Consultation on Reforms to the Right to Buy

Overview

Topic of this consultation:

This consultation seeks views on how the Right to Buy should be reformed so that it better protects the existing stock of social rented homes, provides better value for money for the taxpayer and ensures fairness within the system.

We want to ensure that council tenants who have lived in, and paid rent on, their social homes for many years can retain the opportunity to own their home.

However, reform of Right to Buy is essential to better protect much-needed social housing stock, boost council capacity and build more social homes than we lose, supporting the Government’s commitment to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

The consultation follows the review and reduction of maximum Right to Buy cash discounts, which was announced at Autumn Budget 2024, and asks for views on:

• the qualifying criteria for tenants;
• initial and maximum discounts as a percentage of the property value;
• which types of properties should be exempted under the scheme;
• whether there should be increased restrictions on properties after sale;
• the replacement of homes sold under the Right to Buy; and
• rules governing the use of Right to Buy receipts and how these could be simplified.
   

Geographical scope:

These proposals relate to England only; the Right to Buy scheme ended in Scotland and Wales in 2016 and 2019 respectively.

Duration:

This consultation will last for 8 weeks from 20 November 2024 to 15 January 2025.

Why your views matter

Our aim is to understand what barriers there may be to the introduction of these proposals and to inform their design. Subject to views in response to this consultation, we intend to bring forward legislation to implement changes when parliamentary time allows