Reflections from CHC Finance Conference

Sharon Woodward, Relationship Manager, The Housing Finance Corporation

After a long hiatus, the CHC Finance Conference returned this year for a thought-provoking in-person event in Wales earlier this month. Our team at THFC had a strong presence at the conference, where I attended alongside Arun Poobalisingam (Chief Partnerships Officer, THFC) and Andrew Lynch (Head of Credit Risk, THFC).

The conference provided us with the valuable opportunity to engage with new and familiar faces, including current borrowers, Welsh housing associations, and professionals in the sector.

Welsh housing associations continue to play an important role across the country, providing local support for residents and communities.

But it’s no secret that housing associations across the UK continue to face increasing strain on their finances, with pressure on supply chains, concerns about inflation, and real issues around poverty. This shaped many of the discussions held at the conference, largely focusing on three key questions:

1. How do we fund the decarbonisation of existing homes?
2. How do we address the ongoing work needed to ensure building safety?
3. And what implications do these challenges have for the finance professionals of the future?

THFC’s involvement at CHC Finance Conference

During the conference, our team at THFC held a workshop on ‘How to make sure finance professionals understand funding’. Leveraging our expertise in housing finance, we delved into innovative financing solutions, market trends and strategies for securing funding in the social housing sector.

It was great to see people engaged and asking questions throughout the session, demonstrating a real interest in the financial side of the housing sector.

Arun also joined the ‘What is value for money panel?’ panel, which focused on how financial, social and environmental factors can affect our thinking. During the session, panelists explored the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors in the housing sector. This focused on how organisations can achieve value for money while balancing financial, social and environmental objectives.

As ever, with ESG there is always discussion on the value it provides to organisations. This panel was clearly in favour of using ESG to tell a good story of the sector in a consistent manner and that it was worth the effort to do this.

Key takeaways

The conference also provided us with an opportunity to dive deeper into the issues troubling the sector, helping us further understand the challenges ahead and how we can band together to tackle them.

In a range of panel sessions held throughout the day, there was a pertinent focus on exploring more holistic ways of approaching risk management, as well as a consistent emphasis on liquidity.

Discussions also highlighted how working with colleagues right across an organisation can often lead to the most successful financing solutions in the challenging environment we operate in.

While the sector appreciates the supportive stance the government holds towards improving housing – it’s also clear many providers and organisations are looking for more long-term clarity around investment in decarbonisation as the UK moves towards its net zero targets.

Hearing the different perspectives of those across the sector emphasised that to truly make progress, stakeholders need to work together towards our common goal of delivering more affordable, quality, sustainable homes across the UK. This requires close collaboration between housing associations, trade bodies, funders and government.

Despite these challenges, it’s encouraging to see that registered social landlords and housing associations continue to demonstrate their commitment to the housing sector, and dedication to driving important change.

At THFC, we’re always eager to meet with advisors and associations across the sector we work in – this not only helps us forge new relationships, but it provides us with the opportunity to further engage with current partners and better understand the sector.

To help improve the housing sector and address challenges, partnerships and collaboration are crucial.