June 2026: Extra Care Resident Newsletter

The Retirement Living Resident Newsletter keeps you informed with the latest news, updates, and opportunities from Housing 21. It’s designed to keep you connected, highlight ways to get involved, and share helpful tips to support you in your home and community.

Why not listen to the audio version of our latest newsletter:

Housing 21 has achieved a C1 consumer standards grading from the Regulator of Social Housing.

This grading means the Regulator is assured that Housing 21 is meeting the outcomes expected across all four consumer standards. These include safety and quality, neighbourhood and community, tenancy, and how we listen and respond to residents.

Housing 21 has also maintained the highest possible ratings for governance and financial viability, with G1 and V1 status.

Producing Quarterly Performance reports are one of the ways we want to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability. Last year we launched a series of quarterly performance reports and the final quarter (quarter four) from the last financial year is available on our website.

This is looking at our performance from 01 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 and breaks down information on how we have invested in homes, repairs, complaints and much more.

If you would like a printed copy, please speak to your local manager. We can also email you a copy directly. Email engagement@housing21.org.uk

This summer marks the start of a simple change. From late June, schemes with heat networks will move to one standard temperature for shared heating. Living spaces will be set to around 21°C, ensuring homes stay warm enough without dropping too low. Before anything is finalised, your local manager will speak with you to make sure the temperature feels right for your community.

Please note, this change will only affect residents who have heating provided by a shared boiler or communal heating system. 

So why now? The rules around heat networks are changing nationally. Ofgem became the official regulator in January 2026, and by early 2027 all heat networks must be formally registered on a new system. Setting a consistent temperature helps us meet these new requirements and supports wider safety measures, including preventing overheating.

Most importantly, these changes are about keeping everyone safe and comfortable in their home. As always, your feedback matters, and your local manager will be on hand to answer questions and listen to your views.

Find out more about Heat Networks.

At Housing 21, our purpose is simple: to help older people live well, with dignity and autonomy, through quality housing, care and support. We put residents at the centre of everything we do by listening, responding and continually improving our services. That’s why we are delighted to launch our Resident Experience Strategy 2026

Developed with resident input, including Tenant Satisfaction Measure survey results, complaints data and engagement from local teams, the strategy builds on our strong foundations while responding to today’s regulatory expectations and resident needs. It sets out how we will involve residents, listen to their views and act on what matters most to them.

To find out how you can participate in future interviews about our resident experience approach please email us

Visit our Resident Experience webpage.

We want to provide the best service possible, whether that’s carrying out repairs in your home or handling complaints fairly and efficiently.

To help us improve, we run two regular surveys:

  • A monthly repairs survey
  • A monthly complaints survey

These surveys are sent to residents who have recently had a repair completed or made a formal complaint.

As we carry out many repairs each month, only a sample of residents are invited to take part in the repairs survey. However, all residents whose complaint has been closed will be invited to complete the complaints survey.

You may be contacted by email, text message or phone call.

If you receive an email or text invitation, you will be asked to click a link to complete a short survey.

Taking part is completely optional, but your feedback helps us understand what is working well and where we can improve.

If you are ever unsure whether a survey invitation is genuine, please speak to your local manager or email our Research Team.

We are reviewing our Choice and Consensus Policy and would like residents to help create the new version.

This policy sets out how decisions are made in our schemes and communities, and how we work together on matters that affect everyone.

We want to make sure the updated policy reflects what matters most to residents and supports choice, fairness and resident voice.

There are several ways you can get involved, including:

  • Joining consultation meetings
  • Sharing feedback on the draft policy
  • Taking part in surveys or discussions
  • Suggesting ideas that matter to you

Your experiences and views will help shape a policy that works for residents and supports strong communities across Housing 21.

If you would like to take part, please contact our Engagement Team.

Did you miss that our annual Residents’ Survey results are now available to view on our website? This includes the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) set by the Regulator of Social Housing.

We provide a range of reports so you can see how services are performing, including:

  • Local scheme reports (where there are five or more responses)
  • Regional patch reports 
  • A national TSM report for Housing 21 

If your scheme did not receive enough responses for a local report, you will still be able to view a patch report covering your wider area.

You can find your results on your scheme page on our website, or speak to your local manager for help.

Don’t forget to check our STAIRs webpage on the Housing 21 website.

The Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements scheme is a government standard designed to improve transparency for people living in social housing.

The aim is simple: to make it clearer what information landlords should share, and how residents can access it. This may include details about services, performance, and how decisions are made.

The scheme is currently being finalised. The first stage is expected to come into law in October 2026, followed by a second stage in April 2027.

At Housing 21, we are already preparing for these changes. We have created a dedicated webpage bringing together key information we are required to publish. To make it easier to find, the information is grouped into clear categories with links to relevant pages across our website.

We will continue to update this page as more details are confirmed, so residents can always access the latest information.

Visit our Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements webpage.

Would you like to understand more about your service charges?

We have a dedicated group called the Resident Service Charge Network. This group is chaired by a Housing 21 resident, with Housing 21 colleagues including Tracy Jones and Richard Lawton. The aim is to help make our service charge process clearer and easier to understand for residents.

The network has created a series of short videos to explain key topics, including:

  • Sinking funds explained
  • Understanding end of year statements
  • Understanding scheme budget meetings
  • How we buy communal energy

These videos are designed to give clear, helpful explanations and answer common questions.

You can watch them on our YouTube channel or via our website.

Did you know you can receive our corporate monthly newsletter straight to your email inbox?

Our e-newsletter brings all the latest updates directly to you, with quick links to videos, resources and key information.

Going paperless helps reduce paper use across your scheme and supports our sustainability work. It also means you can read the newsletter whenever it suits you, on your smartphone, tablet or computer.

If you would prefer a digital version, you can sign up easily via our form.

Last month we shared information about a new campaign from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), called Tax Confident.

The campaign is designed to give simple, easy-to-understand guidance so you can feel more in control of your tax.

Tax Confident breaks things down into clear, straightforward steps. It includes short videos, helpful tools and simple explanations to help you build your understanding at your own pace.

The aim is to support you to feel more informed and confident when managing your money, without using complicated language or jargon.

You can find out more by visiting the Tax Confident website.

Did you know some councils may offer free long-term loans or even gifted digital devices, such as tablets or laptops?

The UK Government has also launched a £9.5 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund. This supports pensioners and other digitally excluded groups to get online, build digital skills, and access essential services like healthcare, banking, and social support.
Getting online can make everyday tasks easier and help you stay connected with family, friends and services.

What is available varies by area, so it is best to check locally.

To find out more, visit GOV.UK and search for “Find your local council”. Once there, you can use your council’s website to look for terms such as “free devices” or “digital inclusion”.

If you need help getting started, your local manager may also be able to point you in the right direction.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) takes place every year on 15 June.

It is a global awareness day that helps shine a light on elder abuse and the importance of keeping older people safe, respected and supported. It is also a time for organisations and individuals to show support for older people in their lives and communities.

At Housing 21, we are committed to helping residents feel safe and supported in their homes and communities.

If you, or someone you know, needs support or has any concerns, please speak to your local manager or any Housing 21 team member.

You are not alone, and there is always someone who can help.

If you would like to find out more about support available, you can also visit Age UK.

Loneliness Awareness Week takes place from 15 to 21 June.
It is hosted by the Marmalade Trust and is the world’s largest campaign to encourage open conversations about loneliness and to promote connection activities across communities.

At Housing 21, we are proud that many of our schemes have active communities, with groups and activities that help residents stay connected and involved.

We also understand that loneliness can affect anyone at times. If you are feeling lonely, please speak to your scheme team or someone you trust. There is always support available.
You may also wish to get involved in one of our engagement groups, where you can meet residents from across Housing 21 and take part in shared activities and discussions.

To find out more about Loneliness Awareness Week and the resources available, visit the Loneliness Awareness Week website.

We regularly share news on our website. Here is a summary of some of the latest stories from May.

Community spirit at its best in North Manchester: Sydney Jones Court residents enjoyed a splash of colour this May, as volunteers from Manchester City Council and Far East Consortium joined together to help refresh the communal gardens.

Royal honour for Housing 21’s Kris Peach: Kris Peach was invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, following a nomination through the National Care Forum.

Extra Care team take on the May 50K: An Extra Care team at Housing 21 is taking part in the May 50K challenge to raise money for the MS Society, showing great commitment to a cause that supports people living with multiple sclerosis.

We will continue to share more stories like these on our website, celebrating the people and communities across Housing 21.

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.