The next Welsh Government must be as committed to the housing workforce as those professionals are to the communities they serve, CIH Cymru says.
The organisation's national director, Matthew Dicks, made the call at CIH Cymru’s flagship housing conference Tai 2026 following a report which highlighted the “urgent need” for increased investment in the housing workforce.
The CIH Cymru research report, Hearing the Housing Professionals' Voice, was commissioned from Cardiff Metropolitan University. It warns that rising demand and pressure to fill the gaps left by other public services are placing growing strain on housing professionals, and calls on the next Welsh Government to invest in and better support the workforce by increasing staffing levels, expanding training and education opportunities, and recognising the impact of working with increasingly complex tenant needs.
The report was commissioned to complement CIH Cymru’s regular sector snapshot surveys, which have consistently highlighted “a front-facing housing workforce at breaking point”, the organisation said. It said that housing professionals feel they are increasingly stepping in to support tenants in areas where other public services have been cut.
This has led to rising expectations and added pressure on staff, with many experiencing stress, burnout and vicarious trauma in their roles, it added.
The report also highlights concerns that new and forthcoming legislation, including the Building Safety (Wales) Bill and changes to homelessness and allocations law, could place additional pressure on a workforce already facing high workloads and capacity challenges.
Matthew Dicks, CIH Cymru national director, said:
“This report is a reminder of just how much housing professionals are being asked to deliver and how vital it is that they are properly supported to do so. That’s why we need a workforce strategy that provides career routes, reflects the wider diversity of Wales, nurtures expertise, increases capacity and helps develop resilience.
“CIH Cymru's manifesto calls on the next Welsh Government to treat housing as a sustainable vocation – investing in training, wellbeing and recognition so that the people doing this vital work can continue to thrive in their roles.”
The report findings align with CIH's new Rooted in Resilience toolkit. Launched during Stress Awareness Month as part of CIH president Julie Haydon’s presidential campaign, it aims to support housing professionals in managing workplace pressures and building long-term resilience.
CIH president Julie Haydon said:
“As a profession dedicated to providing homes and services, we know that housing’s strength does not come from bricks and mortar. It comes from people – and the resilience and professionalism that sustains them.
“If we want to deliver professional, compassionate services, we must be just as serious about investing in workforce wellbeing, strength and leadership as we are in the upkeep of standards. The voices coming through in this research from Wales reflect what we hear across the profession – housing professionals are deeply committed but need to feel that commitment is reciprocated.”
The full Hearing the Housing Professionals' Voice report is available to download in English here and in Welsh here.
