The Regulator of Social Housing expects registered providers to be able to demonstrate that staff have the appropriate skills, knowledge, and training to manage risks and deliver safe, compliant services. Training must be proportionate, risk-based, and aligned to staff roles, particularly where responsibilities relate to resident safety.
Providers are expected to move beyond one-off or generic training and show how competence is maintained over time, refreshed when legislation or guidance changes, and embedded into everyday practice. Boards and senior leaders must have effective oversight of training arrangements, including visibility of who has been trained, what training has been completed, and where gaps exist.
Clear audit trails are essential. Providers must be able to evidence training completion, certification, and ongoing competence to support assurance reporting, internal audit, and regulatory engagement. Training is viewed as part of the organisation’s control environment and governance framework, not solely as an operational activity.
Where training is weak, outdated, or poorly targeted, RSH considers this a governance and risk management issue. Effective training arrangements should support safe, lawful decision-making, protect residents, and demonstrate compliance with consumer standards, particularly those relating to safety, quality, transparency, and value for money.
