Thatcher’s Right to Buy split my estate. Now its days could be numbered

Thatcher’s Right to Buy scheme enabled council tenants in England to purchase their homes at a discount, helping many become homeowners but reducing the supply of social housing. The government now plans to remove the right for newly built social homes, sharpening a long-running debate over home ownership and the need to keep housing available for future generations.

More than two million homes have been sold through the scheme since 1980, accounting for about 40% of England’s council housing stock. The government says recent restrictions and the proposed changes could shift the projected ten-year balance from a loss of 26,000 council homes to a net gain of 18,000. A former tenant featured in the article bought her flat for around £35,000 and estimates it may now be worth £600,000 to £700,000.