July has been another significant month for housing, skills and workforce development, with important developments beginning to turn months of discussion and consultation into something much more concrete.
The final decision on the Competence and Conduct Standard has now been published, while changes across anti-social behaviour, housing, construction and the wider political landscape continue to shape the priorities facing employers.
Against that backdrop, our focus remains firmly on helping organisations turn policy, regulation and ambition into practical workforce development.
This month, we are looking at what the final Competence and Conduct Standard means for housing providers, sharing new opportunities to explore the right qualification pathways, highlighting funded Modern Apprenticeships for Scotland’s construction sector and getting ready to welcome new cohorts onto our specialist Independent Living qualifications this autumn.
Here is what’s inside this month’s update:
- The Final Competence and Conduct Standard Is Here
- Weekly Live Qualification Information Sessions
- Funded Modern Apprenticeships for Scotland’s Construction Sector
- Developing Skills Across Independent Living Services
- Reflecting on ASB Awareness Week 2026
- A Changing Political Landscape for Housing and Skills
The Final Competence and Conduct Standard Is Here
Following months of consultation and discussion across the sector, the Regulator of Social Housing has published its final decision statement on changes to the consumer standards and requirements.
One of the most significant outcomes is the decision to position competence and conduct requirements within a new and separate Competence and Conduct Standard, making the requirements more visible to both landlords and tenants.
The revised standards will take effect from 1st October 2026, with a phased approach applying to elements of the qualification requirements.
For housing providers, the publication of the final decision statement provides greater certainty, but it also marks an important shift from understanding what might be required to preparing for what now needs to happen.
With October approaching, now is the time to ensure your workforce development plan is ready.
That means understanding which roles are affected, reviewing the qualifications already held across your workforce, identifying potential gaps and considering the wider requirements around skills, knowledge, experience, behaviours, learning and development and codes of conduct.
Our dedicated Competence and Conduct Standard Hub has been created to support organisations through exactly this process. It brings together practical tools, guidance and resources in one place, including our Readiness Assessment, Employer Readiness Toolkit, Role Assessment Tool, qualification guidance, information on CIH Top-Up Units and resources to support competence and development planning.
We have also added a direct link to the final decision statement, making the Hub a useful starting point for organisations reviewing what the final requirements mean for their workforce.
Weekly Live Qualification Information Sessions
As organisations now swiftly move into the practical stages of preparing for the Competence and Conduct Standard, one of the biggest questions is likely to be: which qualification pathway is right for our people?
There is no single answer that will work for every individual or organisation. Existing qualifications, current roles, responsibilities and future development needs all need to be considered when planning the right route forward.
To support you, our Business Development Consultants, Emma and Dan, are hosting weekly live online information sessions over the next eight weeks, covering our Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, with an additional Innovate session in August.
With multiple dates and times available, you can choose a session that works around your diary and speak directly with a team who understand both our programmes and the workforce development challenges facing housing providers.
These are not simply presentations. Emma and Dan will talk you through the programmes, explain how learning works in practice, answer your questions and help you understand which options could be most appropriate for your role, your team or your wider workforce development plan.
Whether you are responsible for planning qualification pathways across an organisation or considering your own next step, the sessions are an opportunity to get the information you need before making a decision.
Funded Modern Apprenticeships for Scotland's Construction Sector
The construction sector continues to face a significant workforce challenge. Employers need skilled people now, but they also need a sustainable pipeline of operatives, supervisors and future leaders who can support their businesses for years to come.
At Kingdom Academy, we deliver funded Modern Apprenticeship programmes designed around the realities of working in construction.
Our programmes are delivered in the workplace, allowing apprentices to develop nationally recognised skills and qualifications while continuing to contribute to the business. Employers benefit from dedicated assessor support, flexible delivery and clear progression pathways from operative through to supervisory and management levels.
We also believe an apprenticeship should deliver value beyond the minimum requirements of the programme.
That is why our construction supervision apprenticeship provision includes additional industry-relevant development, including the CITB Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme, or SSSTS, qualification within relevant programmes. This supports apprentices to develop further knowledge around health, safety and environmental responsibilities on site.
We currently have apprenticeship funding available for employers looking to develop their workforce, with opportunities available for both the remainder of this year and the new academic year.
