Pensions Advisor to the National Housing Federation

Invitation to tender

The National Housing Federation (NHF) is seeking to appoint a strategic partner to support us in representing housing associations on pensions issues (pensions advisor). We envisage that the partnership will start from 1 October 2026.

Overview

The National Housing Federation (NHF) is the voice of England’s housing associations. Our not-for-profit members provide homes for around six million people and are driven by a social purpose: providing good quality housing that people can afford.

Housing associations’ pensions are a complex and specialist aspect of their businesses, ones which are always changing. The NHF understands that pensions are a vitally important issue for our members. At the same time as being a potentially significant financial risk, the appropriate pension scheme is also viewed as being a hugely valued remuneration and recruitment tool for the sector.

The NHF does not have capacity to remain up to date, to horizon scan for any emerging risks or opportunities or to hold the actuarial and specialist knowledge to assist our membership. Therefore, the key objective of this service will be to assist the NHF with timely information, advice and assistance on pensions matters to ensure we are able to represent our members’ interests on pensions issues, and to influence the future pensions environment for the benefit of our members.

We will ensure that the relationship is a genuine partnership that results in sufficient benefits for both parties. As the NHF’s pensions advisor, you will have enhanced access to the sector. Through regular meetings with our policy team, we can provide an insight to major challenges and issues within the sector.

On the topic of pensions, you would have one contracted speaking slot per annum, plus first refusal to access relevant commercial speaking engagements and events, as well as the opportunity to write articles for our website and other member communications as appropriate.

Our national Housing Finance Conference and Exhibition is the largest and most respected finance event in social housing, which in 2026 welcomed over 2,000 attendees. Other key NHF events include our conferences on treasury, and audit and risk. Confirmation of speaking platform details will be dependent on content and sign off by events and conference production colleagues.

Service

To give an indication of the service we are seeking, some of the key responsibilities and expectations of the appointed advisor would include:

• Attendance at regular (quarterly) meetings with the NHF.
• Provision of pensions policy advice to inform the NHF’s work with government officials and other pensions policy stakeholders, with ad-hoc attendance at external meetings as appropriate.
• Responses within three working days to ad hoc pensions queries.
• Provision of articles for the NHF’s finance newsletter and other articles for the website.
• Relevant speaking engagements at NHF events.

Selection process

Pensions advisers will be selected for interviews by a process of competitive tender with submissions assessed against a series of set criteria that apply to our key objectives and according to the following weighting:

• Pensions advice and assistance to the NHF (50%).
• Realising added value and savings for NHF members, and income generation opportunities for both parties (50%).

Timetable

• Start of tender period - 08 July 2026.
• Deadline for return of tender questionnaires - 04 September 2026.
• Interviews (at NHF’s London office) - 14/15 September 2026.
• Confirmation of appointment - 18 September 2026.
• Launch of the strategic partnership - 01 October 2026.

Selection questionnaire

Please provide brief answers to all of the following questions. Your answers will be assessed against criteria relating to the NHF’s key objectives:

1. Pension advice and assistance to the NHF (50%)

• Describe your proposals for providing the NHF with pensions advice. To do this please set out:

           i) what you see as the pensions issues the sector faces and the extent of any such issues

           ii) your view on any potential resolutions and

           iii) how these resolutions may be addressed.

• Please indicate the level of service you are prepared to provide.
• Please indicate the seniority of the proposed key point of contact for the service.
• How would you propose to scan the policy horizon to provide the NHF with early warning of significant pensions issues affecting the sector?
• How would you propose to work with the NHF to influence key decision makers on pensions issues (e.g. SHPS, MHCLG, LGPSs etc)? What existing contacts could you bring to the partnership?

2. Realising added value and savings for NHF members, and income  generation opportunities for both parties (50%)

• Please indicate how you would propose to use the partnership to add value and provide savings for NHF members. Please give an indication of the offers or discounts you propose to award members for the duration of your appointment.
• Please indicate how you would propose to use the partnership to generate income for both parties. Please give an indication of the income amount you propose to deliver to the NHF for the duration of your appointment.
• Do you have any requirements of the NHF to support this?

Tender returns

If you would be interested in tendering for this strategic partnership, please notify the NHF by return.

Completed tender documents should be sent to:

Adam Gravely, NHF Policy Officer

Email: adam.gravely@housing.org.uk

Tel: 020 458 6048

Mob: 07584 997312

National Housing Federation, Lion Court, 25 Proctor Street, Holborn, London WC1V 6NY

Application deadline: 23:59 on 04 September 2026.

Successful short-listed applicants will be contacted by 08 September to organise interview timings. Interviews will be held in-person at the NHF’s London office on 14 or 15 September 2026.