This Month In Social Housing: April 2026

Well, here we are — April. The clocks have sprung forward, the daffodils are doing their level best, and the sector has had quite the month to contend with. Right to Buy has dominated the headlines, with the government confirming a significant overhaul that’s been welcomed in some quarters and debated vigorously in others. And with a parliamentary committee keeping up the pressure on housing conditions, there’s been no shortage of big conversations about what the sector owes the people living in it. Not exactly a quiet start to the new financial year, then. If you’ve not managed to stay abreast of the main stories shaping the sector this past month then never fear as we’ve only gone and cooked up yet another of our This Month in Social Housing round-ups. So, let’s dive in!

Ministers Invest £2m in 20 Pilot Schemes to Strengthen Resident Engagement

The government has announced £2m in funding for 20 pilot projects designed to strengthen tenant engagement across the social housing sector, with all schemes set to launch by the end of April and run for 12 months. The pilots, which involve thousands of tenants, test a range of approaches to give residents clearer and faster routes to influence their landlords, addressing concerns including “ignored repairs, poor updates, slow responses and being bounced between services.” Among the projects is a “living room on wheels” in Wigan offering face-to-face access to housing officers, and a digital platform in Newham allowing residents in high-rise buildings to raise building safety concerns quickly. A national AI platform and a dedicated website for shared owners are also included. Baroness Taylor, Lords minister for housing and local government, said: “The best ideas will be rolled out nationwide and tenants will shape every step, so what we take forward genuinely works to transform tenants’ experiences.”

Just One in 10 Public Sector Procurement Teams Feel Equipped for New Procurement Act, Survey Finds

A year after the Procurement Act came into force, confidence across public sector procurement teams remains stubbornly low — with just one in 10 saying they feel equipped to apply the legislation day to day, according to research by Procurement Hub, a subsidiary of major landlord Places for People. Surveying 107 public sector organisations, the report found that while 71% were already procuring under the act, nine in 10 said they would benefit from further guidance, and just 26% described their experience of the new regime as positive. Alan Heron, managing director of Procurement Hub, warned the sector now faces a “watershed year”, adding that procurement professionals are “operating in a short-term economic cycle, grappling with a widening digital skills gap, and facing pressure to deliver net zero outcomes and broader social value despite significant technical debt.”

Probe Prompts Government Release of Data on Children Living in B&B Temporary Accommodation

New government data has revealed a hidden population of nearly 6,000 children living in council-owned temporary accommodation with shared bathroom or kitchen facilities — almost matching the 6,400 already recorded in official B&B figures, but falling outside the homelessness legislation that protects them. The data, published in response to a request from the Children’s Commissioner prompted by a 2024 Inside Housing investigation, shows the true number is far higher than previously understood. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, welcomed the government’s commitment to ending B&B placements beyond six weeks but warned that council-owned accommodation represented a “concerning loophole”, adding: “No child should be living somewhere without a kitchen or bathroom for an extended period of time, regardless of who owns it.” An MHCLG spokesperson said the government was “ending the use of B&Bs for families beyond six weeks by the end of this parliament, backed by £30 million through the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Programme.”

Regulator of Social Housing Names New Chief Executive

The Regulator of Social Housing has named Jonathan Walters as its new chief executive, promoting the organisation’s deputy chief executive to the top role following the departure of Fiona MacGregor after 11 years at the helm. Walters, who takes up the position next month, said the sector “continues to face economic challenges” and stressed the need for both landlords and the regulator to innovate, adding that he wants to see “new models and new ideas coming forward that will ensure the delivery of high-quality social homes from landlords that have a long-term sustainable commitment to social housing in England.” Housing secretary Steve Reed welcomed the appointment, saying Walters’ “invaluable expertise will help us deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.”

Awaab’s Law Drives Surge in Emergency Hazard Reporting

New data from Housemark has revealed a sharp rise in emergency hazard reporting across the social housing sector, with the median number of reports jumping from 6.3 to 35.8 per 1,000 homes in February 2026 — a shift widely attributed to the impact of Awaab’s Law rather than any sudden deterioration in housing conditions. Jonathan Cox, chief data officer at Housemark, said the figures signal “the sector entering a more transparent phase of reporting”, adding that “rising hazard numbers reflect better identification and investigation, not a sudden decline in housing quality.” While 96.3% of emergency hazards were resolved within 24 hours, significant variation between landlords remains, with some reporting success rates as low as 25%. The data also pointed to continued pressure on repairs services, with responsive repair volumes falling and tenant satisfaction dipping, while void performance remained weak — with only 15% of landlords managing to sustain month-on-month reductions in vacancy rates over the past year.

And that’s a wrap on the April edition of This Month in Social Housing. We’re all off to get to grips with the new Rent Standard, chase down those Q1 performance figures before the board wants sight of them, and work out whether the Easter biscuit tin in the office kitchen is really, truly empty. But, as always, we’ll be back at around the same time next month with more stories, insights and sector signals as 2026 continues to unfold. Until then, stay focused, stay curious, and maybe even manage a few minutes of that April sunshine before it inevitably turns to drizzle. Auf Wiedersehen!

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Mobysoft helps landlords make sense of social housing data. Founded in 2003, Mobysoft is the UKs leading data analytics and social housing technology partner committed to providing social landlords with unique and valuable insights to help them make sense of their data, properties and tenants.

Mobysoft AI-powered RentSense®, RepairSense®, and RiskSense® help landlords improve their income-collection processes and the productivity, quality, and sustainability of their repairs service for the benefit of all involved.