The UK government has introduced a landmark Social Housing Bill aimed at protecting victims of domestic abuse and reforming the social housing sector. Returning to Parliament for its Second Reading on 1 June 2026, the Bill grants new powers to landlords to evict perpetrators of domestic abuse from social homes without requiring victims to leave first. It also addresses the long-term decline in social housing by overhauling the Right to Buy scheme and halting decades of social housing sell-off.

New protections for domestic abuse victims in social housing

The Social Housing Bill introduces significant changes to how domestic abuse cases are handled within social housing. Currently, landlords can only evict an abuser after the victim has left the property, and in joint tenancies, victims often face the difficult choice of ending the tenancy altogether, which risks homelessness. The new legislation empowers landlords and courts to evict perpetrators directly, allowing victims to remain safely in their homes and communities.

The Bill also closes a loophole that previously allowed abusers to serve a Notice to Quit to force victims out. Under the new rules, such notices served by perpetrators will not end joint tenancies while court proceedings are ongoing. Courts will have the authority to transfer tenancies solely into the victim’s name or require landlords to provide suitable alternative accommodation if remaining in the home is not appropriate.

Last year, approximately 15,000 households in England had to find new social housing due to domestic abuse. These reforms aim to reduce that number by enabling victims to stay close to their support networks, schools, and workplaces.

Overhaul of Right to Buy to protect social housing stock

Alongside protections for domestic abuse victims, the Bill marks the most extensive reform of the Right to Buy scheme in a generation. Since 1980, over two million social homes have been sold under the scheme, with many not replaced, contributing to a severe shortage of social housing. Between 2012 and 2025, around 133,000 council homes were sold compared to just 51,000 replacements, further depleting stock and discouraging councils from building new homes.

The Bill raises the eligibility period for Right to Buy from three to ten years and protects newly built social homes from the scheme for 35 years. It exempts hard-to-replace rural homes and updates discount rules to align with the cash discount cap introduced in November 2024. Councils will also gain a stronger right of first refusal to buy back properties, helping to recover homes lost to the scheme.

Additionally, the Bill removes outdated requirements from the Housing and Planning Act 2016, such as forced sales of high-value homes and fixed-term tenancies, providing councils and housing providers with greater certainty to invest and build for the long term.

Government investment and sector support

These reforms are supported by a £39 billion investment through the 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, the largest in a generation. This funding aims to protect existing social homes and increase the supply of new affordable housing to meet growing demand.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised the government’s commitment: “No victim of domestic abuse should face the awful choice between staying in danger or losing their home. This government is putting that right, so perpetrators are forced out and survivors and their children can stay safely in the homes and communities they know and love.”

Housing Secretary Steve Reed added, “Victims of domestic abuse have faced an impossible choice – stay in danger or make themselves homeless. This is a moral failure this government is determined to end.”

Reactions from domestic abuse and housing organisations

Domestic Abuse Commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs welcomed the Bill, stating it addresses the impossible choice victims face when sharing a home with a perpetrator and provides much-needed safety and stability. Nicki Clarke, Head of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance, described the reforms as a long overdue step that will transform the lives of many victims by enabling landlords to safeguard tenants and hold abusers accountable.

Veronica Oakeshott, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid, noted that the Bill begins to change outdated practices that forced survivors to choose between abuse and homelessness, while Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, praised the government’s commitment to protecting social homes and supporting survivors.

What this means for landlords

For social housing landlords and managing agents, the Bill introduces new responsibilities and powers to address domestic abuse within their properties. They will be able to act more decisively to evict perpetrators without displacing victims, improving tenant safety and reducing the risk of homelessness. The ability to transfer tenancies to victims or provide alternative accommodation will require landlords to work closely with courts and support services.

The reforms to Right to Buy will also impact landlords by limiting sales of newly built and rural social homes, potentially stabilising stock levels and encouraging long-term investment in social housing. Removing previous constraints on councils regarding tenancy terms and sales will provide greater flexibility in managing housing assets.

Additional details and implementation

The Social Housing Bill was announced in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026 and introduced to Parliament on 14 May 2026. Its territorial extent covers England and Wales, though all measures initially apply to England only. Eligibility for social housing remains unchanged, with asylum seekers still ineligible.

The Bill does not affect the private rented sector, where the Renters’ Rights Act, effective from 1 May 2026, already provides greater security and stability. For social housing, the Renters’ Rights Act will be implemented from October 2027.

Key Right to Buy reforms include extending eligibility from three to ten years, adjusting discount rates, exempting new and rural homes, preventing repeat use of the scheme except in specific cases, and extending councils’ rights to reclaim discounts and buy back properties indefinitely.

Source: Based on reporting from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

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