welsh Government sponsored bodies, other central government departments, health authorities and police, fire and rescue services/authorities. Further details are provided in the glossary towards the end of the release.
Of the 273 units delivered on local authority land in Wales, 39% (106 units) were delivered in Cardiff, followed by 15% (40 units) in Merthyr Tydfil and 12% (34 units) in Pembrokeshire. 13 local authorities recorded no units delivered on local authority land.
4 of the 22 local authorities reported additional affordable housing units being delivered on land released by other public sector bodies during 2023-24, with Torfaen accounting for (53%), Pembrokeshire (19%), Carmarthenshire (17%) and Blaenau Gwent (12%).
Further details of the other public sector bodies included are provided in the glossary.
Coherence with other statistical publications
The data collected and published annually on affordable housing are based on information collected via annual statistical returns completed by local authorities, registered social landlords and National Park authorities in Wales. It includes provision through new house building as well as the purchase, acquisition, leasing or conversion of existing dwellings. A subset of the affordable housing data will therefore be included in the Welsh Government’s new house building statistics, which are published separately.
However, the new house building statistics are based on the reports of local authority building inspectors and the National House Building Council (NHBC). It is sometimes difficult for building control officers who record the data to identify the intended final tenure of the property and this may lead to an under-count of social sector new house building and an over-count for the private sector. As such, there may be some apparent disparity between new build statistics and affordable housing statistics.
Further information can be found in the relevant quality reports for affordable housing statistics and new house building statistics.
On 6 November 2019, ONS published two reports on affordable housing statistics as part of a UK wide programme of work to improve housing and planning statistics:
- Comparing affordable housing in the UK (ONS), an article making cross-UK comparisons of affordable housing statistics.
- Affordable Housing Statistics in the UK (ONS), a review of definitions, terminology and the feasibility of harmonising affordable housing statistical definitions.
Glossary
Affordable housing exception sites
Affordable housing exception sites are small scale housing sites within or adjoining existing settlements for the provision of affordable housing to meet local needs, which would not otherwise be allocated in the development plan. Prior to July 2010 these were known as ‘rural exceptions sites’.
Additional affordable housing
Affordable housing provided through newbuild or through the purchase, leasing or conversion of existing units on or after 1 April 2007. This therefore excludes existing affordable units that have been renovated or refurbished, as they are not classed as being additional. Where there was a net loss of affordable units over the year, this was recorded as zero. For example, if two self-contained flats in one property were converted into one family home, the number of additional units is zero as there has been a reduction in the number of affordable units.
Capital Grants Funding
Capital Grants Funding includes Social Housing Grant (SHG), any recycled Social Housing Grant (RCG), Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme (TACP), Housing Finance Grant (HFG) and Housing with Care Fund (HCF) but excludes those housing units funded from other sources.
Conversions
When one unit is changed into multiple units or multiple units are changed into one. For example, where one family house is converted into shared accommodation for three occupants, the number of additional units is two.
Delivered
Means that the unit is completed and is available for occupation.
Extra care (sheltered housing)
Offers more support to residents than other retirement housing but allows them to retain more independence than moving to a care home. Residents still live in self-contained flats but meals may be provided‚ either in the flat or a shared dining room and care staff are often available to provide personal care.
General needs
Self-contained units that are not reserved for specific client groups. Properties adapted for use for people with disabilities were included here if no additional services or support were provided as part of the terms of occupancy.
Granted planning permission
Refers to final detailed (i.e. not outline) planning permissions granted during the year. Granted Planning Permission will mean that a section 106 agreement has already been signed.
Social Housing Grant (SHG)
Social Housing Grant is the primary capital funding programme to deliver high quality homes which contribute towards the 20,000 additional low carbon homes for social rent target.
Housing unit
Self-contained dwelling which provides a minimum of one habitable room, with exclusive use of a kitchen, bathroom/shower, sink and toilet.
NB: In shared housing, a unit will relate to the number of bed spaces or bedrooms provided exclusively for use by the occupant or family in the case of hostels or refuges. For example, one house may provide supported accommodation for three occupants – each occupant has exclusive use of a bedroom and shares lounge, kitchen and bathroom facilities. This was counted as three units. Bedrooms used exclusively by staff were not counted.
Housing with Care Fund (HCF)
The Housing with Care Fund (capital) is a nominally allocated to Regional Partnership Boards to support a range of interventions including affordable housing with care at social rent delivered by local authorities and RSLs. This includes, for example, extra care housing for older people and supported living for adults with a learning disability.
Intermediate rented housing
Where prices or rents are above those of social rented housing but below market housing prices or rents. This can include equity sharing schemes (for example Home buy). Intermediate housing differs from low cost market housing, which the Welsh Government does not consider to be affordable housing for the purpose of the land use planning system.
National Park Authorities (NPAs)
Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) NPA has boundaries in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torfaen.
Pembrokeshire NPA has boundaries in Pembrokeshire only.
Eryri’n (Snowdonia) NPA has boundaries in Conwy and Gwynedd.
Other public sector bodies
Additional affordable housing units are delivered on land made available by the local authority and on land formerly owned by the following public sector bodies:
- Welsh Government including Welsh Government Sponsored Bodies:
- other Central Government Departments (including for example former Ministry of Defence sites or Courts sites);
- Welsh Health Estates (covering National Health Service sites formerly owned by Health Authorities, Health Trusts and Ambulance Trusts etc)
- police forces/authorities
- fire and rescue services/authorities
Planned
This refers to any additional affordable housing units which are currently being developed and are scheduled to be delivered during the financial year 2024-25.
