We’re pleased to introduce Housing 21’s new Resident Trust Fund. This replaces the previous Resident Satisfaction Fund and is designed to support ideas that make a real difference to residents and life at your scheme.

The fund is open for applications until 30 March 2026. There is no fixed maximum amount. What matters most is that projects offer good value for money and are led by residents.

The fund can support a wide range of ideas. This includes cost of living projects, such as advice sessions. It can also support health and wellbeing activities, help with digital access and social inclusion, community events and clubs, and scheme improvements chosen by residents to improve quality of life.

If you’re interested, speak to your Local Manager. They can help you shape your ideas and submit an application on behalf of residents.

This is your newsletter, and we want it to work for you. It’s designed to keep you informed, connected and up to date. Your feedback helps us to improve it each month.

We’d like to know what you enjoy reading, what you find useful, and what could be better. This includes the layout, accessibility, stories and the information we share.

We know one newsletter can’t suit everyone, but every bit of feedback can help us make it better for our communities.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let us know. Speak to your local manager or email us.

We’re working to be more sustainable and want to remind you that you can also receive your newsletter by email.
Getting the newsletter by email helps reduce paper, and means you can read it on your phone, tablet or computer, whenever suits you best.

If you’d like to go paperless, speak to your local manager. They can arrange for the newsletter to be sent straight to your email each month.

Our Resident Forums give you a chance to get involved and help shape Housing 21 services. We’d like to remind you about the Extra Care Residents’ Forum and the Retirement Living Residents’ Forum.

These forums bring residents together to share views and experiences. They help make sure resident voices are heard when decisions are made at a national level.

The forums are held online via Microsoft Teams, and we have more information on our website, including a calendar with upcoming dates for 2026. Find out more.

Or, if you have questions, email the Resident Engagement Team 

If you care about the environment, or want to learn more, our Environmental Awareness Group could be right for you.

The group brings residents and colleagues together to share ideas and help make our communities greener and more energy-efficient.

You can share ideas, learn from others, hear from guest speakers, and help shape Housing 21’s sustainability work.
The group is led by Dean, Property Improvement Manager and sustainability lead, who has recently recorded a short video about the Environmental Awareness Group.

We love seeing photos and videos from across our schemes. They help us celebrate events, activities and everyday life, and they show what living with Housing 21 is really like.

However, it’s important to remember consent. If you take photos or videos and plan to share them, please make sure everyone in them has agreed first.
Housing 21 takes privacy seriously.

Permission must always be given before images are shared online, including on scheme Facebook pages or social media. The same rule applies to photos shared by the main Housing 21 social media team.

Please keep enjoying and capturing special moments together. But if you’re unsure about consent, don’t share the image.

If you have any questions, speak to your local manager, who will be happy to help.

A mutual exchange, also called a tenancy exchange, is when a Housing 21 resident swaps homes with another social housing tenant. This could be someone in another Housing 21 scheme, or with a different housing provider or council.

This is different from a tenancy transfer, where Housing 21 offers a home through a waiting list.

In a mutual exchange, tenants agree to swap homes and keep their existing tenancies. No new tenancy is issued. Everyone signs a legal document to confirm the swap.

A mutual exchange may help if you want to move but don’t qualify for a transfer, if you have low priority, or if you want to move to an area or property type where Housing 21 isn’t an option.

Please note, starter tenants and those with a fixed-term tenancy under two years cannot apply yet.

To find out more, read the Mutual Exchange Policy on our website or speak to your local manager: 

February is British Heart Foundation Heart Month. It’s a time to raise awareness of heart health and heart disease. Did you know that every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from a heart or circulatory condition.

Heart Month encourages us to support each other and take small steps to care for our hearts. This could mean gentle activity, eating well, or learning more about heart health.

Some people may also choose to support the British Heart Foundation by fundraising or joining awareness activities.

For ideas and advice, visit their website 

If your scheme is marking Heart Month with an event or activity, we’d love to hear about it. Please email us.

We know that unexpected costs can be hard to manage. The Helping Hands Fund offers extra support to help residents with essential expenses.

The fund can provide one-off support of up to £300, or supermarket vouchers (broken down into totals of up to £190 for one person, or £300 for a couple).
It can help with costs like utility debts, white goods, essential furniture, food vouchers, car repairs, vet bills, new glasses, funeral costs, and travel to medical appointments.

The fund cannot be used for rent, service charges, or personal debts like loans or credit cards.

If you’re worried about money, speak to your local manager. They can talk through what support may be available. You can also find out more on our website.

From January 2026, heat networks will be regulated by Ofgem. This means people who get heating through a heat network will have similar protections to gas and electricity customers.

A heat network supplies heat to more than one home through shared pipes and hot water systems. Some are small, others serve many homes.
Housing 21 works hard to make sure these systems run well. But if you have a concern, it’s important to know what to do.

First, contact Housing 21 and follow our complaints process. If you need more advice, contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

If the issue isn’t resolved after eight weeks, you can contact the Energy Ombudsman.

To learn more about heat networks and how your home is heated, visit our website

Did you know that Housing 21 is a member of Tpas? They’re a national organisation that supports tenant involvement in social housing across England.

Tpas helps residents have a stronger voice by offering advice, training and support. They work with tenants, landlords and contractors to improve engagement.

As a Housing 21 resident, you can access Tpas resources such as webinars, guides and training. It’s a great way to learn about your rights and how best to get involved.

Visit their website at www.tpas.org.uk to register, join events and access resources. They also offer a free enquiry service on 0800 731 131.

You can also visit our website to find out how to register and access further Tpas support: 

A quick monthly check is all it takes to make sure your pendant alarm is working properly when you need it most.

Your pendant alarm is there to give you peace of mind, knowing that help is always just a button press away. Taking a few moments to test it regularly helps ensure it will work reliably in an emergency.