Right to Buy: more than 56,000 new homeowners across the country

22 Sep 2016 01:34 PM

Over 56,000 households have now been helped to purchase a home through the government’s revitalised Right to Buy scheme since 2012.

New figures out yesterday (22 Septemebr 2016) show more than 312,000 households have now benefited from government-backed home ownership schemes including Right to Buy, Help to Buy and Help to Buy: Shared Ownership since 2010.

This has been boosted by new figures showing over 3,350 households bought under the Right to Buy scheme in the three months to June, a 21% increase from the same time last year.

And councils received £283 million from sales of homes - a 27% increase for the same quarter last year – which will be re-invested into new homes.

Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell, said:

From London to Leeds, Right to Buy plays an important part in building a country that works for everyone, helping thousands of people become homeowners for the first time.

And we’re determined to replace the additional homes sold on a one-for-one basis, nationally - providing new affordable homes for rent for those who need them.

The top 10 places taking up Right to Buy are: Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Sandwell in the West Midlands, Southwark, Greenwich, Nottingham, Newham, Leicester and Barking and Dagenham.

The voluntary agreement between government and housing associations will give even more households the chance to purchase their home with Right to Buy level discounts. The scheme is currently being piloted by 5 associations.

Under the agreement reached with the sector, when the main scheme is rolled out every home sold will be replaced nationally with an additional new property increasing the overall supply of housing.

Further information

The Right to Buy scheme gives qualifying social tenants the opportunity to buy their rented home at a discount.

The top 10 places with tenants taking up Right to Buy are:

Local authority Right to Buy sales Q1 2012-13 to Q1 2016-2017
Birmingham 1,974
Leeds 1,501
Sheffield 1,098
Sandwell 998
Southwark 965
Greenwich 944
Nottingham 910
Newham 907
Leicester 894
Barking and Dagenham 823

Since July 2014 the maximum amount of cash discount available has been £77,900 in England and £103,900 in London.

Under the reinvigorated Right to Buy, local authorities are now able to keep the receipts from additional Right to Buy sales to pay off debt and fund additional affordable housing.

Data is collected from a quarterly local authority return to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

For more information on a range of government schemes that make home-buying more affordable visit ownyourhome.gov.uk.

For more information on Right to Buy in particular visit righttobuy.gov.uk.

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