Government confirms Right to Buy reforms will go ahead

Last year, nearly 7,500 council homes were sold to tenants under the Right to Buy policy, a rise of 7% on the previous year.

An estimated two million homes have been lost from the public sector as a result of the policy brought in over 40 years ago. The changes to the policy have been welcomed by groups in the sector.

Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), said: “CIH welcomes the government’s continued focus on reforming Right to Buy and the clear recognition that change is needed to better protect and rebuild our social housing.

“The measures confirmed today are a positive step towards addressing the long-standing imbalance between homes sold and those replaced.

“We also welcome the further work on fraud prevention and the scheme’s impact in rural areas, both of which are crucial to ensuring Right to Buy operates fairly and sustainably.”

Alistair Smyth, director of policy and research at the National Housing Federation, said: “We welcome these bold reforms. Given the scale of the housing crisis, it’s right that the government is intervening to protect our depleted social housing, which for too long has been subject to unsustainable losses as a direct result of Right to Buy.

“Sitting alongside the ambitious package of funding for new social housing, we believe these reforms help set us up for a decade of growth and renewal.

“Most importantly, it offers real hope to those at the sharp end of the housing crisis, including the 175,000 children living in temporary accommodation due to the shortage of social housing.”

The number of Right to Buy applications hit a 20-year high in England last year as council tenants rushed to access discounts before they were reduced.

A report by the Local Government Association last year found that the reforms were having a positive impact on council housebuilding and already unlocking new schemes.