The social housing sector is an evolving one, with providers finding their way through an environment that has been reshaped by a number of significant regulatory and operational shifts over the last few years. Beyond even sector specific change, the UK itself is going through a period of turbulence, undergoing significant cultural and political change. Social housing finds itself at the fault line of these issues, with immigration, council housing and homelessness making national news headlines and emerging as a cornerstone of the new Prime Ministers ethos to restore of optimism in the UK.
Housing Executive: Future Foundations takes place in Bolton next month, and seeks to provide a forum within the context of these overarching factors, not in isolation from them. Housing leaders today are dealing with a sector that demands not just the highest quality of service for current residents, but also the rapid expansion of the UK’s social housing stock in the face of the current housing crisis. The pressures on decision-making in the sector today come from a number of different angles, and we’re going to take a look at three key questions on the mind of the sector that will be addressed at the upcoming conference.
How do we prepare for our ageing population?
There is a significant change occurring in the British population. Improved healthcare and a falling birth rate means that there is a significant demographic shift underway, with over 80s the fastest growing age bracket in the population today. In the last 40 years, the number of people aged 50 and over has increased by over 6.8 million (a 47% increase), and the number aged 65 and over has increased by over 3.5 million (a 52% increase). The ongoing changes have significant implications for the UK as a whole, and even more so for the housing sector. Recent conversations have raised the issues of accessibility in UK homes, the preservation of dignity and safety of older residents and the need for housing and health services to coordinate effectively when caring for the vulnerable in society. These issues are only going to grow larger as our population continues to age, and the social housing sector will find itself on the frontline of tackling them, especially as the current housing and cost-of-living crisis makes home ownership a goal more difficult to reach for each passing generation.
Future proofing social housing for an ageing Britain is the second panel in Future Foundations Governance & Resilience zone, with a panel containing James Batchelor, the founder and CEO of Alertacall, a frontrunner in housing technology for the safety of older residents, Sally Parsons, the CEO of Alpha Living, as well as Lauren McKechnie, the CEO of AgeUK Bolton and Chiara Knott, their Information and Advice Service Manager. The panel promises to be an insightful dissection of one of the most existential questions for the sector today, and one that should be at the forefront of strategy for the sectors housing leaders.
How can technology make our services more human?
The digital age of housing is well and truly upon us, a reality that will not need repeating to any competent housing leader. Across data analysis, maintenance and even housebuilding new emerging technologies are paving the way towards a more efficient and productive way of working, a shift that has only been accelerated as artificial intelligence has become the zeitgeist of the modern day. But the social housing sector is one with an explicitly human mission, and the residents providers cater for need more than ever to feel seen and listened to, something a digital wall of AI respondents stands as a direct barrier too. In Future Foundations Tech, data and innovation zone, panel 3 will be discussing the human factor of social housing, and how the current technology boom taking hold across the industry can enhance human connection in services rather than hinder it.
Curated by Stewart Davison, the founder of the Proptech Peer Group, the panel brings together technology specialists and housing leaders with real experience of implementing technology within the sector that serves a purpose. Steve Allcock, Group Business Transformation Director at Riverside Group will join Director of Technology Ian Cresswell from Magenta Living, as well as Dr Guy Marshall, independent AI and digital advisor and Scott Summers, the CEO of Quality Led Projects. With a strong combination of housing and technology specific expertise, the discussions taking place will be invaluable for any housing professional looking to cut through the hype and uncover the real benefits of the technology boom,.
What can we learn from our residents?
Led by Nic Bliss, the founder of Stop Social Housing Stigma, The resident’s perspective- how do we rebuild trust? is the third panel in zone three, focusing on people, homes and communities. This panel is a stand out in the Future Foundations agenda as Nic will be joined on stage by social housing residents and member of the Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign, leading the talk with their experience of the sector and discussing how organisations can embed a truly resident-first culture. Housing Executive has held two previous interviews Nic discussing the SSHS mission and the instrumental role of providers in combatting and neutralising the stigma faced by so many residents across the country.
Residents are the true bottom line for any housing leader, and providing an empathetic and person-led service is the true goal of any housing association. Discussions surrounding value and efficiency can only take leaders so far, and one of the most important dialogues in the sector is between social housing leadership and the people they provide homes for. This panel will provide a platform to open this dialogue up, and break down the common miscommunications and misunderstandings that can derail a positive landlord-resident relationship.
Housing Executive: Future Foundations is free to attend for any public sector professionals, and you can secure your tickets here on our website. The article above highlights just three of the key speaker panels taking place throughout the day in Bolton, and every panel will be followed by a networking zone providing the opportunity for attendees to pose questions to speakers and other delegates in the aftermath of each talk.
