Right to Buy: where it stands two years on from the discount cut

The maximum Right to Buy discount in England was sharply reduced in November 2024, returning maximum cash discounts close to pre-2012 levels — typically £16,000–£38,000 depending on region.

Council figures suggest applications fell by more than half through 2025 compared with the year before the change. Eligibility (broadly: three or more years as a secure council tenant) is unchanged.

Scotland and Wales abolished Right to Buy in 2016 and 2019 respectively. Northern Ireland operates a separate House Sales Scheme with its own rules.

Tenants considering Right to Buy should weigh the immediate discount against the longer-term costs of ownership — including buildings insurance, repairs, service charges (in flats) and the loss of council-provided maintenance.