The Scottish Executive needs to increase funding for affordable rented housing by 50%, according to the Chartered Institute of Housing.
It made the claim in a submission to the executive's comprehensive spending review on Wednesday.

The CIH said 8200 new affordable homes were needed in Scotland each year, rather than the 4300 currently being built. Building these extra homes would cost an additional £331m a year.

The CIH is concerned that the executive is focusing on meeting the Scottish housing quality standard in 2015 and has not addressed the recent huge rises in house prices across Scotland.

House price inflation in Scotland is running at 18%, with no equivalent rises in housebuilding.

CIH Scotland director Alan Ferguson said: "Our real concern is housing could lose out in the spending review.

"If you look at all the spending commitments that have been made and look at all the other demands on the executive's money, it is a real worry."

The executive will unveil its spending review in September.