The Right to Buy scheme has been a core pillar of the UK housing landscape since its introduction in 1980. Designed to provide council tenants with a route into homeownership, the policy has seen more than two million properties transition from local authority management to private ownership over the past four decades.
However, proposed reforms moving through Parliament mark a significant pivot in policy – aimed at protecting and rebuilding the nation’s social housing stock amidst a major surge in sales.
Recent Data: The Surge in Right to Buy Transactions
Analysis of property market figures reveals a steep increase in Right to Buy uptake. During the 2025–26 financial year, local authorities recorded a 90% rise in council home sales compared to the 2024–25 period.
This surge led to a sharp increase in revenue for local councils, generating £1.61 billion from Right to Buy sales – a 99.6% year-on-year increase in total receipts.
Balancing Homeownership and Housing Supply
While the expansion of homeownership remains a key objective for many households, the rapid loss of council housing has placed sustained pressure on local authority housing lists and social housing availability nationwide.
To prevent further depletion of council-owned housing stock, the government announced a series of key legislative adjustments to restructure how the scheme operates moving forward.
Proposed Policy Changes:
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Extended Qualifying Period: The minimum period a tenant must live in a social housing property before becoming eligible to apply for Right to Buy will increase from 3 years to 10 years.
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35-Year Exemption for New Builds: Newly constructed council and social housing properties will be protected under the new rules, meaning they cannot be sold under the Right to Buy scheme for 35 years after completion.
Broader Implications for the Property Market
establishing longer-term qualifying conditions for buyers.
For prospective buyers within social housing, the expanded ten-year qualification requirement necessitates longer-term financial planning. Meanwhile, the 35-year restriction on newly built properties aims to give local authorities the stability needed to maintain sustainable levels of affordable housing in communities across the UK.