The social housing sector plays a vital role in shaping the well-being of individuals and communities across the UK.
From providing safe and affordable homes to supporting vulnerable tenants, housing professionals serve at the intersection of infrastructure, social care, and public service. Yet, the sector is grappling with a growing crisis and widespread skill shortages threatening service delivery, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Areas Most Affected by Skill Shortages
Skill shortages span several disciplines within social housing, with some areas particularly hard-hit:
- Repairs and Maintenance: The demand for skilled tradespeople, plumbers, electricians, joiners, and multi-trade operatives far outweighs the supply. An ageing workforce and fewer apprentices entering the trades contribute to the gap.
- Housing Management and Tenancy Services: Roles like housing officers and tenancy sustainment workers are increasingly difficult to recruit and retain, especially given the rising complexity of tenant needs.
- Asset Management and Compliance: The technical nature of asset management, coupled with growing regulatory requirements (e.g., fire safety, damp and mould standards), has led to shortages of surveyors and compliance professionals.
- Data and Digital Specialists: As housing providers undergo digital transformation, there's a pressing need for IT professionals, data analysts, and systems experts who understand both technology and the unique nuances of social housing.
What’s Causing the Shortage?
Several factors are contributing to the challenge:
- An ageing workforce, particularly in technical and trade roles.
- Perceived lack of career progression compared to private or commercial sectors.
- Limited awareness among younger generations about career opportunities within the sector.
- Salary disparities between housing associations, councils, and the private sector.
- High emotional demands of frontline roles without adequate support or recognition.
Building the Future Workforce: Attracting Talent
To future-proof the sector, a strategic and inclusive approach is essential. Here's how social housing can entice more people to join and grow within the field:
1. Leverage Lived Experience
Many individuals with firsthand social housing experience are deeply passionate about making a difference. Providers can turn this passion into professional expertise by investing in training, apprenticeships, and lived experience pathways. These individuals often bring empathy, authenticity, and community insight that traditional candidates may lack.
2. Partnerships with Education and Training Providers
Collaborating with colleges, universities, and training academies to co-design courses tailored to housing needs, especially in digital, compliance, and tenant engagement can create direct pipelines into the sector.
3. Marketing the Mission
People want purpose. Social housing offers one of the most tangible ways to impact lives positively, yet this is under-communicated. Housing organisations need to market the emotional and societal rewards of the work just as much as the salary or job title.
4. Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Schemes
Modern, flexible apprenticeships and graduate schemes can provide structured career paths into underrepresented roles. These should be promoted not just to school leavers but also to career changers, returners, and those looking to upskill.
5. Career Mapping and Internal Progression
Clear progression pathways backed by mentoring, qualifications, and leadership development can help retain staff and demonstrate long-term value. With the right support, the career progression within the sector could be astronomical.
Climbing the Ladder: From Entry to Executive
Many professionals in the sector have risen through the ranks, often starting in entry-level roles such as customer service, caretaking, or tenancy support. Encouraging these journeys shows that social housing isn’t just a job. It’s a long-term, rewarding career. Initiatives like the CIH Professional Standards Framework help formalise this progression by offering accreditation and continued professional development (CPD) aligned to each career stage.
According to a 2023 report by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), over 70% of housing organisations reported difficulties in filling key roles, with 43% citing a lack of candidates with appropriate experience or qualifications. Meanwhile, only 18% felt confident they had a future-proof workforce strategy in place.
The Numbers Tell the Story
- According to a 2023 CIH report, 73% of housing organisations struggle to fill key roles.
- 43% cited a lack of qualified applicants as the main barrier.
- A report by the National Housing Federation (2022) found that more than 30% of the sector’s skilled tradespeople are set to retire in the next decade.
- Meanwhile, only 19% of young people (under 25) surveyed had ever considered social housing as a career option.
This misalignment between demand and supply is not just a workforce issue, it’s a service delivery risk.
Why Lived Experience Matters in Leadership
Lived experience isn’t just valuable at the frontline, it should be part of the leadership pipeline too. Leaders who have “been there” often bring deeper understanding, compassion, and credibility when shaping strategy or responding to community needs.
Creating lived-experience leadership routes, through mentoring, sponsorship, and leadership coaching can help shift the makeup of the sector’s upper echelons and provide aspirational role models for others coming through the system.
A Sector of Opportunity
With the right strategies, the social housing sector can transform its current challenges into a compelling opportunity. By embracing innovation, widening its recruitment lens, investing in development, and celebrating the human stories behind the work, it can build a resilient, future-proof workforce.
Social housing is more than bricks and mortar. It’s people, relationships, and long-term change. For those looking for a meaningful career with real growth potential, this is a sector where you can start anywhere, and go everywhere.
A Call to Action
If the sector is to thrive, a proactive approach is essential, one that includes investment in people, celebrates diverse experiences and showcases the profound impact of working in social housing.
By positioning social housing as a mission-driven career with meaningful progression, the sector can inspire a new generation of professionals to build, manage, and sustain the homes and communities that society depends on.
Spotlight: Social Housing
Spotlight is a centralised hub created via LinkedIn to share insights, raise awareness, and deepen understanding of the sector.
We aim to deliver insights, commentary and updates on the latest trends and legislative changes in Social Housing, providing valuable perspectives on the issues that matter most.
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Contact Us
If you or your team ever need our support or expertise, please do not hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help.
Kim Parsons
Phone: 0121 798 0498
Mobile: 0770 015 7018
Email: kim@spirehouse.co.uk
