How Incommunities has used the NHF’s diversity data tool

The NHF EDI data tool is unique within the housing sector. It allows housing associations in England to compare workforce diversity with the characteristics of the communities where their homes are located, using consistent and nationally aligned questions. 

In 2023, 177 housing associations took part, representing 79% of members’ homes nationally and 92% of homes in Yorkshire and the Humber. That scale matters because it turns individual organisational effort into meaningful sector insight.

One of the most tangible impacts of aligning with the NHF data tool was how it shaped our employee and customer data dictionary. We created a single, trusted reference point that defines the data we collect, why we collect it, how it aligns with government census standards and how we use it ethically to improve outcomes.

In practice, this allowed us to align definitions across teams, build consistency across systems, prioritise the most valuable insight and strengthen confidence in the integrity of our data.

“As someone who grew up in social housing, I believe understanding how many colleagues share that lived experience matters”

Building on this work, we launched our major customer census, The Big Check In, supported by an external data consultant. The aim was to refresh, validate and strengthen our understanding of who our customers are, so we can tailor services more effectively.

Accessibility was central to the approach. Customers could respond via email, text, telephone, post or in person with neighbourhood officers. That flexibility made a difference, particularly for people with additional needs or digital barriers.

The response has been strong. We have received around 19,000 responses to date, and early analysis shows that approximately 90% of our existing EDI data was accurate. This has provided reassurance, while also highlighting where further insight is needed.

Collaboration has been critical to this success. Our external data partner supported question design, customers from our EDI network helped shape language and tone, and internal teams brought practical insight into delivery and accessibility.

The real value lies in how the insight is used. We now understand not only who we hear from, but who we might be missing. This allows us to identify underrepresented voices, focus resources where they will have the greatest impact and embed inclusive service design in priority areas.

For our leadership team, this has shifted how EDI is discussed. Conversations have moved away from aspiration and towards evidence – where representation is improving, where it is not, and what that means for workforce planning, engagement and service priorities. This clarity has strengthened accountability and made EDI a shared leadership responsibility rather than a specialist concern.

Extensive research across sectors consistently shows that more diverse and inclusive organisations make better decisions and achieve stronger outcomes, driven by broader perspectives and more effective challenge. This insight sits at the heart of our new five‑year EDI strategy, which commits us to embedding diverse perspectives in everything we do, for colleagues and for customers.

“[EDI] brings empathy, insight and connection into leadership and service design”

For me, one of the most meaningful aspects of this journey has been my involvement in the NHF’s national EDI steering group. Over the past year, I worked alongside NHF colleagues and housing association members to improve the 2026 data tool. Feedback from the previous collection informed changes, inclusivity across protected characteristics was strengthened and member voice remained central throughout. External bodies, including Stonewall, were also consulted.

I was particularly pleased to contribute to the inclusion of optional guidance questions about the experience of social housing. As someone who grew up in social housing, I believe understanding how many colleagues share that lived experience matters. It brings empathy, insight and connection into leadership and service design.

If there is one message I would share with colleagues across the sector, it is that the NHF EDI data tool is more than a reporting exercise. Used well, it can become a shared resource for understanding our people, our communities and the decisions we make. The greater the participation in the 2026 data collection, the stronger our collective insight and the greater the opportunity for meaningful change.

NHF members have until 1 June 2026 to contribute their data to the sector-wide analysis.

Marianne Elliott, strategic EDI business partner, Incommunities

Update: at 8.50am, 11.05.26

This story was updated because it included the incorrect deadline for responding to the NHF data collection – the story originally stated this was 15 May, but it has been extended to 1 June