Housing SORP | 2026 update (organisational wide access)

13 April 2026

The Housing SORP applies to all registered social housing providers in the UK and provides essential guidance on, and interpretation of, accounting standards.

It was last published in 2018. Over the past few years, the SORP Working Party (SWP) has extensively reviewed and amended the Housing SORP, following changes to national accounting rules (principally FRS 102) and to reflect a range of topical accounting issues affecting housing associations. 

The revised edition reflects relevant changes to FRS 102 as well as addressing various topical accounting issues that have emerged since the publication of the previous SORP. The key changes include:

• Changes arising to FRS 102 from the Periodic Review 2024 amendments, the most significant of which were considered to be:
  Revenue recognition.
  Lease accounting.
• Reflecting guidance written by the SORP Working Party in January 2023 and consulted upon previously in relation to accounting for repairs responsibilities of social landlords under new Shared ownership model and in relation to accounting for Right to Shared ownership requirements.
• Other amendments to provide greater clarity in accounting treatment and improve consistency in the sector. Topical accounting issues for social landlords arising from building safety requirements, sustainability and decarbonisation have been considered during this review.
• The basis of conclusion outlines the main issues considered by the SORP-making body in producing the updated Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for registered social housing providers.

The updated SORP will be effective for periods beginning on or after 1 April 2026, although early adoption is permitted provided all aspects are adopted.

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