One in three people in social housing lives with a long-term mental health problem. Yet many social housing providers operate on the basis of assuming residents can always read and respond to correspondence immediately, open the door without hesitation, and navigate complex processes under pressure.
For too long, social housing policy and mental health have been treated as separate conversations. Centre for Mental Health has partnered with Healthy Homes Hub to launch two new resources designed to help embed mental health into social housing policy and operations at every level:
- Mental health in all housing policies: One-page framework
- Mental health in all housing policies: Practical checklist
This material aims to empower housing providers to design and run services that protect and promote mental health, especially for people already struggling. Without this explicit focus on mental health, the housing sector sees recurring patterns: damp and mould cases that escalate; letters that create anxiety instead of clarity; repeat complaints rooted in confusion, distress or overwhelm.
The resources pose vital questions that social housing providers should reflect on in order to support the mental health of residents, such as: if this policy were experienced by someone in acute distress, would it feel safe, respectful and manageable?
Safe, healthy and secure housing is essential for our mental health. We’re calling on housing providers and decision makers to use these resources and prioritise psychological safety, stability, belonging and dignity across housing policy.
