Right to Buy abolished in Anglesey
The Welsh Government has approved the suspension of Right to Buy in Anglesey, citing concerns over the impact of the policy on social housing.
The move comes ahead of the Welsh Government introducing legislation to abolish the Right to Buy across the whole of Wales.
Carl Sargeant, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, announced the change in policy today, saying that social housing would be available for those who need it.
Sargeant said: “I have agreed to Anglesey council’s application to suspend the Right to Buy to help them deal with the pressure their social housing is facing and to ensure that homes are available to those who need them.
“While this will help one area for a short period of time, we also need to address this issue for the long term. This is why I will be introducing legislation to abolish the Right to Buy in Wales."
The Right to Buy was introduced in the Housing Act 1980, put forward a year after Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister. The policy allows eligible social housing tenants across the UK to buy their council or housing association property at a significant discount.
The Welsh Government argued that the Right to Buy has resulted in a significant reduction in social housing stock. Between 1981 and 2014, 138,709 council homes were sold – a 45% reduction in the social housing available since the policy was first introduced.
Sargeant added: “The Right to Buy is depleting our social housing stock. This damaging policy is further increasing the pressure on our social housing supply and is forcing many vulnerable people to wait longer for a home.
“Legislating to end the Right to Buy is the only sure way to prevent this and give social landlords the confidence to invest in building more of the affordable homes Wales needs.”
