The qualification aims to address growing housing sector demands by equipping learners with the competencies needed to deliver high‑quality housing services, support compliance with evolving regulatory requirements and improve outcomes for tenants and communities.

Part of the regulatory requirements is the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard, a sector-wide, outcome-based framework for those working in social housing in England. The standard aims to ensure that tenants have safe and decent homes, receive respectful, high-quality services and have a strong voice. It sits alongside other interventions in the social housing sector designed to improve the quality of services, such as the introduction of proactive consumer regulation, the Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Awaab’s Law.

The Competence and Conduct standard, which comes into force in England in October 2026, requires senior professionals who deliver social housing services to gain or work towards a regulated qualification in housing management. This is intended to raise professional standards, ensure consistency across the sector and give tenants confidence that those leading and managing housing services have the right knowledge and expertise.

Content within this qualification directly mirrors topics mandated in the Competence and Conduct standard. This means this qualification is suitable for senior housing managers who must complete a regulated Level 4 qualification in housing management as a condition of the standard. 

This qualification has been developed collaboratively with senior housing sector professionals and experienced subject specialists. Their collective expertise shaped the content to reflect operational realities, policy and legal requirements and professional standards, ensuring the qualification is credible, current and aligned with expectations across senior roles within housing organisations nationwide.

Through extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders the needs and demands of working in the housing sector have influenced the way the qualification is delivered and assessed. The content is relevant to the role of a senior professional and draws on real life experience that learners can relate to, in addition the assessment methods have been chosen to maximise the use of naturally occurring workplace evidence thereby avoiding duplication of work for busy professionals.