Likely Poverty Impacts Of The Extension Of Right To Buy

New Joseph Rowntree Foundation research explores the impact of Right to Buy (RTB) to housing association tenants in need of low-cost rented homes. It also explores the likely impact on housing supply. The report shows that:

·         around 1.3 million housing association tenants will gain the RTB, but only around 180,000 of these are eligible and able to afford to exercise it;

·         total uptake of the Right to Buy over the first five years of operation is estimated at 128,000;

·         around 10 per cent of local authority housing nationally is high value for its size and region.

·         if social rented homes are replaced with Affordable Rented ones, rent levels, poverty and housing benefit costs will all increase;

·         if social rented homes are replaced with shared ownership or Starter Homes these will not be affordable to households who would otherwise have accessed the social rented homes

Download a copy of the report from the JRF website.