THE Government has welcomed a big increase in the number of people in the region buying their council house.

New figures reveal that 461 local authority and housing association tenants in the North-East and North Yorkshire purchased their home in 2012/13 – up from 182 in 2011/12.

In Darlington, the number of tenants buying their home increased from six to 17 in a year, while in North Yorkshire the number rose from five to 25.

Housing Minister, Kris Hopkins, said more people were taking their first foot on the housing ladder after the Government increased the discount available under the right to buy scheme to £75,000.

He added: “For years the right to buy was allowed to wither on the vine, with ever-decreasing discounts leaving the prospect of home ownership out of reach for far too many social tenants.

“But our reinvigorated scheme has changed that, with increased discounts helping more than 10,000 new homeowners onto the property ladder.

“And because we’ve committed to using the additional money raised towards funding new affordable homes for rent, we’re also getting Britain building and will soon have the fastest rate of affordable house building for two decades.”

Changes to the eligibility criteria for the right to buy scheme, from five years to three years, are included in the Deregulation Bill which is currently before Parliament.