New social housing qualification requirements: what RICS members need to know

New qualification requirements for social housing professionals in England will come into effect from October 2026 as part of the government's Competence and Conduct Standard.

RICS has been closely monitoring the development of the new framework and engaging with stakeholders across the housing sector to understand the implications for members working in social housing roles.

What is changing?

The new standard introduces qualification requirements for individuals working in certain social housing management roles. The requirements vary depending on the seniority and responsibilities of the role, with individuals expected to hold an appropriate qualification or be working towards one where required.

The reforms are intended to strengthen professionalism across the sector and ensure housing staff have the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to support residents effectively.

The standard will come into force in October 2026, with a transition period before all relevant staff must have or be working towards an appropriate qualification. The transition period is 3 years for large, registered providers and their services providers (1,000 homes or more) and 4 years for small registered providers and their services providers (under 1,000 homes).

New staff in scope, including temporary staff, and those with or without a probation period, will have 12 months to enrol on qualifications.

What does this mean for RICS members?

Many RICS members working in social housing may already hold qualifications and have professional experience that align closely with the new requirements.

However, our engagement with the members suggests that some professionals, may identify competency gaps against parts of the new framework. In some cases, these gaps may relate to areas such as resident and tenant engagement or other housing management competencies.

Importantly, the framework recognises that identified gaps can often be addressed through additional learning and professional development, rather than requiring individuals to undertake an entirely new qualification from scratch.

How can I check whether I am compliant?

Professional memberships cannot be specified qualifications and where a person has a professional membership such as with the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Chartered Institute of Building, or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, but did not undertake a qualification as part of gaining their membership, they would not meet the requirements.

Instead, compliance will depend on several factors, including:

• Your current role and responsibilities – are you in a post that is covered under the new standard?
• How your role is classified under the new standard – some roles may require a level 4 Ofqual qualification, others may require a level 5 Ofqual qualification.
• Your existing qualifications (for example do you have a relevant degree – if so ‘top up’ is likely to be required).
• Your professional experience.
• Any competency gaps identified by your employer.
   

As a result, there is no single assessment that applies to all RICS members.

Members should work with their employer to understand how the standard applies to their role and whether any further learning or qualifications are required. Government expect employers (i.e. Registered Social Landlords/Housing Associations/Local Authorities) to assess whether their current and future workforce will meet the new compliance.

Your employer will be best placed to determine the appropriate route to compliance based on your individual circumstances.

What should I do if I may not fully meet the requirements?

If you identify gaps against the new standard, there are likely to be a number of potential routes available depending on your circumstances, including:

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in specific subject areas to support top ups.
• Top-up qualifications where appropriate.
• Full qualifications where required by the nature of your role.
   

The appropriate option will vary from person to person and will depend on the extent of any gaps identified.

How is RICS supporting members?

RICS has been actively engaging on behalf of members throughout the development of the new requirements and continues to explore practical support options for those affected.

RICS has worked with government and industry stakeholders to secure support for a top-up CPD approach where appropriate and proportionate to the individual’s role and without having to duplicate existing knowledge and qualifications.

We are currently developing identify appropriate learning routes where additional development is required. This includes exploring opportunities to provide access to CPD and top-up learning that can support members in meeting the new requirements.

We expect to provide further information on these support options shortly.

Next steps

With the transition period commencing in October, members working in social housing should begin discussions with their employer now if they have not already done so.

RICS recognises that members may have questions about how the new requirements apply to their individual circumstances. While compliance decisions will need to be made between employers and employees, we remain committed to supporting members through the transition and will provide further guidance as additional arrangements are finalised.