Single-person Households

That the Parliament recognises recent data showing that Scotland now has the highest percentage of single-person households in the UK, driven partly by an ageing population; acknowledges that, in 2023, 37% of Scottish households consisted of one person living alone, according to National Records of Scotland; considers that this marks a significant rise, contributing to the overall 14% increase in households over the past 20 years despite a relatively stable overall population; further considers that this trend intensifies the housing crisis as the demand for individual housing units rises; notes that the construction sector reportedly struggles to keep up and is unable to build homes at the pace required to meet the needs of a growing number of single-person households; recognises reports that the gap between housing supply and demand continues to widen, and believes that this underscores the need for a range of initiatives to address what it sees as this pressing issue.