Behind every statistic about the housing crisis are people working to change it - and this year’s Housing Champions are some of them.

With a record 135,580 households in temporary accommodation and the second phase of Awaab’s Law arriving in November, housing professionals have rarely been under greater pressure. Delivering more affordable and social homes remains the sector’s most urgent task. At the same time, landlords are being held to ever higher standards on safety, repairs, damp and mould, and the way tenants are treated.

The job itself also keeps growing. Today’s housing professionals are as likely to be helping a tenant through a debt crisis, raising a safeguarding concern or running an employment scheme as they are to be managing a tenancy. The social value they create is huge and too often goes unrecognised.

This list is our way of recognising it. The 2026 Housing Champions stand out for the difference they make, through their dedication, fresh thinking and genuine care for the people they serve.

And for our Champions, this care often shows up in quiet, human moments. Much of this year’s cohort talk about the importance of listening properly and refusing to walk away when something doesn’t feel right, whether that means “taking the time to understand residents’ experiences” or sitting on a doorstep until someone feels safe enough to open the door.

Others describe how trust is built through transparency, partnership and early intervention, from coordinating multi‑agency support for families fleeing conflict to helping people navigate welfare systems that often overlook their potential. Again and again, they show that housing work is not just technical or regulatory. It is about seeing the whole person, recognising resilience in everyday acts and making sure no one falls through the gaps.

The list is part of Housing Today’s Every Person Counts campaign, which looks at the people side of housing. It covers how the sector attracts, develops and keeps talent, and how it can build fairer, more inclusive workplaces while meeting growing regulatory demands.

Click on each Champion’s photo below to read about their work, what drew them to housing and where they think the sector is heading.