Planning obligations (Section 106 agreements)
As part of market housing developments developers are often asked to make a contribution to meeting identified local need for affordable housing. The number of affordable homes to be provided on a particular site will be determined by the local planning authority’s planning policy (usually based on a percentage for sites above a certain size) and negotiations with the developer about what is feasible given the economic circumstances and any other site-specific factors. The agreed affordable housing contribution will be secured by what is known as a planning obligation (or a section 106 agreement) which is a legally binding contract between a developer and a local planning authority that operates alongside a planning permission. The land itself, rather than the person or organisation that develops the land, is bound by a Section 106 Agreement, so this is something any future owners will need to take into account.
These arrangements to overcome obstacles which may otherwise prevent planning permission from being granted, may be used to offset negative consequences of development, to help meet local needs or to secure benefits which would make a development more sustainable.
Rent to Own – Wales
This scheme was introduced in February 2018 and to offer the opportunity of home ownership to households who can afford the monthly mortgage payments but do not have the level of deposit normally required to purchase a home. Under Rent to Own – Wales, aspiring buyers will pay market rents for new-build homes from participating housing associations, and will have the option to purchase these from the end of the second year of their rental period.
Upon exercising the option to purchase, the aspiring buyer will be gifted an amount equivalent to 25% of the rent they have paid and 50% of any increase in the value of the home, to use as a mortgage deposit. This will help them to purchase the home that they are renting.
Housing delivered via the Rent to Own – Wales scheme does not fully conform to the TAN2 definition of affordable housing and the number of units delivered under the scheme is not included in the overall total for additional affordable housing shown in this release.
Section 106 agreements
See ‘Planning obligations’.
Shared equity
This includes:
- units where the registered social landlord provides an equity loan to assist with the purchase of a property (e.g. through the Homebuy scheme)
- units where there is any other low cost home ownership arrangement
- units that are offered under ‘neutral tenure’ principles (where applicants can choose to rent or buy depending on individual circumstances) if the first occupancy is on equity sharing terms
Prior to the introduction of the new Shared Ownership – Wales scheme in February 2018, units where there is shared ownership between the occupant and the RSL (e.g. part ownership / part rent) may have been included under 'Shared Equity'.
Shared Ownership – Wales
Shared Ownership - Wales is a part-buy, part-rent scheme introduced in February 2018. It is aimed at aspiring buyers who have some deposit but are unable to obtain the level of mortgage to purchase the home outright. Aspiring buyers can purchase an initial share of 25% to 75% of the value of new-build homes, which are available for this scheme from participating housing associations.
They can staircase up to full ownership at any time. Rent will be payable on the un-owned share. The affordable housing units delivered under this scheme do conform to the TAN 2 definition of affordable housing and the numbers delivered have been included in the overall total for additional affordable housing provision shown in this release.
Sheltered housing
Designed specifically for older people, commonly built in developments of about 20 to 40 self-contained flats or bungalows. There is almost always an alarm system linked to a 24-hour communication centre which can summon help in an emergency and usually a scheme manager (warden) ‚ who may live on site.
Social rented housing
Social rented housing is provided by local authorities and Welsh RSLs where rent levels are below market rents and are set within the framework of the Welsh Government Rent and Service Charge Standard.
Stair-casing
Stair-casing is when the owner of a Shared Ownership – Wales property exercises their legal right to acquire additional shares (equity) in their property.
Supported housing
There are many different types of supported accommodation to meet the needs of a wide range of people. Residents may have extra needs due to disability, their age or other reasons. The accommodation may have been specially adapted or designed to meet particular physical needs or it may provide extra support through the use of wardens or other staff to help residents live independently.
Quality and methodology information
Detailed information on data quality and methodology can be found in the Affordable housing provision quality report.
Official statistics status
All official statistics should show the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority).
These are accredited official statistics. They were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
It is Welsh Government’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected of accreditation. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with OSR promptly. Accreditation can be cancelled or suspended at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.
Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics
Our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR. OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.
All our statistics are produced and published in accordance with a number of statements and protocols to enhance trustworthiness, quality and value. These are set out in the Welsh Government’s Statement of Compliance.
These official statistics demonstrate the standards expected around trustworthiness, quality and public value in the following ways.
Trustworthiness
The data is collected directly from local authorities, RSLs and other providers that have delivered affordable housing in Wales.
Quality
The published figures provided are compiled by professional analysts using the latest available data and applying methods using their professional judgement and analytical skillset. Statistics published by Welsh Government adhere to the Statistical Quality Management Strategy which supplements the Quality pillar of the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority) and the European Statistical System principles of quality for statistical outputs.
Data is collected by Welsh Government directly from local authorities, RSLs and other housing providers. They complete data collection forms based on data stored on their respective IT systems and return the completed forms to Welsh Government via its secure web data transfer system.
Validation checks are performed by Welsh Government statisticians and queries referred to local authorities where necessary. The statistical release is then drafted, signed off by senior statisticians and published in line with the statement on confidentiality and data access which is informed by the trustworthiness pillar contained in the Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority).
Value
The purpose of the statistical release is to provide evidence for policy development and is used in informing Ministerial advice and decision making in the wider policy context. Furthermore, it provides the wider public with information about social housing stock and how many additional units are being delivered and planned within the next financial year.
You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.
Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG)
The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators (“national indicators”) that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. Under section 10(8) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, where the Welsh Ministers revise the national indicators, they must as soon as reasonably practicable (a) publish the indicators as revised and (b) lay a copy of them before the Senedd. These national indicators were laid before the Senedd in 2021. The indicators laid on 14 December 2021 replace the set laid on 16 March 2016.
Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the wellbeing goals and associated technical information is available in the Wellbeing of Wales report.
Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local wellbeing assessments and local wellbeing plans.
