Equality impact assessment (EIA) form: evidencing paying due regard to protected characteristics

(Form updated October 2023)

Right to Buy Policy

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are public documents.  EIAs accompanying reports going to County Councillors for decisions are published with the committee papers on our website and are available in hard copy at the relevant meeting.  To help people to find completed EIAs we also publish them in the Equality and Diversity section of our website.  This will help people to see for themselves how we have paid due regard in order to meet statutory requirements. 

Name of Directorate and Service Area	Community Development - Housing
Lead Officer and contact details	Imogen Downie – Housing Policy and Strategy Officer (Service Improvement)
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the EIA
How will you pay due regard? e.g. working group, individual officer	This overarching EIA has been carried out by the Housing Policy and Strategy Officer (Service Improvement). Tenants will be involved in review of the policy.
When did the due regard process start?	July 2025

Section 1. Please describe briefly what this EIA is about. (e.g. are you starting a new service, changing how you do something, stopping doing something?)

This EIA seeks to assess the proposed Right to Buy Policy for North Yorkshire Council. This policy was drawn from examples of best practice from other Local Authorities, alongside internal consultation. The EIA aims to assess the potential impacts of implementing this policy on different groups within the community, ensuring that it promotes fairness, equality, and transparency in access to home ownership opportunities.

Section 2. Why is this being proposed? What are the aims? What does the authority hope to achieve by it? (e.g. to save money, meet increased demand, do things in a better way.)

The Council is transforming landlord services for its own tenants and leaseholders. To support that process, the Council is undertaking a full review of all policies relating to the Housing Revenue Account. The Right to Buy Policy is being introduced to:

- Provide a clear, transparent and equitable framework for tenants wishing to exercise their statutory Right to Buy

- Ensure compliance with national legislation and guidance

- Support tenants in achieving home ownership where appropriate

- Promote consistency in decision-making across the Councils’ housing stock

Through this policy, the Council aims to improve service delivery, enhance customer experience and ensure that the Right to Buy process is managed in a way that is fair, legally compliant and responsible to local housing needs.

Section 3. What will change? What will be different for customers and/or staff?

The Right to Buy Policy will establish a consistent and transparent approach to managing Right to Buy applications across all localities within North Yorkshire Council. Prior to local government reorganisation, the former stock-holding authorities of Selby District Council, Harrogate Borough Council, and Richmondshire District Council did not have a unified policy in place. Each operated under its own procedures, resulting in inconsistencies in how applications were processed and communicated.

Once adopted, the new policy will:

- Be applied consistently across the Council’s housing portfolio;

- Provide clear guidance for tenants and leaseholders on their eligibility and the application process;

- Offer staff a standardised framework for assessing and managing applications;

- Reduce the risk of inconsistent or inequitable outcomes;

- Improve transparency and accountability in decision-making.

This change will enhance the customer experience by making the process easier to understand and navigate, while also supporting staff in delivering a fair and efficient service.

Section 4. Involvement and consultation (What involvement and consultation has been done regarding the proposal and what are the results? What consultation will be needed and how will it be done?)

The initial development of the Right to Buy policy has been shaped through a comprehensive internal consultation process, involving detailed input from housing officers and legal services to ensure alignment with operational practice and legal compliance. In addition, the policy has been informed by a review of best practice from other Local Authorities and consideration of relevant legislation and statutory guidance.

To ensure tenant perspectives are reflected, the draft policy has also been shared with involved tenants for feedback.

Section 5. What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?

The implementation of the Right to Buy Policy is expected to be cost neutral in terms of day-to-day operations, as it formalises existing statutory processes already being delivered by the Council. Tenants already have the legal right to purchase their homes, and the Council already deals with these applications. Although the sale of council homes under Right to Buy does reduce rental income and housing stock, these impacts are already accounted for. The policy itself does not change the volume or nature of sales, it simply ensures they are managed consistently and fairly.  

