Putting People First: Meaningful Engagement as the Cornerstone of Delivery

Social housing in the UK is finally shifting into delivery mode. After years of uncertainty, a ten-year funding agreement means there’s a bit more security from government, which is helping to build confidence across the sector.

Yet delivery remains a juggling act. In the face of new Consumer Standards grades and demonstrating tenant satisfaction, providers are managing ongoing planning reform and viability challenges with energy efficiency requirements and new legal requirements, all in an increasingly politically charged environment.

And whilst it would be simple to demote consultation and collaboration with residents to a tick-box exercise or a ‘nice to have’ – in this turbulent delivery environment proper, meaningful engagement must remain front and centre. By focusing on real places, real evidence and real lives, we can cut through policy and political noise and make sure people remain rooted at the heart of every decision.

Following an insightful day at the Inside Housing Communications Conference in London in September, the key take away was that housing is a human right and by putting people first, you can build trust, show impact and evidence delivery.

Delivering Homes (not stock)

Language matters. How we communicate plans, ideas and concepts can either empower or unintentionally alienate.

Unfortunately, the industry is still full of jargon and whilst it might be second nature to professionals, it’s often a barrier to those we’re trying to engage. Considering how social housing tenants have statistically lower reading comprehension levels, and many have English as a second language, with generally lower educational attainment, if it it’s too technical engagement will be low or nonexistent.

So, we need to speak ‘fluent people’ – ensuring that both the way we speak and the methods we use to communicate are simple, human and relatable, to unlock honest conversations and create the space for people to be heard.

Here at Deetu, we pride ourselves on our ability to be your ‘technical translator’, transforming complex terminology into easy-to-understand information that resonates to all.

We use our Jargon Glossary – built in-house, it’s a simple but powerful tool that explains technical terms in plain language, directly integrated into our online engagement platforms.

So, when someone comes across a tricky term, they’re not left guessing. They get a clear definition right there, in context. It’s one small feature that makes a huge difference to inclusivity and understanding.

Examples of some accessible Deetu engagement tools

Creating Healthy Places

The power of storytelling can transform how we design, consult, and deliver because at its core, homes are about people. And most people don’t care about things like targets and strategies, but they do care about things they can believe in.

We need to shift the narrative, stepping away from language like ‘net zero’ and instead look at how we can create healthy, thriving places. Our stories need to delve into things people can support, feel, experience: warmer homes, cheaper bills and better living conditions.

Delivering healthy places offers a safe and compelling narrative focusing on tangible benefits like reducing the burden on the NHS and providing quality homes that support wellbeing, dignity, and opportunity.

Working closely with our BWB colleagues, we have our multi-disciplinary approach to Healthy Places that ensures the decisions, advice, and strategies we implement throughout the lifetime of a project support the creation of evidence-based, equitable and truly healthy places for generations to come.

Whether we change the language we use, the way we communicate information, or the questions we ask, it all combines to generate more, and higher-quality, data to interpret that helps you get a deeper understanding of the communities you’re working with.

Lasting Positive Legacy

There’s an opportunity right now to rethink how we approach engagement, not just as a step in the process, but as a way to shape what a lasting positive legacy looks like for people and places.

Homes England is already pushing for more locally relevant social value, using place-based indicators to guide investment. It’s a smart move, and it shows how engagement can directly inform delivery.

Because when we start early and listen properly, we uncover what really matters to communities. That might be skills support, training, jobs, or something else entirely, but we won’t know unless we ask. And if we’re going to meet demand and raise standards, we need the sector to be part of the solution and work in partnership to support communities long-term.

Our specialist Sustainability & Engagement teams collaborate frequently, creating strategies that actually respond to local priorities, and monitoring real impact from the get-go.

Embedding Engagement

Effective engagement is rooted in trust. That means being transparent, empathetic, and inclusive. If it’s planning a new development, delivering a corporate strategy or understanding the tenant experience, we have to do it properly: from the beginning, with the right language, and with the right intent.

It’s not just about asking questions; it’s about how we ask them, the stories we listen to, and the trust we build along the way. When engagement is embedded early and thoughtfully, it becomes part of the foundation of social housing delivery, not an add-on. And that’s what leads to positive decisions being made that reflect real places, real priorities, and real people.

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