HLINks Weekly: Housing, Health, and Social Care Latest News
HLINks Weekly: Housing, Health, and Social Care Latest News
2 February 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of HLINks.
As we head into the month of our first Annual Conference, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Network for your swift and enthusiastic response. We encourage anyone still hoping to join us to book their place in Newcastle (24 February) or Bristol (12 March) as soon as possible.
In this edition, you’ll find:
- A call to action from Trusted Assessing and Care Training (TACT), inviting housing professionals to share their experiences through a new national survey on Trusted Assessor services
- A January 2026 progress update from MHCLG on delivering a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing, including major programme priorities and upcoming consultations
- A new London Assembly Housing Committee report highlighting delivery challenges and gaps in accessible and family-sized affordable homes
- A wide-ranging roundup of sector commentary, from intergenerational housing and neighbourhood recovery, to hybrid healthy places roles and inclusive retirement design
- The full library of HAPPI Hour webinar recordings, plus details of upcoming events supported by the Housing LIN.
Thank you for being part of our shared learning journey and for continuing to shape the conversation with us.
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Best wishes, The Housing LIN Team |
News Highlights
Have Your Say – Help Improve Trusted Assessor Services
Trusted Assessing and Care Training (TACT) is inviting housing professionals to support a new national survey designed to capture the real experiences of people who have received Trusted Assessor assessments for independent living equipment and home adaptations.
The survey is open from 27th January to 15th April 2026 and is completely anonymous.
Resource Roundup
January 2026 progress update: Delivering a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing
MHCLG’s updated policy paper outlines priorities for the upcoming Social and Affordable Homes Programme, including rent increase rules, expanded building safety funding, access to low-interest loans, revised s106 guidance, a new Decent Homes Standard by 2035, Housing Health & Safety Rating System review, energy efficiency requirements, and a Future Homes Standard consultation.
It also highlights increased engagement opportunities for councils and specialist providers.
Assessing delivery, needs and challenges of the Mayor’s Affordable Homes
A new report from the London Assembly Housing Committee has warned that London’s affordable housing system is failing to keep up with need, despite the Mayor’s Affordable Homes Programme.
It found that certain types of housing are in particularly short supply, including family-sized rent homes and accessible homes for deaf and disabled Londoners.
What else caught our interest...
- Build Edinburgh article: Saturday column: What might this year hold for intergenerational housing?
- Everon blog: The trends we're likely to see in health technology in 2026
- Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods report: No Short Cuts: Towards a National Strategy for Neighbourhood Recovery
- Local Trust blog: Learning from Big Local: evidence from 15 years of community-led change
- Scottish Housing News: Accessible Homes for Scotland: Scottish Accessible Housing Network's call for action
- TCPA blog: Bridging public health and planning: the case for ‘hybrid’ healthy places roles
- The Developer article: Co-housing revives something that once came naturally: Neighbourly living
- WiRL report: Why inclusive design matters in retirement living: discover the XX factor
Dates for your diary
Housing LIN Conferences 2026: Shaping Homes for Health, Independence, and Connection
It's still possible to reserve a place for our FREE Annual Conferences, Shaping Homes for Health, Independence, and Connection.
Thanks to our Network, speakers and sponsors for making these flagship events possible, bringing together housing, health and care leaders to explore innovation and national developments.
Find out more and reserve your place:
HAPPI Hour webinars
We look forward to sharing exciting updates about our Spring/Summer HAPPI Hour webinar series commencing in April 2026.
In the meantime, you can now access the full recordings, slides, chat reports and feedback for all previous sessions, featuring diverse speakers and topics from dementia-friendly design and AI to community-led housing, almshouses and diversity.
Events supported by the Housing LIN
- Appello webinar: Navigating the 2026 Telecare Bottleneck on Wednesday 25th February, 11am - 12pm
A2D Converters, PDPL, or Dispersed Alarms? Evaluating the Safest Interim Solutions to 2027
Want to know what we're working on at Housing LIN?
From sector-leading research with universities to creating tools that shape organisational policy and practice, we’re driving innovation in the sector. Find out more!
We also offer tailored support to help you navigate today’s complex challenges, whether strategic or operational.
Let’s work together! Please email us at consultancy@housinglin.org.uk or explore our award-winning Research and Advisory Services to learn more.