As we head into autumn, there is a lot for housing organisations to prepare for, from the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard on 1st October to the continuing pressures facing homelessness and independent living services.
For many employers, the challenge is no longer understanding that expectations are changing. It is making sure their teams have the knowledge, qualifications and confidence to respond effectively in practice.
This month, we have officially launched our new CIH Level 3 Certificate in Providing Homelessness Services, designed to support professionals working with people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We are also preparing to welcome learners onto our specialist Independent Living Services pathways, with the Level 3 and Level 4 cohorts delivered in collaboration with erosh filling up fast.
Alongside these qualification updates, our free Competence and Conduct Standard information sessions continue throughout September and October, giving individuals and organisations the opportunity to explore the available pathways and ask questions directly to our team.
We are also sharing Sara Roberts’ latest thought leadership article, which looks at what Andy Burnham’s first month as Prime Minister has meant for skills, housing and construction so far, as well as our roundup of the wider developments shaping the sectors we support.
Here is what’s inside this month’s update:
- The CIH Level 3 Certificate in Providing Homelessness Services Is Here
- Autumn Start Dates for Our Independent Living Qualifications
- Meet Us At Future Foundations This October
- Free Competence and Conduct Standard Information Sessions
- What Has Andy Burnham’s First Month Delivered?
- The Developments Shaping Housing, Construction and Skills
The CIH Level 3 Certificate in Providing Homelessness Services Is Here
Homelessness services are operating under growing pressure. Demand is increasing, cases are becoming more complex and professionals are often balancing prevention, legislation, safeguarding, partnership working and person-centred support within the same role.
This month, we are pleased to officially launch our new CIH Level 3 Certificate in Providing Homelessness Services, which is timely given the governments latest announcements regarding tackling homelessness and their increased investment in supporting people to end rough sleeping.
The nationally recognised CIH qualification has been designed for people working with individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or may be at risk of losing their home. It is particularly relevant for homelessness officers, housing options officers, support workers, tenancy sustainment officers, independent living practitioners and others working across housing and related services.
Across four mandatory units, learners will explore homelessness services and prevention, engaging people with lived experience, professional practice skills for housing and the role of the practitioner in supporting independent living.
The programme combines live learning sessions, expert tutor support and practical assignments, with a clear focus on applying learning within day-to-day roles. It can be completed in five months and is available to individual learners for £995 + VAT. Organisations looking to develop larger teams can also speak to us about a tailored in-house cohort.
At a time when services are being asked to respond to growing need, this qualification provides a focused route for professionals to strengthen their specialist knowledge, build confidence and improve the support they provide.
Autumn Start Dates for Our Independent Living Qualifications
Our next specialist Independent Living Services cohorts begin this autumn, with Level 3 starting on 17th September and Level 4 beginning on 13th October.
Developed around the realities of sheltered housing, retirement living, extra care and other independent living settings, both pathways support professionals to build knowledge that can be used directly within their services.
The CIH Level 3 Certificate in Housing Practice (Independent Living Services) is designed for people delivering services and supporting residents day to day. It covers professional practice, the housing system, resident involvement, service delivery, the legal framework, occupancy and tenure, independent living for older people and safeguarding adults with care and support needs.
The CIH Level 4 Certificate in Housing (Independent Living Services) is aimed at experienced professionals leading, managing or developing services. It takes the learning further into housing law and regulation, policy, customer focus, resident involvement and strategies for delivering and improving independent living services.
For employers, the two qualifications create a clear development pathway across frontline and leadership roles. For learners, they provide the opportunity to formalise experience, strengthen confidence and gain a nationally recognised CIH qualification aligned with the work they are already doing.
Places are now available for both autumn cohorts.
Meet Kingdom Academy at Future Foundations 2026
We are delighted to be exhibiting at the Housing Executive Conference 2026: Future Foundations, taking place at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in Bolton on Tuesday 6th October.
The event brings together leaders, practitioners and innovators from across affordable housing to explore some of the most important issues facing the sector, including regulation, workforce pressures, skills, homelessness, housing supply and the future of service delivery.
