To tackle social housing stigma we must root out unconscious bias in our own organisations

Posted on 17 October 2024

Our Chief Operating Officer, Neal Ackcral shares his insights on tackling social housing stigma

Social housing providers must be realistic about their own failings and how they might also be contributing to myths surrounding residents, argues Neal Ackcral.

Social housing stigma is still a very real problem. Too often we hear lazy stereotypes around unemployment, accusations of ’working the system’ and ‘sink estates’.

In fact, according to the Government’s 2023 English Housing Survey, just 7% of social renters are unemployed (compared with the national average of 4.2% in February 2024) more than four in 10 are in full or part-time work and the rest are retired, or unable to work due to a disability, illness or dependents.

Additionally, almost half (45%) of people living in social housing are single, without children. With average monthly UK rents of £1,200 (in London it’s £2,119) and average monthly salaries of £2,334 (according to Forbes), plus rising costs of living, it’s hardly surprising single people need affordable housing.

And, as we all know, social housing comes in all shapes and sizes, not just tower blocks. Of the 44,500 homes Hyde owns and manages, around six in 10 are flats.

Housing associations, local authorities and other charitable organisations are quick to debunk the myths that circulate about the people to whom we provide homes, because it’s unhelpful. It can act as a barrier to engaging stakeholders and policymakers of the importance of the work we do, and the significant benefits social housing brings to society and the economy.

However, to truly tackle social housing stigma, we must be also put our hands up and be realistic about our own organisational failings, and how we might also be contributing to the stigma attached to social housing.

At Hyde, we have set up colleague focus groups from all levels of the organisation, to try to understand the extent to which certain customer stereotypes were prevalent in our thinking and behaviours. We’ve used this work to develop practical, deliverable actions.

A key finding from our research was the need for us to stop thinking of customers’ requests or complaints as ‘problems’.

Hyde’s customer first approach has recognised this: we need to be accountable to customers, to work with them, to take responsibility and, above all, show empathy. That’s certainly our approach when it comes to damp and mould in our homes. We understand that damp and mould can sometimes occur, and we never seek to blame customers. Instead, we focus on a commitment to work together to resolve the issue.

We also found that some colleagues go years without ever meeting a customer. We encourage colleagues in non-customer-facing roles to attend community drop-in sessions and to take part in door-knocking activities. New colleagues must sit on calls with our customer service teams and we’re exploring ways to make sure everyone that works at Hyde regularly meets customers, like most of our community-based colleagues do every day.

The former paternalistic attitude towards customers can clearly be linked to the myths and stigma surrounding people living in social housing. At Hyde, we’re determined to ensure all our colleagues work together, and with our customers, to improve the way we work and the quality of customer focused services we provide.

Gone are the days when our relationship with our customers is one of a parent-child; we realise that having adult-to-adult conversations, and listening and working with our customers, are essential

Customers expect – and must receive – empathy, understanding, and colleagues who take responsibility for finding solutions. Alongside the advice and support we give, these principles are the foundations on which we build our partnership with customers.

This means speaking the same language and avoiding using housing jargon, but not ‘dumbing-down’ or shying away from difficult messages. This helps us build trust and understanding among colleagues of exactly who our customers are (and who they aren’t).

Listening to our customers means involving them at all levels in our business, consulting with them and positively encouraging their feedback into services, such as our new neighbourhood model and our approach to dealing with damp and mould. This is a great way to increase our understanding and knowledge of our customers, and helps to remove unconscious bias.

At Hyde, we’re changing to be easier to deal with and we’re getting closer to our communities. We’re listening, so we can improve what customers tell us matters most to them. But there’s certainly a long way to go before social housing stigma stops being part of the conversation.

As a sector, we need to challenge misconceptions, dispel myths and promote the fact that our homes and services support a huge range of people from all walks of life. We must celebrate the diversity, resilience and spirit of the communities we serve.

A version of this article first appeared on the Housing Today website on 10 October 2024.