Local authorities reported that 14,275 council homes were sold under the Right to Buy scheme in England during 2025/25, a rise of 90% compared to 2024/25, Moneyfacts reveals.
Data found that local authorities received £1.61 billion from eligible Right to Buy sales during 2025/26, an increase of 99.6% compared with 2024/25.
The average receipt per dwelling was £112,900, an increase of 5% compared to 202/25.
It also shows there were 3,452 replacement homes funded through Right to Buy receipts from eligible sales during 2025/26, a decrease of 7% compared with 2024/25.
Since the start of the Right to Buy scheme in 1980, until 31 March 2026, there have been over two million sales to tenants (2,052,813).
Moneyfacts says prospective buyers may be alarmed over rising mortgage rates.
The Moneyfacts average new mortgage rate rose to 5.59% at the start of August, up from 5.47% a month ago. A typical £250,000 mortgage over 25 years will cost £215 more per year in repayments as a result.
Moneyfacts finance expert Rachel Springall says: “Tackling the provision of social housing was part of the first official speech from the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, stating ‘we will build more council homes’.”
“While this comment is positive, the scale and pace to achieve significant numbers of new dwellings has to be bold to cater to high demand. A study from the Resolution Foundation revealed that 1.3 million households are on local authority housing waiting lists, the highest number since 2014, plus, there is a near-record high of households living in temporary accommodation.”
“There are currently proposed reforms to overhaul the Right to Buy scheme under the Social Housing Bill, currently going through Parliament. The proposed changes to the Right to Buy scheme could cause a rush for tenants to buy their home in the months ahead, so seeking advice would be wise.”
“Potential buyers currently need just three years as a public sector tenant to quality, but this is planned to rise to 10 years under the new reforms. On top of this, to shield housing stock, newly built social homes will be protected from the scheme for 35 years, alongside an exclusion of ‘hard-to-replace’ rural homes and an adjustment to discounts on market value.”
“A third reading of the bill is expected in September, so there is still time for tenants to start the process of buying their home if they are eligible under the Right to Buy rules.”
“Overall, the planned reforms and limited housing stock will still mean some tenants are forced to rent privately if they need to settle at a specific location for work or family reasons.”
