This week the G15 Residents’ Group brought together residents, housing providers, policy makers, and sector partners to discuss progress on tackling stigma in social housing.
Chaired by Ben Coleman, Labour MP for Chelsea and Fulham, the session was built on the findings of the G15 Residents’ Group research report, ‘Taking the Stigma out of Social Housing: The Residents’ View’ published in January 2025. The research highlighted both the scale of stigma experienced by residents and the role that day-to-day interactions with landlords can play in shaping those experiences.
A shared focus on delivery
The roundtable focused on how organisations are responding in practice. Attendees – including, Ian McDermott as G15 Chair and representatives from the MHCLG, GLA, RSH and CIH – discussed the changes being made across housing associations, such as:
- strengthening resident influence in decision-making
- improving the quality and consistency of services
- reviewing how language is used in policies and communications
- residents having senior governance and board positions
It placed a strong emphasis on service delivery, language, and ensuring that residents feel listened to and treated fairly in every interaction.
Progress across G15
Alongside the discussion, the G15 Residents’ Group has published a progress report setting out the actions members have taken since the original research was published.
The report highlights a range of activity across G15 members, including:
- making changes to communications to improve clarity and tone
- introducing training and cultural change programmes
- strengthening how feedback is acted on and reported back to residents
The report reflects early progress and emerging practice. Members were clear that this is an ongoing area of work, and that sustained focus will be needed to ensure consistent improvement.
Looking ahead
The roundtable also explored priorities for future research. This includes building a deeper understanding of how stigma is experienced by different groups. If you would like to get in touch about the next phase of the research, please contact [email protected]
