The number of disposals by housing associations out of the sector continues to increase

Housing associations in England sold 25,000 social and affordable homes to private buyers who were not their current residents since April 2018.  According to research by the Local Councils Network (LCN), the number rose to 5,250 in 2024/25, the highest annual figure on record and an 89% increase over 2022/23.   The LCN said that this mainly involved the loss of social rent homes, which is the only tenure that is genuinely affordable to homeless families.  It pointed out that there was no requirement on associations to reinvest the proceeds locally or in homes for social rent.  It called on the government to amend the Social Housing Bill to give councils a statutory fo