Why construction employers choose Kingdom Academy:
- Funded Modern Apprenticeship opportunities
- Programmes developed around the realities of the construction industry
- Workplace delivery designed to minimise disruption
- Dedicated one-to-one assessor support
- Achievement rates above the national average
- Additional industry-relevant qualifications within our programmes
- Clear progression routes for operatives, supervisors and future leaders
Choosing an apprenticeship provider should be about more than finding someone who can deliver a qualification. It should be about finding a partner who understands your business, your workforce and where you need to go next.
If you are planning your workforce development or succession strategy, now is a good time to explore the funding available and speak to our team about how we can support you.
Developing Skills Across Independent Living Services
This autumn, we will be welcoming new learners onto our specialist CIH Level 3 Housing Practice and CIH Level 4 Housing (Independent Living) qualifications.
Developed specifically around the realities of working within independent living services, the programmes provide structured professional development for people working across sheltered housing, retirement living, extra care and other independent living settings.
The Level 3 qualification is ideal for those working directly within services who want to strengthen their knowledge, confidence and professional practice, while Level 4 is designed for more experienced professionals responsible for leading, managing and developing services.
Ahead of the autumn cohorts, we are delighted to be working with erosh to host a free online information session with Julian Everley from our team.
Taking place on Wednesday 29th July from 10.30am to 11.30am, the session will explore both qualifications, who they are designed for, how the programmes work and how they can support individual and organisational development.
If you work within independent living and are considering your own professional development, or you are responsible for developing the skills and knowledge of a wider team, this is an opportunity to find out whether Level 3 or Level 4 could be the right next step.
Reflecting on ASB Awareness Week 2026
We began July with ASB Awareness Week and some brilliant conversations about the skills housing and anti-social behaviour professionals need to navigate an increasingly complex working environment.
Our webinar, What skills are housing and ASB teams actually missing?, brought together voices from across the housing sector to explore the challenges facing frontline teams and the skills, confidence and professional development needed to respond effectively.
The conversation feels particularly timely following the announcement this week that Respect Orders will begin to be introduced from October 2026, giving police and local authorities new powers to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour.
New powers inevitably bring new expectations for the professionals responsible for using them. Understanding the legislation and the tools available is important, but so are the skills needed to communicate effectively, exercise professional judgement, work collaboratively and manage increasingly complex situations. As the sector prepares for these changes, making sure teams have the right skills and confidence will be an important part of that preparation.
We would like to thank everyone who joined the conversations throughout ASB Awareness Week and particularly ADR Mediation for collaborating with Kingdom Academy during the week.
The discussions reinforced something we see across so many areas of housing: when expectations change, developing the people responsible for delivering services has to be part of the response.
A Changing Political Landscape for Housing and Skills
July has also brought major political change, with a new Prime Minister and with that a renewed focus on what the next chapter could mean for housing, construction and skills.
Andy Burnham has been making a number of ambitious speeches and setting out ideas around skills, construction, housing and economic growth. For those working across these sectors, there is plenty to watch.
The ambitions being discussed are significant, particularly at a time when the construction sector continues to face workforce pressures and housing providers are navigating increasing expectations around professionalism, standards and service delivery.
Of course, political ambition and practical delivery are two very different things. We will be watching closely to see which plans become policy, what changes follow and, importantly, how quickly organisations and employers will be expected to respond.
Whatever comes next, one thing is already clear: delivering more homes, strengthening communities and supporting economic growth will require people with the right skills to make those ambitions happen.
Turning Change Into Workforce Development
There has been a lot to take in this month.
The final Competence and Conduct Standard has provided greater certainty for housing providers. The landscape for professionals working with anti-social behaviour is evolving. The political direction of the country is changing, with ambitious conversations taking place around housing, construction and skills. At the same time, employers across every sector continue to face the practical challenge of developing and retaining the people they need.
Across all of these developments, there is a common thread.
Policies, standards and ambitions can set the direction, but people ultimately determine whether they succeed in practice.
That is why workforce development cannot simply be something organisations respond to when a deadline approaches or a skills gap becomes urgent. The strongest organisations are thinking ahead, understanding the capabilities they will need and creating clear development pathways for their people.
Whether you are preparing for the Competence and Conduct Standard, exploring qualification pathways for your housing teams, developing the next generation of construction professionals or investing in specialist independent living skills, our team is here to help.