Our approach to tackling stigma in social housing and delivering respect
What is social housing stigma?
Stigma in social housing refers to the negative attitudes, assumptions and stereotypes that are often directed towards people who live in social housing, the homes they live in, and the organisations that provide them.
This stigma can show up through language, behaviour and decision‑making. It can leave people feeling judged, unheard or reluctant to ask for help.
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), through its See the Person work, defines social housing stigma as:
“A stigma attached to social housing as a product, to the organisations providing it, and to the people living in it.”
The impact of stigma can be significant. It can affect people’s confidence, wellbeing and trust in services, as well as their sense of pride in their home and community.
Recognising this, St Leger Homes has signed up to the national Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign, a tenant‑led movement that supports housing providers to challenge stigma, reshape perceptions, and embed dignity, fairness and respect across services.
Being part of the campaign means committing to practical, co‑produced action, listening to lived experience, and ensuring respect is reflected in everyday interactions, policies and behaviours.
You can sign up to the national Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign on their website.
Our Journey So Far – Tackling Stigma Together
Setting up the Working Group (May 2025)
In May 2025, St Leger Homes established a joint customer and staff working group to lead our work on tackling social housing stigma. The group was created in response to tenant feedback, learning from complaints and engagement forums, and a growing recognition that stigma can affect people’s confidence, trust and experience of housing services.
The group brings together tenants with lived experience and colleagues from across a range of services, ensuring our approach is shaped directly by the people it affects.
From the outset, the aim was clear: to move beyond discussion and focus on practical, meaningful actions that promote dignity, fairness and respect across everything we do.
What the Working Group has been doing
Since it was established, the working group has played a central role in identifying where stigma shows up, how it impacts people, and what needs to change. Through workshops, discussion sessions and shared learning, the group has explored stigma in areas such as language, assumptions, decision‑making, communication and neighbourhood interactions.
The group’s work has focused on:
- Understanding stigma from lived experience
- Defining what respect looks like in practice
- Shaping clear expectations for behaviour and communication, identifying tools, training and approaches to challenge stigma safely and consistently.
Take a look at these videos from members of the group on their experience of stigma.
Developing the Respect Standard
One of the first key outcomes of the working group was the co‑creation of a new Respect Standard. Developed with tenants and staff, the Respect Standard sets out how people should be treated in every interaction with St Leger Homes with dignity, fairness and compassion.
Rather than being guidance alone, the Respect Standard represents a cultural shift, providing a shared framework that supports respectful communication, values lived experience, and strengthens trust between tenants, staff, contractors and partners. It also aligns with St Leger Homes’ wider CORE values and behaviours.
Training and challenging stigma in practice
The working group also identified the need for consistent training and support to help colleagues recognise and challenge stigma. This has led to the development of:
- Anti‑stigma awareness training
- Practical tools for challenging stigmatising language and assumptions
- Training content shaped by real‑life scenarios and lived experience
- Plans for including stigma awareness in staff and contractor induction.
The focus of this work is to build confidence, encourage reflection, and support colleagues to “call in” stigma safely and constructively when it arises.
Developing the Tackling Stigma Strategy
All of this work has come together in the development of a co‑created Tackling Social Housing Stigma Strategy, written with tenants, not about them. The strategy provides a clear framework for how St Leger Homes will:
- Challenge negative stereotypes
- Embed respect across services
- Improve communication and behaviours
- Amplify tenant voices through storytelling
- Measure and monitor progress.
The strategy aligns with national best practice and reflects our decision to sign up to the national Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign, ensuring our approach is structured, transparent and accountable.
What this means
This work marks an important step in how we deliver services and work with communities. By listening, learning and co‑creating solutions, St Leger Homes is committed to tackling stigma, embedding respect, and creating neighbourhoods where people feel valued and proud to live.
We’ve worked alongside tenants and colleagues to co‑create a Tackling Social Housing Stigma Strategy, developed with residents, not about them. The strategy sets out how we challenge stereotypes, improve language and behaviour, and embed respect across everything we do.
The strategy includes:
- Clear commitments to dignity and inclusion
- Training and awareness to challenge stigma
- A focus on lived experience and storytelling
- Consistent communication standards
- Accountability for how we deliver services.
Read the co‑created Tackling Stigma Strategy here. (LINK)
Respect
At St Leger Homes, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued in their home and community.
That’s why we’ve worked in partnership with tenants and colleagues to co‑create a set of commitments that guide how we deliver services, treat people, and support our neighbourhoods. This work is about more than policies it’s about how we listen, communicate and act every day.
Our commitment to respect
Respect is at the heart of everything we do.
Our Respect Standard has been co‑created with tenants and staff, based on real experiences and shared values. It sets clear expectations for how St Leger Homes colleagues, contractors and partners should treat people – with dignity, fairness and compassion, regardless of circumstances.
The Respect Standard helps ensure:
· People feel listened to and believed, communication is clear, kind and respectful,
· Decisions are fair and transparent, and lived experience is valued.
Read the Co‑created Respect Standard ( add in link)
Creating good neighbourhoods together
Our Good Neighbourhood Agreement
Strong neighbourhoods are built on shared responsibility and mutual respect.
Our Good Neighbourhood Agreement (also co‑created with tenants) sets out what residents can expect from St Leger Homes, alongside the role we all play in keeping neighbourhoods safe, welcoming and inclusive.
The agreement focuses on:
- Treating neighbours and staff with respect
- Taking pride in homes and shared spaces
- Addressing issues early and fairly
- Working together to resolve concerns.
Read the Co‑created Good Neighbourhood Agreement (Link)