Are we listening to the voices in our organisations, and representing the communities that we serve?

Our 2026 EDI data tool collection will offer a mirror to the social housing sector. So that we can see an accurate picture of our workforces, identify underrepresentation, and understand where change is needed to improve equality, diversity and inclusion. Please share your data with us from 19 March.

We’ve taken significant steps towards making the social housing sector a more equal, diverse and inclusive place to work. I know, and have seen firsthand, the commitment housing associations have to these values. Our sector continuously works to challenge inequalities for our workforces and the communities that we serve.

Whilst recognising the steps we have taken, it’s important to acknowledge how far we still have to go. To one day say with confidence that our sector is as equal, diverse, and inclusive as possible, our organisations need to regularly review where we are. Our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) data tool enables you to do just that.

By using the tool, you’ll find out how representative your workforce is of the communities you serve and how representative your leadership is of staff. It is intended as a starting point for conversations about workforce diversity which can be explored through further analysis of data. From there, we can shape our action plans and strategies to improve equality, diversity and inclusion.

Driving meaningful change for communities, in line with our social purpose

This data collection comes at an important time. We see that housing associations, and the communities you serve, are impacted by rising division and tension. This includes a rise in racist rhetoric.

Social housing is rooted in addressing injustice and inequalities for diverse communities of people. We do not tolerate racism or discrimination and are driven by our strong social values to improve equality, diversity, and inclusion. Improving community cohesion is at the heart of our social purpose.

We must not lose focus on our values, and our progress towards diverse, inclusive, and equal workplaces. An organisation where staff feel a true sense of belonging, and where the communities they serve feel truly represented, is one that people trust.

How diverse is our sector?

Our 2023 EDI data tool collection received responses from 177 organisations. This provided us with an updated picture of our housing association workforces and executives that represented 76% of homes owned by housing associations in England. It identified a clear lack of representation across a range of characteristics:

• Only 9% of the sector’s workforce have a disability or long-term condition compared to 24% of the population and 29% of residents.
• 47% of executives and 44% of board members are female compared to 54% of the workforce, so while female representation in leadership positions has increased it is still not reflective of workforces and residents.
• 10% of the workforce is Black/African/Caribbean/Black British but only 3% of executives, and 5% of the workforce is Asian/Asian British but only 1% of executives. This means the ethnic diversity of the workforce is not reflected in executive positions.
• We are missing over 90% of data on socioeconomic backgrounds and caring responsibilities for our workforces.

What we need from you

Our 2026 EDI data tool is an important opportunity to measure the impact of the sector’s progress towards greater representation.

We launched the tool in 2021 to help ensure that decisions made by our sector have the best outcomes for residents. The diversity data we collect helps to provide a picture of our workforces, which we can use to improve diversity, better understand the lived experiences of residents, and better represent them. This representation is a foundation of resident trust.

So, whose perspective is not currently represented in our sector and why? To find out, the starting point is data collection.

On 19 March, we will launch our new 2026 EDI data tool at our EDI in Housing Conference. To build an updated national picture of the housing association workforce, I strongly encourage you to prepare for the 2026 EDI Data tool by reviewing the questions outlined here before and after its publication on 19 March. You will then have until 15 May to submit your completed tools.

Now is the time to drive real and actionable change towards a sector that represents everyone.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.