The council has announced a package of reforms to the controversial Right To Buy policy.

Proposed changes include longer tenancy requirements, reduced discounts, and new protections to improve delivery, minimise fraud, and help councils replace the homes they lose.

The government wants to insist that council tenants live in their homes for 10 years or more before becoming eligible to buy – currently it’s just three years.

Discount levels will start at 5% after 10 years and increase gradually to a maximum of 15%.

An analysis by industry organisation Propertymark says changes also aim to simplify the scheme, make eligibility and discounts more transparent, and reduce the risk of abuse. Additional policy work is planned on issues such as fraud prevention and support for vulnerable tenants considering buying their homes.

To help councils plan confidently and protect the future supply of affordable homes, newly built social housing will be exempt from Right to Buy for 35 years. This will prevent new properties from being sold off too quickly and allow councils to retain homes intended to meet local housing needs.

The time during which councils can recover some of the discount if a property is resold – currently five years – will be extended to 10 years, and councils will also retain the right of first refusal on resales indefinitely.

The government also says that councils will be allowed to keep 100% of sale receipts and combine them with grant funding to deliver new homes from 2026–27 on wards. This will replace the current one-for-one replacement target, which many local authorities found unworkable. 

The government has yet to confirm when the changes will be introduced.