Evaluating policy towards increasing owner occupation

This paper reviews the evidence of the impacts of policy designed to increase rates of owner occupation in Britain, primarily the Right to Buy (RTB) and Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) initiatives. It argues that the RTB policy has been a success in its own terms, and explores the wider, unanticipated ramifications of that success. LCHO schemes have been less significant in scale and scope, although arguably some of the features of the scheme are more attractive. Looking forward, there are clear arguments for reforming the RTB.