Government expands Buy and Renew Scheme to accelerate delivery of social homes
Contractors to directly acquire and refurbish derelict properties as eligibility tightens to target most challenging buildings
16 February 2026 | 📧 editor@ipropertyradio.com
The Government has announced a significant expansion of the Buy and Renew Scheme aimed at bringing more long-term vacant and derelict properties back into use as social housing.
The revised scheme will, for the first time, allow building contractors to directly acquire and refurbish vacant and derelict properties. Contractors must enter into an agreement with a local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB) before works commence, with a commitment that the completed homes will be purchased for social housing.
Until now, the scheme was limited to delivery by local authorities and AHBs. The new contractor-led pathway is intended to widen participation and increase the pace at which disused buildings are returned to productive use.
Since its introduction in 2016, the Buy and Renew Scheme has brought more than 960 previously vacant or derelict homes back into use as social housing. The Department of Housing states that the changes are designed to accelerate output and reduce levels of dereliction nationwide.
Eligibility criteria have also been tightened. Properties must now be both vacant and derelict to qualify, narrowing the focus to more complex buildings that are less likely to be redeveloped through other supports, including the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said that leaving buildings idle during a housing shortage was not acceptable and described the refurbishment of long-term derelict properties as an effective way to increase supply while revitalising towns and cities.
He said the expansion would help tackle more challenging properties, increase the supply of high-quality social homes and support local builders and tradespeople. He added that addressing dereliction would also contribute to town centre regeneration.
The scheme continues to sit within the Government’s Housing Action Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. Local authorities are expected to intensify efforts to address dereliction, including expanding Derelict Sites Registers, strengthening enforcement and progressing compulsory acquisitions where property owners do not engage.
A national aggregated Derelict Sites Register, including mapping and standardised data, is to be published annually.
The forthcoming Derelict Property Tax, scheduled for introduction in 2027, is expected to increase the supply of suitable properties for renewal under the Buy and Renew Scheme and related initiatives.
