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ARTICLE · 15 OCTOBER 2026

Changes For Social Housing?

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
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The Social Housing Bill proposes significant reforms to Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes in England, introducing stricter eligibility requirements, reduced discounts, and extended exemption periods for new homes. With parliament currently reviewing these sweeping changes, the legislation aims to protect existing social housing stock while addressing concerns about affordability and supply in a sector facing unprecedented demand.

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Julia Thomson
Julia Thomson
Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe
Alison Morden-Hawke
Alison Morden-Hawke

The Social Housing Bill introduced into parliament in May this year proposes sweeping changes to the right to buy. Having reached its third reading in the House of Lords before the summer recess, on resumption of business in September it swiftly cleared the Lords and is currently under consideration by the Commons with a report to that House expected by the 3 November.

Why is it important?

With insufficient decent quality housing to meet demand, it aims to protect existing social housing stock by reducing the number of social homes sold through both the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes. It is also hoped that the provisions will remove a disincentive to building new social housing.

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