Standing against division: What the “Unite the Kingdom” march means for social housing

On 13 September 2025, London became the stage for a large-scale protest. The so-called “Unite the Kingdom” march drew an estimated 110,000 to 150,000 people.

Marketed by its organisers as a “free speech festival”, the event instead carried heavy undertones of nationalism, anti-immigration, and Islamophobia. The march was met by 5,000 anti-racist counter-protesters, emphasising the deep polarisation defining public life in the UK at the moment.

We cannot ignore this march. For those of us working in social housing, it is not a distant issue but a challenge that reaches directly into our communities, our workplaces, and our residents’ daily lives.

The demonstrations resulted in 25 arrests and 26 police officers injured. Political leaders condemned the violence, while also stressing the importance of safeguarding the rights of all communities.

Why this matters for social housing

The far-right does not exist in a vacuum. Its narratives about immigration, identity, and belonging directly affect the people who live in, work in, and rely on social housing. The “Unite the Kingdom” march highlights several priorities for our sector:

• Resident safety - residents from migrant or minority backgrounds may feel less safe in the wake of such mass mobilisation. Fear and alienation can damage community cohesion in our neighbourhoods.
• Staff safety - many housing staff are from ethnically diverse communities. Seeing such large-scale hostility towards migrants and minorities can take a personal toll, affecting wellbeing and trust.
• Combatting rising polarisation - social housing sits at the heart of diverse communities. Far-right narratives can create local tensions, neighbour disputes, or spikes in hate incidents that housing providers will need to respond to.
• Leadership responsibility for embedding anti-racism - as landlords, employers, and community leaders, housing associations and councils have a duty to act proactively. We must embed anti-racism into policies, cultures and service delivery.

Act now: the Social Housing Anti-Racism Pledge

The Social Housing Anti-Racism Pledge (SHARP) created by BME London Landlords, exists because racism is not an abstract challenge. Racism is real and it has lasting consequences for our sector. The “Unite the Kingdom” march is a stark reminder of why pledges like ours are urgently needed.

SHARP encourages social housing providers to:

• Show visible leadership by speaking out against hate and supporting communities who feel under threat.
• Invest in staff support to ensure colleagues feel safe, valued, and empowered to challenge racism wherever it arises.
• Strengthen resident voice by creating safe channels for residents to share concerns about racism, discrimination, or community tensions.
• Embed anti-racism into practice, making it a core principle in governance, service design, and everyday decision-making.

Moving forward together

The “Unite the Kingdom” march was not just another protest. It was a powerful reminder of the work still required to make our communities safe, inclusive, and resilient. For social housing, the message is clear: we must be at the forefront of building cohesion and tackling racism wherever it shows itself.

At SHARP, we stand ready to work with housing providers across the UK to turn pledges into action. The future of our communities depends on it.

Join SHARP: By signing the Social Housing Anti-Racism Pledge, your organisation can commit to building fairer, safer, and more inclusive communities. Together, we can stand against hate and ensure that social housing remains a foundation for equity and belonging.