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Written question asked by Rupert Lowe (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 20 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 October 2025. It was answered by Matthew Pennycook (Labour) on Tuesday, 28 October 2025 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Right to Buy Scheme: Foreign Nationals

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department records the (a) nationality and (b) immigration status of tenants who purchase their homes under the Right to Buy scheme; and how many Right to Buy sales have been made by non-British nationals in each of the last five years.

Answer

My Department does not record the nationality or immigration status of tenants who have purchased their homes under the Right to Buy scheme, nor how many Right to Buy sales have been made to non-British nationals.

Eligibility for social housing is already tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas are not eligible and nor are those who arrive in the country illegally with no leave to remain.

On 2 July, the government announced further reforms to the Right to Buy, including increasing the length of time someone needs to have been a public sector tenant to qualify for Right to Buy from 3 to 10 years. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on that day (HCWS771).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
83604
Session
2024-26
Related items
Social and Affordable Housing Renewal
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
Written statements
House of Commons
Subjects
Foreign nationals Nationality Tenants Right to buy scheme
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk