SINCE its inception thousands of North West residents have joined the more than 2.6 million people across Great Britain who have bought their council house through RtB, according to the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

Despite being brought to an end in Scotland and Wales, in the England the policy has been extended to housing association tenants in a number of localities as part of a Conservative party manifesto pledge.

The CIH is now calling for RtB to be suspended in England, highlighting that the policy has resulted in the loss of more than 165,000 social rent homes in the last six years alone.

These homes, it explains, are often the only affordable option for people on lower incomes.

CIH research also suggests that most councils will only be able to replace half or fewer homes sold under RtB. Of those sold The CIH says many are now in the private rented sector.

The organisation said: “We support the principle of helping tenants move into home ownership if that’s what they want, but it cannot be at the expense of other people in need.”