The UK government introduced legislation this week that overhauls social housing rules and strengthens protections for domestic abuse victims. The bill, debated in the House of Lords on Monday, grants social housing landlords new powers to evict perpetrators of domestic abuse while simultaneously raising barriers to homeownership for tenants.

The measure increases the minimum tenancy period required to qualify for the right-to-buy scheme from three years to ten years in England. This change directly restricts access to a flagship Conservative policy that has allowed tenants to purchase their homes at discounts since Margaret Thatcher's era. The government framed the longer waiting period as necessary to address what officials describe as a long-term decline in the social housing stock.

The domestic abuse provisions represent the bill's protective dimension. By allowing landlords to evict abusers, the legislation aims to prevent perpetrators from remaining in properties while their victims face displacement. This addresses a practical problem in social housing, where victims often leave their homes to escape abuse, effectively ceding housing security to their abusers.

The dual approach reflects competing policy priorities. The government seeks to preserve social housing inventory by restricting right-to-buy access, countering decades of stock depletion. Simultaneously, it responds to advocacy groups highlighting how domestic abuse intersects with housing insecurity. Victims without independent housing options frequently remain trapped in abusive situations or lose accommodation upon escape.

The right-to-buy extension signals a shift from earlier conservative housing policy. Previous governments relied on the scheme to promote homeownership and reduce state housing obligations. Extending the waiting period signals acknowledgment that England faces a social housing shortage.

The bill's passage through the Lords this week moves it toward Commons debate. Labour, which returned to power in 2024, supports strengthening tenant protections and addressing social housing scarcity. Conservative opposition to the extended right-to-buy threshold appears likely,