Up To £2bn in Extra Housing Benefit Paid To Tenants in Ex-Council Homes

It could be costing the Government as much as £2bn-a-year extra in housing benefit to support tenants in the private sector now renting ex-council homes sold through the Right-to-Buy, according to a new report. That estimate comes from a People, Place and Policy paper looking at the impact of Right-to-Buy (RTB) re-sales on the £22bn-a-year housing benefit bill.  Around 2.5 million homes have been sold in the UK after RTB was brought in over 30 years ago. However, in a significant number of cases, the homes have ended up in the private rented sector, after being resold by tenants.  This has cost the Government more in housing benefit to support tenants in those homes than if the properties had remained at council rents.  Download a copy of the report from the People, Place and Policy section of the Sheffield Hallam University website.