England Could Lose 300,000 Socially Rented Homes By 2020

An estimated 300,000 socially rented homes could be lost in England by 2020. The Government's drive to boost home ownership will radically change the housing landscape across the country, MPs in the Public Accounts Committee were told. The extension of right-to-buy to housing association tenants combined with other policies to increase owner occupancy will radically reduce the number of socially rented homes. Terrie Alafat, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, told the committee: "We have done some analysis looking forward on the loss of social-rented housing, based on right-to-buy and the current policy, the proposed extension, the shift from social to affordable rent and then sales. And by 2020 we think there will be a loss of about 300,000-odd socially rented homes across the country.” Read more on the BT website.