Section 6. How will this proposal affect people with protected characteristics?	No impact	Make things better	Make things worse	Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.
Age	ü			From information currently available we can estimate that 51% of our tenants are aged over 60. In 2021, 25% of the county’s adult population was over the age of 65. This is higher than the national percentage of 18.4%. This means that our tenant population is significantly more aged than the average population for North Yorkshire and the country. By 2035, 32.60% of North Yorkshire’s total population will be aged 65+ and 5.97% will be aged 85+. Nationally 23.26% will be 65+ and 4.05% will be 85+ by 2035. Less that 5% of our tenant population are under 29. North Yorkshire has a lower proportion of young people than the national average- 24.5% under 25 compared to 29.2% nationally. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have a disproportionate impact on any age group. It formalises existing statutory rights and ensures consistent access to home ownership opportunities, regardless of age.
Disability	ü			North Yorkshire has a lower proportion (19.3%) of people with a disability or long-term limiting illness whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot- against the national average of 23.69%. However, this will rise to 20.89% of the 65+ population in North Yorkshire, against a national average of 24.86%. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have a disproportionate impact on any person with a disability.
Sex	ü			The proportion of females is slightly higher (51%) than that of males (49%). This pattern is reflected across all localities, with the exception of Richmondshire, where the large number of predominantly male military personnel have the effect of reversing the proportions. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact based on sex. It formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants, regardless of gender.
Race	ü			North Yorkshire has a much lower proportion (4.77%) of people who identify with a non-UK identity than the national average (12%). The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals based on race or ethnicity. It formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants, regardless of racial or ethnic identity. No barriers or exclusions are introduced by this policy.
Gender reassignment	ü			In the 2021 census 1478 (0.28%) of residents across North Yorkshire identified themselves as transsexual or with a gender identity different to that registered at birth. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals who share this protected characteristic. The policy applies equally to all eligible tenants and does not introduce any barriers or exclusions based on gender identity.
Sexual orientation	ü			In the 2021 census 11,291 (2.2%) of residents across North Yorkshire identified themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Other (LGB+). The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals based on sexual orientation. It formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants, without introducing any barriers or exclusions related to sexual orientation.
Religion or belief	ü			North Yorkshire has higher levels of Christians (55.6%) than the national average (46.2%), and lower levels of all other religions than the national average. Percentages of those with no religion or not stating their religion are broadly similar to the national average. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact based on religion or belief. It applies equally to all eligible tenants and does not introduce any criteria or processes that would disadvantage individuals based on their faith or belief system.
Pregnancy or maternity	ü			In 2021 there were 5133 live births in North Yorkshire. In 2020 the conception rate per 1000 for under 18’s was 10.9. This is below the rate for England (13). In 2020/21 4.2% of deliveries in North Yorkshire were to mothers from ethnic minorities, compared to the England value of 21.6%. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals who are pregnant or on maternity leave. The policy applies equally to all eligible tenants and does not introduce any barriers or exclusions based on pregnancy or maternity status.
Marriage or civil partnership	ü			A higher percentage of North Yorkshire’s population is married or in a civil partnership (53.7%) than the national average (46.8%) The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals based on marital or partnership status. The policy applies equally to all eligible tenants, regardless of their relationship status, and does not introduce any barriers or exclusions relate to this characteristic.

Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who…	No impact	Make things better	Make things worse	Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.
..live in a rural area?	ü			The population in North Yorkshire is generally sparser than the national average (77 people per square kilometre as opposed to 434 nationally). In some parts of the county this is lower still (Ryedale 36, Richmondshire 38, Craven 48, Hambleton 69). The Right to Buy Policy does not introduce new restrictions for rural areas but consolidates existing protections, such as Section 157 resale conditions, which were already in place under legislation.
…have a low income?	ü			The proportion of households in deprivation in North Yorkshire reduced between 2011 and 2021. In 2011 52.1% of households in North Yorkshire were deprived in at least one of the four dimensions (employment, education, health and disability, housing). By 2021 this had fallen to 46.7%. This 5.4 percentage point reduction in North Yorkshire compared with a 5.9 percentage point reduction across England as a whole, with the proportion of households in deprivation in North Yorkshire remaining below the national average. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have a disproportionate impact on low-income households. While purchasing a home requires financial capacity, the policy does not introduce new barriers and includes guidance encouraging tenants to seek independent financial advice. The policy also maintains existing statutory rights and ensures that tenants are fully informed before making financial commitments.
…are carers (unpaid family or friend)?	ü			Carers’ allowance claimants make up 0.98% of North Yorkshire’s population. This is lower than the average for England (1.42%) but there are variations across the county. It is likely, however, that these figures do not reflect the true number of people carrying out caring roles in the county as many do not claim allowances. The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have a disproportionate impact on carers. It formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants. The policy does not introduce any barriers or exclusions based on caring responsibilities.
….. are from the Armed Forces Community	ü			North Yorkshire has 29,831 Armed Forces Veterans. Richmondshire has the highest proportion of Armed Forces Veterans in North Yorkshire at 9.5% (3,962), which is the third highest nationally. The proportion of veterans in Richmondshire is more than double the national average rate, which is 3.8%. Harrogate has the highest number of Armed Forces Veterans in North Yorkshire with 7,076 (5.2%). The Right to Buy Policy is not expected to have a disproportionate impact on members of the Armed Forces Community. The policy formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants, including those with military service.

Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply)
North Yorkshire wide
Craven
Hambleton
Harrogate	ü
Richmondshire	ü
Ryedale
Scarborough
Selby	ü
If you have ticked one or more areas, will specific town(s)/village(s) be particularly impacted? If so, please specify below.
The Right to Buy Policy applies to tenants and leaseholders living in council-owned housing stock. Currently, the Council’s housing stock is concentrated in the former stock-holding localities of Harrogate, Richmondshire, and Selby. While the majority of applications will continue to come from these areas, North Yorkshire Council is beginning to gradually introduce new housing stock in other parts of the county. As this expansion progresses, the policy will ensure a consistent and equitable approach to Right to Buy across all localities, including any new areas where council housing is developed or acquired in future.

Section 9. Will the proposal affect anyone more because of a combination of protected characteristics? (e.g. older women or young gay men) State what you think the effect may be and why, providing evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.

There is no current evidence to suggest that the Right to Buy Policy will disproportionately affect individuals due to a combination of protected characteristics. The policy formalises existing statutory rights and applies equally to all eligible tenants, regardless of their personal characteristics or circumstances.

Section 10. Next steps to address the anticipated impact. Select one of the following options and explain why this has been chosen. (Remember: we have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services and work for us)	Tick option chosen
1. No adverse impact - no major change needed to the proposal. There is no potential for discrimination or adverse impact identified.	ü
2. Adverse impact - adjust the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We will change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, or we will achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people.
3. Adverse impact - continue the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We cannot change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, nor can we achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people. (There must be compelling reasons for continuing with proposals which will have the most adverse impacts. Get advice from Legal Services)
4. Actual or potential unlawful discrimination - stop and remove the proposal – The EIA identifies actual or potential unlawful discrimination. It must be stopped.
Explanation of why option has been chosen. (Include any advice given by Legal Services.) The Right to Buy Policy formalises procedures that are already in place under national legislation and across the former district councils of Harrogate, Richmondshire, and Selby. It does not introduce new eligibility criteria or restrictions, but instead consolidates existing practices into a single, consistent framework for North Yorkshire Council.

Section 11. If the proposal is to be implemented how will you find out how it is really affecting people? (How will you monitor and review the changes?)

We will monitor the impact of the Right to Buy Policy by reviewing service data, including customer contact, complaints, and feedback. Equality monitoring and performance reporting through the Housing Revenue Account framework will help identify any unintended impacts. Adjustments will be made if needed to ensure fairness and accessibility.

Section 12. Action plan. List any actions you need to take which have been identified in this EIA, including post implementation review to find out how the outcomes have been achieved in practice and what impacts there have actually been on people with protected characteristics.
Action	Lead	By when	Progress	Monitoring arrangements
Monitor complaints data to ensure that there are no negative impacts on any protected characteristics as a result of the implementation of the policy.	Service Improvement Team	Quarterly		Quarterly complaints reports.

Section 13. Summary Summarise the findings of your EIA, including impacts, recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.

The Right to Buy Policy brings together existing statutory processes and local practices from the former district councils into a single, consistent framework for North Yorkshire Council. It does not introduce new eligibility criteria or restrictions, and no adverse impacts have been identified for people with protected characteristics.

Due regard has been given to equalities throughout the development of the policy. Reasonable adjustments will be made where needed, and future decisions or changes will be subject to further equality assessments as appropriate.

The policy is recommended for implementation with ongoing monitoring to ensure it remains fair, inclusive, and responsive to local needs.

Section 14. Sign off section

This full EIA was completed by:

Name: Imogen Downie

Job title: Housing Policy and Strategy Officer (Service Improvement)

Directorate: Community Development

Signature: Imogen Downie

Completion date: Sept 2025

Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Andrew Rowe

Date: 6 January 2026