Amplifying the voices of social housing residents in England to deliver social housing reform

The Grenfell Tower tragedy and the death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak due to damp and mould in his home highlighted how vital it is for government to listen to the needs of social housing residents. To give residents a voice in the future development of policy, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), created the Social Housing Resident Panel which consists of 250 social housing residents from across England. MHCLG commissioned Verian to design a programme of engagement activities that would enable residents to share experiences and voice opinions on the key issues they face in relation to housing quality.

Our team faced the challenge of designing and delivering a panel that would lead to meaningful change. We needed to demonstrate to residents and the wider sector that this was not a ‘tick box’ for resident engagement, but a genuine listening exercise to shape government policies. We developed four guiding principles to achieve this:

1. The research objectives are driven by resident priorities. The research explores the issues that are important to residents.
2. The research process is transparent and accountable. Residents are informed about how their contributions through the panel are impacting government activities and should have the opportunity to engage directly with government officials.
3. Residents are supported to take part. The research activities enable as many residents as possible to take part in a way that works for them, including those with accessibility requirements.  
4. Residents’ views and experiences have impact. Residents directly influence government activities and drive future priorities.

Our approach was a highly innovative qualitative panel that involved a participant-led, three-wave research design that created a feedback loop between government and residents. We launched the panel with a high-profile online event attended by panelists and senior government stakeholders, including the Secretary of State. The event allowed panelists to shape the agenda for the topics to be covered by the panel.

Each wave of research activities included a series of online focus groups, an online community and a feedback webinar. Panelists could choose what methods they wanted to participate in and which sessions to attend based on the topics being discussed.

Following the activities, we created accessible reports which were shared with panelists, providing transparency and allowing panelists to hold government to account. Webinar events at the end of each wave facilitated a direct dialogue between panelists and government, giving the space for residents to ask questions and vote on key issues.

Impact

The panel has driven change in social housing policy and has quickly become an invaluable resource to MHCLG. It has enabled them to understand the firsthand experiences of residents, bringing real insight into how things feel on the ground and what people’s worries and priority concerns are.

The findings from the panel activities have directly shaped two important reforms on social housing quality. A consultation on Awaab’s Law opened in January 2024 and is directly informed by insights generated from panel activities where residents shared their views on the details of the legislation. Similarly, the consultation for Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRS) was opened in May 2024 following direct input from the panel into the details of the policy.