House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Social Housing Bill
14 May 2026 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Proposed by Matthew Pennycook Lab Greenwich and Woolwich
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The government introduced the Social Housing Bill to protect existing social housing stock and encourage new builds.
- The Bill aims to extend eligibility requirements for the Right to Buy scheme and strengthen tenant protections against domestic abuse.
- Comprehensive reforms in the Bill seek to streamline bureaucratic processes to boost investment in social and affordable housing.
Issue summary
The government has introduced the Social Housing Bill aimed at protecting existing social housing stock, incentivising new builds, and providing greater protections for tenants affected by domestic abuse.
Action requested
The Bill includes comprehensive reforms to the Right to Buy scheme, extending eligibility requirements, strengthening tenant protections in cases of domestic abuse, and streamlining bureaucratic processes to encourage investment in social and affordable homes.
Key facts
- The Social Housing Bill has three core objectives: protect existing stock, create fairer tenant protection systems, and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
- The Right to Buy scheme eligibility requirement is increased to 10 years.
- Homes sold under the Right to Buy will be subject to a perpetual Right of First Refusal for landlords.
- Landlords and courts are given new grounds to remove perpetrators in joint tenancy cases involving domestic abuse.
- Unimplemented provisions from the Housing and Planning Act 2016 are repealed.