Home-ownership rates rocket in Scotland
SCOTLAND has had the fastest growth in the number of home owners, new figures revealed today.
Estimates from the Bank of Scotland – based on official statistics – showed the number of owner occupiers in rose by 125,000 over a five-year period, going from 1.403 million in 2001 to 1.528 million in 2006. That rise of 8.9 per cent was more than three times the UK increase of 3.1 per cent.
Owner occupation levels in Scotland reached 66 per cent in 2006 – up from 64 per cent in 2001, but more than double the 31 per cent rate of 1971.
But the 2006 total was still below the UK average owner occupation rate of 70 per cent.
Chief economist at the Bank of Scotland, Martin Ellis, said: "Owner occupation has continued to rise in Scotland over the past five years. As a result, owner occupation rates are now close to the UK average."
East Renfrewshire's owner occupation rate of 86 per cent was the highest in Scotland and it was lowest in Glasgow, where the rate was 51 per cent.
There was also a rise in the number of people who own their home outright.
The number of people in this position went from 548,062 in 2001 to 694,658 in 2006.
The full article contains 223 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
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Last Updated:
17 May 2008 9:47 AM
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Source:
Edinburgh Evening News
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Location:
Edinburgh