We are keen to help reduce negative stereotypes and fully support the work of the tenant-led group Stop Social Housing Stigma.

With 4 million households across the UK living in social housing, the campaign aims to show how social housing tenants contribute significantly to society. They love the homes they are in and are proud to be social housing tenants.

We want to help more people understand their work, so we invited group members to speak about their achievements during an online information session.

The aims of the Stop Social Housing stigma campaign are to:

• Develop awareness campaigns with landlords and tenants to address social housing stigma

• Provide training and consultancy for colleagues and residents on addressing specific issues and complaints about stigma

• Call out and comment on anything which further stigmatises social housing

• Contribute and promote good practice and research aimed at reducing and eradicating stigma

The group’s achievements so far this year:

  • Working with the Universities of Durham and Sheffield, TPAS, and the Chartered Institute of Housing as part of a series of anti-stigma pilots. The universities are developing a draft pledge for supporter tenants/landlords to agree to address stigma and a toolkit (with policies, case studies, self-assessment and an action plan) for supporters.
  • Meeting Baroness Scott, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The group asked for the DLUHC to address social housing stigma in the new consumer regulations and standards consultation.
  • Asking the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) to be more explicit about addressing stigma in new regulations, including their first draft of the new Consumer Regulations.
  • Forming a working partnership with TPAS contractors and suppliers, training their employees on avoiding social housing stigma.

What next?

  • Look out for details about a seminar about Stop Social Housing Stigma via Four Million Homes (a project funded by DLUHC and provides guidance on tenant’s rights): www.fourmillionhomes.org/events/category/webinars/
  • The continuation of the pilots, research and completion of the toolkit.

 

One of our tenants, Fiona, is an active member and tells us why she is passionate about the group’s work: “I became aware of stigma in social housing before I became a social housing tenant. Even at the age of 13, I saw this as unfair and did not understand why people should treat others badly just because of where they lived.

"Later as a social housing tenant, I saw this stigma had not gone away.

"The only way to tackle it is to highlight the effects it is having on individuals and communities and to continue spreading the word that stigma is not acceptable.”

Jacqui De-Rosa, Chief Executive at Progress Housing Group, said: “We are strongly committed to our tenants and neighbourhoods, and we want to challenge inaccurate attitudes towards people in or seeking social housing.

"We believe it is our responsibility to help change that stigma and create a new narrative showing our tenants' tremendous work in our communities, recognising the positive contribution we, as housing providers and they as good neighbours, make to our society.

"We are supporting the work of the Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign and would urge other housing organisations to get involved.”

 

How can you support their work?

  • Join their committee
  • Join as a resident ambassador
  • Join as a landlord official supporter
  • Share your experiences of addressing social housing stigma as a tenant or landlord

Email stopsocialhousingstigma21@gmail.com to get involved.

You can also pledge your support on Twitter: @sshscampaign

For more information visit Home - Stop Social Housing Stigma

 

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