A new ministerial team – now it's time to turn reform into reality
Tuesday 21st of July 2026
Every new Prime Minister brings speculation about what might change for housing. New faces, new priorities and, often, new announcements.
This time, however, the appointments tell a slightly different story.
Yes, Angela Rayner returns to lead the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, but much of the ministerial team remains in place. Matthew Pennycook continues as Housing and Planning Minister, alongside colleagues responsible for local government, homelessness, building safety and housing regulation.
For me, that sends an important message.
The sector has spent the last few years adapting to one of the biggest programmes of reform we have seen in decades. Consumer regulation has fundamentally changed expectations of landlords. Awaab's Law is reshaping how organisations respond to housing conditions. Building safety continues to demand attention. Professional competence is raising expectations of those working across the sector.
Perhaps what housing needs most right now isn't another set of reforms. It is the space and stability to make the current ones work.
That doesn't mean standing still. Quite the opposite.
The focus now has to move beyond implementing new requirements and towards the experience of the people those reforms were designed to benefit.
The question isn't whether a landlord has introduced a new policy or completed another action plan.
The question is whether tenants feel safer in their homes.
Whether they are listened to when something goes wrong.
Whether services respond more quickly.
Whether trust is growing.
Ultimately, that is how success should be judged.
One area I hope this government continues to champion is the role of tenants in shaping services.
For too long, tenant engagement has sometimes been viewed as something organisations do because regulation requires it. Those of us working in this field know that misses the point entirely.
When residents are genuinely involved, organisations make better decisions.
Problems are identified earlier.
Services become more responsive.
Innovation happens because it is informed by lived experience rather than assumptions.
Good engagement isn't another layer of governance. It is good business, good leadership and, most importantly, it leads to better outcomes for the people who call these homes their own.
The government's continued focus on devolution also creates an opportunity we shouldn't overlook.
As housing decisions increasingly sit alongside economic growth, transport, regeneration and public services, resident voice must not become an afterthought. If communities are expected to shape the future of places, then social housing tenants need to be part of those conversations from the outset.
At Tpas, we've long argued that meaningful involvement strengthens decisions rather than slowing them down. It builds confidence, improves accountability and helps organisations understand what success looks like from the perspective that matters most—that of the people living in our homes.
There is, of course, one challenge that no ministerial reshuffle can solve on its own.
Landlords continue to balance competing demands: investing in existing homes, delivering new homes, responding to higher regulatory expectations and supporting residents through increasing financial pressures.
The ambition across the sector is clear. The question is whether organisations have the long-term certainty and resources needed to deliver it.
That is why the months ahead matter.
The new ministerial team has inherited a housing sector that understands what government expects. The challenge now is turning those expectations into lasting improvements that tenants can see and feel in their everyday lives.
At Tpas, we will continue to champion the role of tenant voice in making that happen. Not because regulation tells us to, but because experience continues to show that when residents are trusted as partners, housing services become stronger, decisions become better and communities are better placed to thrive.
The reforms may already be in place. The real work starts now.
Caritas Charles, Tpas Head of Policy