According to the revised figures, just 2,298 new homes were started between April 2012 and September 2013 using money from Right to Buy sales. This is instead of the 4,795 starts originally estimated.
The National Housing Federation said the policy, lauded by the government as a solution to the housing crisis, is “making the problem worse”.
Catherine Ryder, head of policy at the National Housing Federation, said: “At a time when we have a major housing crisis and 1.7 million households waiting for social housing, selling off homes through Right to Buy and not replacing them is making the problem worse.
We support measures to help people buy their own home but not at the expense of affordable housing for future generations. These revised figures show that councils and housing associations are doing all they can to continue to provide homes for those on waiting lists, but their ambitions are being undermined by being forced to sell off existing homes at a price that means they are incredibly difficult to replace.
We are calling on the government to reform the policy to ensure that not only are all houses replaced one-for-one, but also like-for-like, to help end the housing crisis within a generation.”
The government, however, is pressing on with the ‘reinvigorated’ policy and will increase discounts again in April 2015, giving more people have the chance to buy their home. Right to Buy eligibility is also being extended through a new law before Parliament.
Housing minister Brandon Lewis said: “The Right to Buy gives something back to families who worked hard, paid their rent and played by the rules. It allows them to do up their home, change their front door, improve their garden – without getting permission from the council. It gives people a sense of pride and ownership not just in their home, but in their street and neighbourhood.
Thanks to this government’s long-term economic plan, we have created over 33,000 homeowners through the Right to Buy, which has generated £2.4 billion of additional investment in new affordable housing. Twice as much council housing has been built under this government than in all 13 years of the last administration combined, when just one council home was built for every 170 Right to Buy sales.”
