Government launches consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard

This week, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard. This is one of a series of government consultations on the implementation of the Social Housing Regulation Act. 
 
The Competence and Conduct Standard aims to introduce a national framework for promoting high standards and professionalism within our sector through the introduction of new measures on professionalisation. 

At the NHF, we want to ensure the new Standard considers the existing experience and expertise of the sector and address any impact on costs, retention and recruitment.  

What does the consultation propose? 

Policies for staff development: 

• A requirement that registered providers have a written policy on managing and developing staff behaviours, skills and experience needed to provide good quality services. 

Guidance on qualification criteria: 

• Those who spend a significant portion of their working time delivering housing management services to social housing tenants must have qualifications. 
• The consultation proposes the level of qualifications for senior housing managers and senior housing executives, including the criteria relating to the course content. 
• How staff work towards a qualification, particularly around timescales for enrolment, considerations on maternity leave, long-term illness or other absences. 
• Registered providers take steps to ensure that relevant managers of services or subcontractors have, or are working towards, a relevant qualification. 

Timescales for transition: 

• The consultation proposes a two year period for transition, beginning with the day the Standard comes into effect (expected to be April 2025), with an adjusted period for smaller providers. This means housing associations will have 2 years to ensure that relevant persons are working towards, or have completed a relevant qualification. 
• Transitional arrangements for staff with qualifications that partially meet requirements, or who have completed apprenticeships without a qualification during the transition period. 

Send us your views 

We will be submitting a response to the consultation on behalf of the sector. To help shape our response, we need to hear from you. 
 
We will be publishing a full briefing on our website soon, but please send us your feedback or queries by email to socialhousingreg@housing.org.uk by 8 March 2024.   
 
Our webinar on the Competence and Conduct Standard consultation will be on 21 February. Join us to hear from DLUHC, ask questions and share your views on the proposals.