Addressing Stigma in Social Housing

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Social housing stigma was the most important issue raised by tenants in after the Grenfell tragedy – i.e. the feeling they were being treated as second-class citizens. Social housing stigma has barely been addressed since then. To help change that, we've signed up to the Stop Stigma in Social Housing Campaign and want to use their journey planner and resources to work with customers to find out if there are areas where we may be directly or indirectly causing stigma - this could include through the information we provide, how we speak to people, or the actions we take.

Find out what stigma means for other social housing tenants from across the country:

We launched this project in June 2025 and since then we have:

  • Worked with colleagues from across the organisation to consider key questions from the Stop Stigma in Social Housing campaign planner
  • Sought customer views in face-to-face sessions in November and early December
  • Included questions about how you customers may be impacted or experience stigma in the quarterly customer perception survey

We will be sharing all the suggestions and feedback raised with the colleague working group and across teams to agree actions and make changes.

Other housing associations across the country are working through the same journey planner as us. Together we hope the campaign will help social housing be respected, valued and celebrated.

Sharon, a customer at St Leger Homes, has shared her inspiring story about being involved in the Stop the Social Housing Stigma campaign in Doncaster:

If you'd like to share your experiences of stigma, or get more involved in our project across Leeds, Wakefield, Kirklees and North Yorkshire, email us at customer.engagement@lfha.co.uk

Social housing stigma was the most important issue raised by tenants in after the Grenfell tragedy – i.e. the feeling they were being treated as second-class citizens. Social housing stigma has barely been addressed since then. To help change that, we've signed up to the Stop Stigma in Social Housing Campaign and want to use their journey planner and resources to work with customers to find out if there are areas where we may be directly or indirectly causing stigma - this could include through the information we provide, how we speak to people, or the actions we take.

Find out what stigma means for other social housing tenants from across the country:

We launched this project in June 2025 and since then we have:

  • Worked with colleagues from across the organisation to consider key questions from the Stop Stigma in Social Housing campaign planner
  • Sought customer views in face-to-face sessions in November and early December
  • Included questions about how you customers may be impacted or experience stigma in the quarterly customer perception survey

We will be sharing all the suggestions and feedback raised with the colleague working group and across teams to agree actions and make changes.

Other housing associations across the country are working through the same journey planner as us. Together we hope the campaign will help social housing be respected, valued and celebrated.

Sharon, a customer at St Leger Homes, has shared her inspiring story about being involved in the Stop the Social Housing Stigma campaign in Doncaster:

If you'd like to share your experiences of stigma, or get more involved in our project across Leeds, Wakefield, Kirklees and North Yorkshire, email us at customer.engagement@lfha.co.uk

Share your experience of when you have felt stigma as a tenant of Leeds Federated.

Please tell us about a time or situation where you have experienced stigma as a tenant of Leeds Federated.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  • Share SandraS on Facebook Share SandraS on Twitter Share SandraS on Linkedin Email SandraS link

    SandraS

    by SandraS, 9 months ago
    Before I explain my experiences of feeling stigmatised as a tenant of Leeds Fed, I have to say that there has been a huge change for the better in the handling and attitude of the customer facing staff at Leeds Fed and also the repairs handling and service delivered. For some years it seemed an uphill task to report repairs and receive a courteous, efficient service in return. I actually feel like an equal now rather than subservant. I know that Stephen Blundell was a real advocate for this and I am pleased that the changes have happened.


    What I... Continue reading

    Before I explain my experiences of feeling stigmatised as a tenant of Leeds Fed, I have to say that there has been a huge change for the better in the handling and attitude of the customer facing staff at Leeds Fed and also the repairs handling and service delivered. For some years it seemed an uphill task to report repairs and receive a courteous, efficient service in return. I actually feel like an equal now rather than subservant. I know that Stephen Blundell was a real advocate for this and I am pleased that the changes have happened.


    What I have experienced, as recently as in the last 12 months, is that when 3rd party businesses become involved, on behalf of Leeds Fed or Engie, it reverts back to being treated with a curt, talked down to, manner. It may ( from personal experience) be a company providing doors and windows, asbestos checking, or roof maintenance.

    I know that LFHA provide these contractors with the names of the tenants, as well as the address, but to be asked whether I am " the tenant" rather than Ms Smith - to be told that LFHA are the customer, not me. It is almost as if people forget that this is our home. The irony is that I have to answer a number of security questions if I ring LFHA but these people phone you and don't even address you by your name!

    At risk of repeating myself over and again, I do feel that we " good tenants" are often lumped in with people who don't respect their tenancy or property and given short shrift as a result.







Page last updated: 01 Jun 2026, 01:55 PM