Job market information
Finding out about housing
The housing industry is part of the facilities management, property and planning, cleaning and support services, and parking sector, represented by Asset Skills Sector Skills Council. The sector workforce, which has continued to grow since 1998, represents 3% of the total UK workforce.
The housing industry covers all forms of social housing including: housing associations; private landlords; the sustainable communities' agenda; and local authorities.
Key facts:
- The housing industry plays an instrumental role in meeting key government targets in relation to communities and social inclusion.
- Almost 9 out of 10 councils are experiencing or anticipate an increase in demand for social housing as a direct result of the recession.
- There are 242,800 people working in the housing industry in 73,300 companies.
There are significantly more full‐time than part‐time employees in the industry. - 96% of all housing and property organisations have 10 or less employees.
Jobs in the industry include: housing officer; housing manager; neighbourhood manager; and emerging jobs, such as regeneration officer and community engagement officer.
Entry and progression
Recruitment to the industry focuses on attracting people with the right skills in terms of personality and then training them for the job. People need to be able to communicate effectively and they must have the desire and ability to help people who may find themselves in stressful situations.
For junior administrative posts, there are few entry requirements although a good level of general education is desired. Good communication skills and the ability to relate to the public are essential. It is important to have an understanding of people from diverse cultural backgrounds and an ability to respond to people with different needs.
The housing industry has a strong tradition of developing the talent of its staff.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
242,800 |
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| Number of UK employers: |
73,300 |
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| Age |
8% of the workforce is aged 16‐24 years |
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| 21% 25‐34 years |
| 27% 35‐44 years |
| 24% 45‐54 years |
| 20% 55 years and over |
12% of the workforce report having a disability.
90% of the workforce is white.
25% of the workforce has attained a below level 2 qualification, 17% NVQ level 2 and 58% NVQ level 3 and above. |
[N.B. Data are for housing and property industries combined. Data derived from Annual Population Survey, 2008.]
Employment trends and future prospects
Employment forecasts before the economic downturn suggested a 14% growth in employment levels between 2004 and 2014. The current economic climate has had a significant impact on the housing industry. For instance, the difficult housing market means that attention has shifted towards the provision of affordable homes with which comes the increased need to manage housing provision.
Skill requirements and shortages
There is a demand for more housing managers with knowledge of: legal and financial matters; building maintenance and refurbishment; health and safety; and local authority procedures. Individuals are needed with up‐to‐date knowledge and understanding of the law regarding housing and homelessness. In addition, there is a growing need to address higher level management skills.
People with generic management skills are sought from many different occupational areas. There is a shortage of managers with financial management skills in particular.
Occupational trends
There are a wide range of jobs from the maintenance of buildings to support for community development, regeneration and tenant support. The majority of occupations are concentrated within managers and senior officials, associate professionals and technical occupations.
Labour shortages have been identified in housing managers/officers, particularly in London and the South East, senior managers, and in specialist areas reflecting the increasing complexity of housing policy and intervention.
A typical housing progression route could be from:
- Administration role ‐> housing assistant ‐> housing officer ‐> housing manager ‐> area or national management roles
For further information on progression routes are on the Asset Skills website.
National and regional data
The following provides a breakdown of the number of housing sector employees in each of the Nations and English regions.
| East Midlands |
14,100 |
Nearly half (44%) of the housing workforce in the East Midlands is aged 50 and over. A higher than average proportion is employed part‐time (37%) |
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| East Of England |
18,500 |
A significant proportion of the housing sector workforce in the East of England is female (63%) |
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| London |
40,700 |
London is the largest employer of the housing sector workforce in England (17%). A significantly high proportion is employed full‐time (86%) and 32% of employees are black and ethnic minorities |
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| North East |
11,800 |
The North East employs 5% of the total housing sector workforce in England |
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| North West |
31,000 |
The North West employs 12% of the total housing sector workforce in England |
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| South East |
36,300 |
After London, the South East is the second highest employer of the housing sector workforce in England (15%) |
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| South West |
17,400 |
In comparison to a number of English regions, the South East employs less people on a full‐time basis (65%). A significantly high proportion of the housing sector workforce is white (98%) |
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| West Midlands |
19,600 |
In comparison to other English regions, the West Midlands employs less people (8%) aged between 20 to 29 |
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| Yorkshire & the Humber |
19,700 |
The housing sector in Yorkshire and the Humber region is very similar to England. Characterised by a higher proportion of female employment, 68% are aged 40 and over, the majority of the workforce is white (92%) and employed on a full‐time basis (72%) |
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| Northern Ireland |
2,900 |
Northern Ireland employs 1% of the total housing sector workforce across the UK. In comparison to the UK, the profile differs in a number of ways: a higher proportion of female employment (69%); an even age distribution; and a higher proportion of the workforce is employed on a full‐time basis (84%) |
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| Scotland |
20,500 |
Scotland employs 9% of the total UK housing sector workforce. Over half of the workforce is male (51%) and the majority of the workforce is white (94%) |
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| Wales |
10,400 |
Wales employs 4% of the total UK housing sector workforce. In comparison to the UK, a higher proportion of the workforce is female (58%), 98% of the workforce is white and a slightly higher proportion is employed on a part‐time basis (26%) |
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Source: Annual Population Survey, Housing and Property Labour Market Intelligence Update, Asset Skills, 2008.
Salary levels
Some suggested salary ranges for those working in the industry include:
- Administration role £14,000 ‐ £16,000
- Junior Housing Officer £16,000 ‐ £18,000
- Housing Officer £25,000 ‐ £29,000
- Housing Manager £29,000 ‐ £50,000 plus
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Asset Skills AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
