| Solid Council homes built in 1950s |
Government figures show 23,186 social housing properties were sold by councils in 2016-17 alone by Steven Preece of Welfare Weekly.
Figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government show that 23,186 Social housing dwellings were sold in 2016-17 in England, up five per cent compared to 2015-16.
The figures reveal 13,652 sales by local authorities and 9,534 by housing associations, with the total right to buy sales at 18,110.
Gavin Smart, deputy chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), warned social renting "is the only truly affordable option for many people on lower incomes", and called on the Government to do more to help councils and housing associations build the truly affordable homes the country needs.
CIH analysis found nearly 250,000 homes for social rent could be lost between 2012 and 2020, and warned that local authorities lack the powers and freedoms needed to replace Social Rented Homes sold under right to buy.
Gavin Smart said: “Social rent is the only truly affordable option for many people on lower incomes.
"These figures emphasise just how much further we need to go to make sure we have enough social rented homes available – today’s statistics show that 23,186 social homes were sold in 2016-17, while figures released earlier this month revealed that the number of new social rented homes delivered dropped to 5,380, down from 39,560 in 2010/11.
“Our analysis shows that almost 250,000 homes for social rent could be lost between 2012 and 2020.
"Theresa May’s recent announcement of an extra £2 billion investment in affordable housing was a very welcome first step towards reversing this trend, but yesterday’s Budget was light on measures that could make a real difference to improving affordability."
Mr Smart added: "If the government is going to meet its new target to deliver 300,000 homes a year, councils will have to play a major part.
"The chancellor’s decision to relax borrowing caps for councils in high demand areas is very positive, but we hope to see the government build on this move so that we see a return to the levels of council house building we need.
"Ministers could also take action to help councils build more homes to replace those sold through right to buy, by allowing them to keep 100 per cent of the receipts for example.”
Commenting, SNP MSP Bob Doris, who chairs Holyrood’s Local Government and Communities Committee, said: “These latest figures from the UK government prove once more how disastrous the sell-off of council homes is for our councils and communities.
“The fact that England could still lose another 250,000 homes between 2012 and 2020 shows that this policy is far from finished damaging our councils and removing affordable homes for social rent from the housing stock.
“Over 18,000 were lost in the last year alone – the policy is simply not sustainable when successive UK governments have failed to replace the homes that have been sold. By contrast, the SNP is committed to building 50,000 affordable homes by the end of this Parliament.
“There’s of course nothing wrong with people buying their own homes – but when it comes at such a high social cost, it is clear that a policy has failed. It’s time for the Tories to follow the Scottish Government’s lead and abolish Right to Buy in England, and protect what remains of our social housing stock.”
"The chancellor’s decision to relax borrowing caps for councils in high demand areas is very positive, but we hope to see the government build on this move so that we see a return to the levels of council house building we need.
"Ministers could also take action to help councils build more homes to replace those sold through right to buy, by allowing them to keep 100 per cent of the receipts for example.”
Commenting, SNP MSP Bob Doris, who chairs Holyrood’s Local Government and Communities Committee, said: “These latest figures from the UK government prove once more how disastrous the sell-off of council homes is for our councils and communities.
“The fact that England could still lose another 250,000 homes between 2012 and 2020 shows that this policy is far from finished damaging our councils and removing affordable homes for social rent from the housing stock.
“Over 18,000 were lost in the last year alone – the policy is simply not sustainable when successive UK governments have failed to replace the homes that have been sold. By contrast, the SNP is committed to building 50,000 affordable homes by the end of this Parliament.
“There’s of course nothing wrong with people buying their own homes – but when it comes at such a high social cost, it is clear that a policy has failed. It’s time for the Tories to follow the Scottish Government’s lead and abolish Right to Buy in England, and protect what remains of our social housing stock.”
