A landmark year for housing in North

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Our Chief Executive Tracy Harrison looks back at what has been a momentous year for social housing in the North. She reflects on what we’ve achieved – both politically and in terms of our member offer – and looks forward to 2026.

This year has been one of the most significant for the social housing sector in the North. We’ve seen once-in-a-generation investment in social housing from the Government. At the NHC, we’ve been actively representing members’ views right at the very heart of Government, and working to support members to deliver.

We launched our new corporate plan with three key strategic priorities:

  • We move the dial on northern policy
  • We’re all about people (your people and our people)
  • We create value

Moving the dial on northern policy

Together, we’ve influenced national decisions in ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.  The social housing sector has received significant investment in recent months – including the £39bn commitment to the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with flexibility around regeneration and net additionality, and the 10-year rent settlement.

Mayors now have more local control, and more flexible funding rules now reflect the reality that “one size fits all” simply doesn’t work for the North. Thanks to the evidence you’ve shared and the work we’ve done collectively, long-standing asks have been delivered. Our Executive Director (Policy and External Relations) Patrick Murray has written a more detailed article on moving the dial, summarising the policy change we’ve seen and how we deliver that change.

The NHC team has worked tirelessly to make this happen—meeting ministers, organising site visits, and presenting detailed evidence that reflects the realities of the communities you serve.

Looking ahead, our newly launched Renew inquiry, supported by Homes for the North and Muse, will explore housing-led regeneration as a driver of growth and stronger communities. Our Call for Evidence is already underway, and we’re engaging with ministers to ensure regeneration in the North receives the support it deserves.

We’re all about people

Our second priority is simple but vital: we’re all about people—your people and our people. Over the past year, we’ve created spaces for collaboration and shared learning across virtually every landlord issue. From strategic leaders to frontline staff, tenants, and residents, we’ve held more than 110 events attended by over 1,000 colleagues. That’s more than two events every week, each designed to strengthen our collective impact.

We’ve also taken senior government officials across the North to see members’ work firsthand. These visits help decision-makers understand the challenges you face and the opportunities that exist to deliver for communities.

Supporting people also means investing in their future. Our Unlocking Success Bursary scheme continues to change lives, awarding £500 bursaries to support social housing residents with training and employment opportunities. We’ve partnered again with the GEM Programme to offer a free place to a tenant employed by an NHC member, to help them build a career in housing. And looking ahead, the new Edge Programme will address senior leadership succession and development needs—an issue critical to the sector’s long-term success.

Devolution is also creating new opportunities. Housing partnerships across the North are bringing together housing associations, local authorities, and combined authorities to tackle issues from skills to health. We’re proud to serve as secretariat to seven of these partnerships, strengthening pan-Northern collaboration and ensuring the right people are around the table to improve outcomes for communities.

We create value

Finally, our third priority: we create value. At the core of this is the income generated by our commercial team through NHC Procurement. Over the past five years, our reinvestment model has delivered well over £2.5 million directly back into policy and engagement work. This funding helps us keep membership fees low while offering free networks and events that benefit everyone.

So, when you work with us on procurement, you’re not just securing value for money—you’re enabling all this wider work to happen.

Looking forward

2025 has certainly been a busy year – and while I feel ready for the Christmas break – I look forward to bringing the momentum forward into 2026. We’ll continue to be there for members – bringing you together, representing your views and supporting you to deliver.

Our Renew inquiry on housing-led regeneration will be a big focus and we will work tirelessly to make sure no-one and no-where is left behind. We will continue to work with housing partnerships across the North and will do even more to bring the partnerships together – including with a new event in the summer! We will continue to support members with free events and briefings and resources when you need them most. Our procurement team will work to respond to the ever-changing delivery environment and will connect you with the suppliers that can offer the best solutions.

I hope everyone has some opportunity to relax over the festive break so we can all return refreshed and ready to go in 2026!