These conversations closely reflect the work we are doing with housing organisations across the UK, particularly around the Competence and Conduct Standard, specialist qualifications and long-term workforce development.
If you are attending, come and meet the Kingdom Academy team to discuss the challenges facing your workforce, explore the qualification pathways available and find out how we can support your organisation.
Free Competence and Conduct Standard Information Sessions
With the new Competence and Conduct Standard taking effect from 1st October 2026, housing providers have moved from waiting for the final requirements to making practical decisions about their workforce.
One of the biggest questions is which qualification route is right for each person. Current role, level of responsibility, existing qualifications and future development all need to be considered, which is why a blanket approach is unlikely to give organisations the best outcome.
Our free online information sessions are designed to make those choices clearer. Emma Mortin and Daniel Maddock will explain the Level 4 and Level 5 pathways, how the programmes work in practice and what learners and employers can expect. There will also be time to ask questions about individual circumstances and wider workforce plans.
Sessions are running throughout September and October, with morning and afternoon options available. Whether you are reviewing qualification needs across an organisation or considering your own next step, you can choose a date that works around your diary and speak directly with our team.
What Has Andy Burnham’s First Month Delivered?
Last month, we looked ahead to what a new political direction could mean for housing, construction and skills. One month into Andy Burnham’s leadership, Sara Roberts has taken a closer look at what has actually changed and where the biggest questions remain.
The early announcements are significant. Technical education is planned from the age of 14. Regional mayors are set to receive greater influence over planning and housing investment. Councils are being encouraged to return to housebuilding at scale. Almost £10 billion has been allocated for new social and affordable homes, while £442 million is supporting an immediate drive to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets by Christmas.
Sara’s article looks beyond the announcements to the capacity needed to deliver them. The construction sector is already facing a substantial workforce gap. New homes require planners, project managers, surveyors, tradespeople, supervisors and housing professionals. Homelessness commitments depend on skilled teams able to coordinate housing, safeguarding, health and wider support.
The emerging direction recognises that housing, construction, skills and employment are connected. The test now is whether policy ambition becomes enough workforce capacity, viable development and sustained outcomes.
The Developments Shaping Housing, Construction and Skills
Throughout August, our Weekly Sector Updates have tracked the developments most likely to affect workforce planning and service delivery.
The Scottish housing emergency remains firmly in focus, with CIH Scotland warning that current spending plans and delivery targets fall short of independently assessed need. Record numbers of older households are also facing homelessness in England, adding pressure across housing, local authority and support services.
For development, proposed VAT changes for land intended for affordable housing could reduce administrative barriers, while new planning measures are intended to support more homes around well-connected transport hubs. SCAPE has also opened procurement for an £8.5 billion Defence and Complex Environments Framework, creating potential opportunities for contractors with the specialist competence and compliance required to work in secure settings.
Skills are becoming more visible within public procurement too. From January 2027, the weighting given to jobs and skills in major central government contracts will double, increasing the importance of credible commitments around employment, apprenticeships, work placements and action on skills shortages.
Building safety and resident voice continue to develop alongside these changes, with a new independent chair appointed to the Building Safety Regulator’s statutory Residents’ Panel.
Taken together, the updates show why workforce planning cannot sit separately from organisational strategy. New investment and regulation create opportunities, but they also increase expectations around competence, capacity and demonstrable skills.
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What Does Your Workforce Need Next?
The coming months will bring new expectations, growing demand and significant opportunities across housing. Preparing for them starts with having an honest understanding of where your workforce is now and what people will need to develop next.
For some organisations, the immediate priority will be making final qualification decisions ahead of the Competence and Conduct Standard. For others, it will be strengthening specialist knowledge within homelessness or independent living services, developing future leaders or creating clearer progression routes for experienced employees.
Whatever your priority, the strongest workforce development plans are built around the needs of your people, your services and the communities you support.
If you would like to explore the right qualifications or development pathways for your team, get in touch with Kingdom Academy. We will help you understand the options and build an approach that works for your organisation.