CIH Housing Brighton has always been a useful barometer for the sector. This year, it felt more like a turning point.
Across the event, one message came through consistently: housing is now firmly part of a much wider national conversation. As CIH chief executive Gavin Smart said in his opening address, housing challenges sit within a bigger picture – but direction is clearer than it has been for some time, giving organisations greater confidence to plan, invest and deliver.
That clarity brings opportunity, but also consequences.
A more defined landscape, with higher expectations
Several speakers reflected on the fact that housing is now front and centre politically. This is an important moment. What happens locally will shape not just delivery, but the narrative in the run‑up to the next general election.
The core challenge has not gone away. We still do not have enough homes and the impacts are visible in communities across the country. But there was a strong sense that real change will come not just from policy announcements, but from how those policies are put into practice.
For housing comms leaders, that distinction matters. As national ambition hardens into delivery expectations, messages will increasingly be tested against what residents experience on the ground.
Devolution: ambition meets reality
Devolution sat at the heart of many discussions. Sessions explored how greater powers over planning, housing and infrastructure could unlock faster delivery and better alignment at a regional level. At the same time, there was a clear warning that local government reorganisation brings transition risk.
A council housing leader speaking at the event highlighted that uncertainty, shifting structures and capacity pressures could undermine housing delivery if not managed carefully, particularly during periods of change.
That tension – between opportunity and disruption – ran throughout the conference. It reinforces the importance of clear, credible communications during periods of reform, especially when organisational focus is stretched.
SAHP: maintaining perspective over a long programme
The Social and Affordable Homes Programme (2026–2036) was another key focus. Homes England’s Shahi Islam acknowledged the political, social and economic challenges facing the sector, but stressed its resilience and the importance of partnership working. While global instability has created uncertainty, it remains too early to assess any direct impact on SAHP delivery, with warning signs more likely to emerge mid‑programme.
Ian McDermott’s contribution offered an important counterbalance. When discussing investment and targets, he reminded the room that the human need behind the numbers can easily be lost.
That is a message communications teams should take seriously. Large‑scale programmes demand long‑term storytelling that consistently reconnects ambition with lived experience.
Stigma, trust and the role of communications
One of the most powerful sessions focused on stigma in social housing, marking a year since the G15 Residents Group published Taking the Stigma out of Social Housing: The Residents’ View. The workshop discussion was frank about where progress has been too slow and made clear that language, imagery and media narratives still play a significant role in shaping how residents are seen and how they see themselves.
The session reinforced that challenging stigma is not a stand‑alone campaign but part of everyday communications practice. Resident voices need to be visible not only when things go well, but during system change, complaints and reform.
What this means for communications leaders
CIH Brighton 2026 underlined that communications is no longer a supporting function sitting alongside delivery. It is part of how the sector delivers.
As housing moves further into the political spotlight, comms leaders face a familiar challenge in a more demanding context: balancing confidence with credibility, national ambition with local reality and organisational priorities with resident trust.
The organisations that navigate this moment best will be those that communicate early, clearly and humanly – especially when the system is changing around them.
