Social Housing: Key Policies

Under section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, public bodies must fulfil their duties to ensure the delivery of their functions is undertaken in the best calculated way to contribute towards meeting Scotland’s climate change targets.
Table 1 on page 12 of the Net Zero: Local Authority Powers report summarises the duties (and supporting legislation) of local authorities regarding energy efficiency building standards.

The Energy Efficiency Standards for Social Housing (EESSH) (Mar 2014). More recent interim guidance for social landlords was published in 2022. The updated EESSH2, which was due mid-2023, was put on hold. A consultation to invite views on proposals for a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) to replace EESSH2 was undertaken in 2024. Read more here.
The Housing to 2040 action plan (Mar 2021) – Scotland’s first long-term housing strategy – details the route map to improve energy efficiency and use decarbonised heating in new and existing homes. This is relevant to Social Housing, especially part 3 of chapter 3 “Affordable warmth and zero emissions home.”
Tackling Fuel Poverty in Scotland: A Strategic Approach (Dec 2021) recognises the role energy efficiency and low-carbon heat play in tackling fuel poverty. This strategy sets out policies and proposals for national government, local authorities and third sector partners to help meet the targets set out in the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019. Updated information on the Scottish Government’s policies can be found here.
Local heat and energy efficiency strategies and delivery plans: guidance will support local authorities and housing associations in targeting the deployment of zero emissions heating (including heat pumps) and energy efficiency measures for social rented properties.

The Scottish Government laid out the new Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 in the Scottish Parliament on 10 October 2025. These regulations will come into force on 31 October 2026 and be the principal vehicle to deliver the reforms to Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) set out in the Scottish Government’s January 2025 Response to its 2023 consultation on EPC reform.