But ministers expect drop in sales in this year’s figures

Right to Buy applications rose to a 19-year-high last year as council tenants rushed to buy their home before discounts were lowered by the Labour government.

The latest figures from the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government (MHCLG), show there were 63,068 applications from residents to buy their council homes through the scheme in 2024/25. This is more than triple the 18,755 sales recorded the previous year and the highest figure since 2005/06.

MHCLG said: “In November 2024, the government made significant changes to the Right to Buy scheme, including a reduction of the maximum cash discounts to the pre-2012 values.

“The 21-day window between the policy announcement and its implementation led to a spike in Right to Buy applications.”

The Labour government, which had pledged in its manifesto to protect social housing stock, in 2024 announced a reversal of the Cameron administration’s decision 13 years ago to significantly increase cash discounts for tenants buying their homes under the scheme. In 2012 discounts increased from regional levels ranging from £16,000 to £38,000 to a new national level of £75,000, later increased to £100,000 in London and then to £136,400 due to inflation.

The release last week from MHCLG also shows there were 7,580 Right to Buy sales to council tenants in 2024/25, up 7% from 7,068 the previous year, although most of these sales would have related to applications made before the change to lower discounts was announced.

The impact of the new rules is not expected to be reflected in the figures until the 2025/26 reporting period. The government has predicted sales will drop to around 1,700 a year as a result of the lowered discounts.

MHCLG also last week published figures showing a net gain in the number of social homes for rent – including social rent, affordable rent and intermediate rental products – of 23,189 units.

However, within this, the number of homes for social rent specifically fell by 3,834

More than two million social homes have been sold through the Right to Buy policy since its introduction in 1980.

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