Posted on 21 March 2025
We want to provide the best possible service to all our customers
Over half of our customers (53%*) may experience a short or long-term vulnerability or disability, and we’re working across Hyde to make improvements for them. Our vulnerability policy sets out how we can better support customers that may experience difficulties in accessing our services.
To support our vulnerability policy, we’re delighted to introduce our new Vulnerability team. Created in January, the team was established to support further improvements in our policies.
Meet the team
Part of Hyde Advice, the team is:
Katie - Hyde Advice Manager
Leila - Lead Vulnerability Policy Adviser
Kash - Vulnerability Policy Adviser
The team is currently looking at our whole approach to vulnerability. They’re assessing what the information we’ve collected about our vulnerable customers means for our services and how we adjust these services to our customers in the future.
We’ll continue to make improvements to the way that our colleagues deliver services for customers experiencing a disability or vulnerability; from providing colleagues with training and guidance to ensuring colleagues are aware of upcoming legislation, for example Awaab’s Law.
Our new training videos
Along with our Customer Involvement team, the Vulnerability team worked with our customer focus group, who were keen to be involved on how we train colleagues. Volunteers from the group wanted to be filmed for our new colleague training videos: ‘Vulnerability with Hyde Housing.’
Filmed by our customer, Graham Inns, the two videos feature some of our focus group customers: Ceneta, Shana, Rita and Graham who tell us some of their individual stories. They explain what vulnerability means for them, and the additional support that they may need.
The videos also highlight examples of adjustments that we've made for our vulnerable customers.
Shana tells us:
“I’m so grateful to Hyde for providing individual solutions to address customer needs. When my boiler broke and I was without hot water and couldn’t shower, Hyde knew that I couldn’t move into temporary accommodation whilst the problem was fixed – I had to stay in my home. Thanks to Hyde I now have both an electric and gas shower – just in case there is ever a problem with my boiler in the future.”
In the videos, our customers discuss how empowering it was to be part of the focus group, and contribute towards our vulnerability policy.
As Ceneta said:
“Being involved made me feel needed and heard – the fact that Hyde is making changes and has a new vulnerability policy in place, is great.”
Watch our customer stories:
*Housing Ombudsman Spotlight Report