Right to Buy increasing housing stock, insists minister

The housing minister has claimed the government’s controversial Right to Buy scheme has led to an ‘increase in the housing stock’ with one-for-one replacements.

Speaking in front of the housing, communities and local government select committee earlier this week, Christopher Pincher told MPs the scheme is ‘working’ with 140,000 new homes replacing the 120,000 sold off under Right to Buy in recent years.

The minister said such figures were ‘evidence that the Right to Buy programme is working’ and that it ‘is resulting in an increase to the housing stock’.

But his comments were challenged by the committee chair, Clive Betts who said ‘there has never been a single year’ since 2010 when ‘Right to Buy receipts have led to a one-to-one replacement’.

‘They have led to a one-to-one replacement in the housing stock and I am keen to make sure that continues,’ replied the minister.

The Right to Buy scheme allows council home residents to buy their property at a substantial discount.

In recent years, there have been numerous reports to suggest councils are unable to replace every home sold off under Right to Buy.

Figures published by the Local Government Association (LGA) in March show 79,119 homes were sold off between 2012/13 and 2018/19.

But with councils only able to use a third of each retained Right to Buy receipt to build a replacement home, the LGA estimated councils have only been able to replace around a quarter (21,720) of these homes sold in the same period.

A survey published last year by the National Federation of ALMOS (arms-length management organisations) revealed council-owned housing companies were only able to replace 69% of Right to Buy sales in 2018.

New Start asked the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to clarify the minister’s comments.

‘The government is committed to Right to Buy, which has helped nearly two million council tenants  realise their dream of home ownership,’ said a spokesman in a statement.

‘Since 2010, more than one new social rent home has been delivered for every home sold under the Right to Buy.’

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