Government has brought together groups from around the social housing sector to move forwards with proposals from the Social Housing White Paper.

The panel will meet four times over the next year to provide scrutiny and advice as the government implements the social housing white paper. This follows extensive engagement with residents, housing associations and other stakeholders.

The government has already made progress to improve the quality and safety of social housing – launching a review of the Decent Homes Standard, a working group on electrical safety, and holding a consultation on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as running a national campaign to raise awareness of how to seek redress when things go wrong.

Eddie Hughes, Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing said: “Giving social housing residents a stronger voice and ensuring landlords raise standards is at the heart of our landmark reforms to transform the sector.

“The expert panel will help to ensure that we deliver on these reforms, bringing together people who will scrutinise our plans and guarantee we achieve the vision set out in the Charter.”

The social housing white paper outlines that every social housing resident should expect to:

  • be safe in your home
  • know how your landlord is performing
  • have your complaints dealt with promptly and fairly
  • be treated with respect
  • have your voice heard by your landlord
  • have a good quality home and neighbourhood to live in
  • be supported to take your first step to ownership

Membership of the Expert Challenge Panel is:

  • Chartered Institute for Housing
  • Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence
  • Communities that Work
  • Confederation of Co-operative Housing
  • De Montfort University
  • Grenfell United
  • HACT
  • Local Government Association
  • National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations
  • National Housing Federation
  • Shelter
  • Social Value Lab
  • Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse
  • TAROE Trust
  • Tpas