Families are having to face waiting times of up to seven years for a home, according to a housing charity.
Shelter Scotland revealed the statistic as it urged voters to consider the "acute shortage" of social housing ahead of this week's local authority elections.
The charity, which provides advice to families and individuals on housing and homelessness, said the most recent waiting list is 156,200 strong. The number of social housing lets, meanwhile, is just 21,605.
According to Shelter, these figures mean that the waiting list will take over seven years to clear.
However, the charity warns that it may take much longer due to new people joining the list as austerity measures and welfare reforms hit home.
Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland said: "For families to put their lives on hold for up to seven years for a home is unbearable. This analysis shows clearly the desperate situation tens of thousands of people in Scotland have no choice but to endure.
"That’s why in this week’s local council elections, we are urging people to vote on real bread and butter issues like the acute shortage of social housing and want voters to call on candidates to make tackling the housing shortage one of their priorities.”
More About Local elections 2012
- Scotland’s councillors get back to work as the dust settles on elections
- New coalition in Edinburgh sets out promises for next five years
- SNP fury as Labour and Tories strike coalition deal to run Stirling Council
- Voters go to the polls a week late to elect final three councillors
- Councils in Lothians strike deals after days of negotiations
- Councils across Scotland starting to take shape after days of negotiations
- Negotiations across the Lothians in the wake of local government elections
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