The UK's Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has proposed a significant overhaul of the country's housing policy, which has been in place since Margaret Thatcher's 'Right to Buy' policy was introduced in 1980. The reform aims to restrict the sale of newly built council houses (public housing) to tenants, in an effort to address the country's severe housing crisis.
The UK is currently facing a significant homelessness crisis, with over 147,000 children living in temporary accommodations and 4,780 people sleeping rough on the streets in London alone. To address this issue, the government has pledged £950 million in the 2025-26 financial year, including £233 million in new funding to help those struggling with homelessness.
The policy reform also includes changes to the rules on 'no-fault evictions', which would be abolished under the government's proposed Tenant's Rights Act. The policy aims to balance the need to protect tenants' rights with the need to maintain a stock of social housing. The reform also includes a reduction in the maximum discount for council house sales to £18,000 from the current maximum of £136,000.
The reformed policy is expected to be welcomed by many, particularly given the UK's severe housing shortage and homelessness crisis. However, critics argue that the policy does not go far enough to address the root causes of these issues.