The government sought views on ways to reform rules on using Right to Buy receipts from sold council homes, and on reforming the national one-for-one replacement commitment.
The consultation and full details of its outcome can be found here.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP published a press release on 20 March 2021, titled “Councils given power to build more homes for first time buyers and for social rent.”
The press release explains that
- Councils will be given more freedom on how they spend the money they receive from selling homes through Right to Buy
- Councils can spend that money on building homes for shared ownership, First Homes, and housing at affordable and social rent
The press release can be accessed here.
Shelter, the National Campaign for Homeless People Limited, a charitable company, describe themselves as helping millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through their advice, support, and legal services.
Their chief executive, Polly Neate, feels the consultation outcome “is a step in the wrong direction. We are already selling off more social homes than we build every year. Now the money from these sales will be funnelled into home ownership schemes that are far out of reach for average renting families, rather than building more of the secure and affordable social homes we so desperately need.”
You can read her full response here.
Local VCSE organisations supporting communities with housing needs may find this of interest.