UK Proposes Reforms to Right to Buy Scheme

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has proposed significant changes to the Right to Buy policy, making it harder for social housing tenants in England to purchase their homes. Under the new proposals, tenants may need to wait over 10 years before they can buy, and those in newly built social homes could be permanently barred from purchasing. The maximum discounts available to tenants will be reduced to pre-2012 levels, and the requirement to repay discounts upon resale will be extended from five to ten years. Rayner emphasized that these reforms are essential to address the housing crisis and prevent further loss of social homes. Critics, including Shelter’s chief executive, argue that while these reforms are important, they must be accompanied by substantial investment in social housing. The government aims to consult on these changes as part of a broader plan to increase the stock of socially rented housing.