Our strategy
Millions of people are being denied the right to a safe home. Shelter exists to defend that right and we have an ambitious strategy that sets out how we plan to keep fighting for safe and secure homes for everyone.
How we make change
Providing help to individuals will always be at the heart of our work in communities. But the scale of demand means that we simply cannot provide direct support to everyone who needs it.
The only way we can reach everyone is by securing real change in the housing system. Not just in policy making, but also with the frontline practices that determine whether policy is delivered effectively, or not.
Our model for achieving change
We work at an individual, local and national level
We start by understanding the problems and solutions
We respond with activism designed to deliver systems change
Change delivers large-scale and lasting impact in the housing system
Our strategic goals for 2025-29
Shelter’s approach to achieving our strategy is to evolve as we learn, continue to make progress and respond to emerging needs or opportunities.
In 2025-29, we will focus on three strategic goals. Across all three, we will continue to put anti-racism, equity and inclusion at the centre of our decision-making. We are well placed to use our platform to continue to build a powerful movement for change that decision makers can’t ignore.
Creating more social homes is the only sustainable solution
- Helen MacNamara CB, Chair of Shelter
1. Demand and secure a new generation of social homes
The lack of social homes is the root cause of the housing emergency and building more is the only sustainable solution. Shelter will work to secure the delivery of the social homes we need, to rebuild our housing system.
In 2025-29 we want to:
Keep the housing emergency and the solutions on the national agenda
Secure government commitments to delivering a new generation of social rent housing
Ways we'll deliver this include:
A new Invest in Social Housing campaign
Mobilising people to actively support social home building in their communities
Recruiting influencers and decisionmakers to support social home building
Draw attention, through campaigning and fundraising activities, to the effects of the lack of social housing
2. Strengthen and enforce the right to a safe home for all
The housing emergency is fuelled by deep injustice and discrimination. We can protect more people by improving housing rights in general and supporting people in their everyday battles to enforce existing rights.
In 2025-29 we want to:
Support individuals and communities with the knowledge and skills to advocate for their housing rights and for housing justice
Understand, call out and challenge the systemic racism and discrimination at the heart of the housing emergency
Challenge those who breach existing rights and exploit power imbalances
Challenge public sector bodies who are failing to meet their legal duties
Secure improvements in housing rights and protections for all
Ways we'll deliver this include:
Continuing to provide the essential advice and advocacy services to the people most affected by the housing emergency, across Community Services, Legal, Telephone and Online Advice
Continuing to equip people with housing rights knowledge through our website
Working both nationally and in communities to identify local priorities and systemic causes of housing injustice
Developing local community organising and service delivery plans linked and targeted to local and national priorities
Campaigning for greater protections for renters through the Renters’ Rights Bill
Researching to understand the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill
Implementing our ‘Racism & Housing: Access to Services’ recommendations
Continuing to develop a long-term location / presence plan Strategic litigation, using the law to enhance or improve enforcement of existing rights
Developing professional practice through targeted professional services
We can’t achieve our strategic goals alone. Making the change that is needed will be a team effort. We need people and organisations to join us locally and nationally.
- Helen MacNamara CB, Chair of Shelter
3. Build a coalition to secure long-term change
With the support of our partners, donors, and campaigners, our staff and volunteers, we will work alongside other organisations, communities and the people most affected by the housing emergency to co-produce solutions and actions.
Together, we will build a coalition to secure long-term change, with lived experience and anti-racism at its heart.
In 2025-29 we will:
Unite people affected by the housing emergency and their allies to fight for home
Provide individuals, groups and organisations with clear actions that help to achieve the changes they want to see
Embed expertise by experience and anti-racism at all levels of Shelter
Ways we'll deliver this include:
Community organising and capacity building
Corporate partner campaign actions and increasing engagement of corporate colleagues in our campaigning
Mobilising communities in support of social home building
Developing our supporter stewardship to a true, single supporter approach, using all touchpoints – with clients, campaigns, donors and supporters - to engage people to take action to help end the housing emergency
What will success look like?
By 2029
The government has committed long-term investment towards a new generation of social homes and delivery is underway
Housing rights and protections have improved for all tenants
More people are confident in the knowledge and enforcement of their housing rights
The symptoms and causes of housing system dysfunction are well understood by the public
There is a broad coalition of voices advocating for our solutions
Beyond 2029
90,000 social homes delivered per year for 10 years
Numbers of households who are homeless or in temporary accommodation is falling year on year
More people can choose a social home
Housing rights are routinely enforced without intervention
Systemic racism and discrimination in housing is reducing, and racist and discriminatory policies have ended
Future governments continue to commit to protecting and improving social housing provision
Find out more
Whether you’re reading this as a Shelter supporter, a funder or potential funder, a partner, or if you’re new to Shelter and our work, you have a role to play.
For more information about our 2025-29 strategy, you can:
For further information about our plans, you can:
