The Government is committed to extending the right to buy option to 1.3 million housing association tenants, with support funding coming from the sale of high-value council-owned homes. But what is the likelihood of such homes becoming available?

At the beginning of April, 2014 there were 27,318 council-owned homes vacant across England. This was around 50 per cent less than the number that became vacant in 2004 (57,536). This fall is partly a consequence of local authorities owning fewer homes, but more significant has been the increasing pressure on housing, as supply has failed to keep pace with demand.

Savills analysis shows turnover of social rented homes is lowest in high-value areas where there is greatest capacity to release capital from sales of stock when it becomes vacant. The highest turnover is found in more affordable parts of the country, ie, the North, where the difference between social and private rents is relatively small.

Our map shows the turnover of social rented housing in 2013/14 and serves as a guide to the likelihood of such homes becoming available in the future.

Further information

Read the full report on Mapping the turnover of social rented homes.