We are looking for local authorities that have used their strategic role to provide leadership, facilitate housing development and meet local housing need. Entrants don’t have to deliver new homes directly, or to manage stock themselves. Judges are looking for evidence of councils working closely with partners and joining up their housing offer with other services for the benefit of residents.

• Summarise local housing need and how the council has responded
• Provide detail of how you have worked closely with partners to provide local leadership and to drive forward a committed approach to meeting housing need in your area.
• Show how your housing offer links effectively with other services to the demonstrable benefit of your communities.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for a direct labour organisation or in-house team that has delivered first class repairs, maintenance or construction. Judges will be looking for value for money, customer service and innovative approaches, as well as outstanding collaborative working.

• Demonstrate how you shown real commitment to investing in your properties.
• Show how you have made a real impact on the standard of homes and the lives of the people living in them.
• Provide evidence of how you have achieved a more cost-effective and efficient process.
• Demonstrate how you have maintained good stakeholder relationships. Where appropriate, include testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking to hear from contractors that have adapted and innovated to stay ahead, regardless of size. Judges will be looking for evidence of quality, value for money, excellent customer service and added value.

• Outline the size and scale of your housing business.
• Demonstrate how your team has delivered efficient, high-quality, outstanding services. What has been the impact?
• Showcase how you have gone above and beyond, delivering services that drive innovation, sustainability and positive social impact.
• Demonstrate how you have maintained good stakeholder relationships. Please include testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking to recognise the outstanding work of professional services organisations working within the social housing sector. Entries are welcomed from but not limited to consultancies, legal services, financial services, recruitment and IT.

• Outline the size and scale of your housing business.
• Demonstrate how you have been effective in allowing housing associations to achieve their goals.
• Provide evidence of how you have made, or contributed, to a more cost-effective and efficient process.
• Include testimonials from the people you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking to hear about outstanding projects, whether you are completing the work yourself or partnering with other organisations (local authority, housing association or developers).

• Showcase how you have made a real impact on the delivery of quality homes and the lives of the people living in them.
• Provide evidence of how you have made, or contributed, to a more cost-effective and efficient process.
• Show evidence of how you have engaged with the community, and how this has positively impacted the overall outcomes of the project.
• Demonstrate how you have maintained good stakeholder relationships. Where appropriate, include testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with.
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for a landlord that has used technology to improve the resident experience, promote digital inclusion and improve business outcomes.

• Demonstrate how you have put digital services at the heart of your business, providing better and more responsive services for tenants.
• Show how you have engaged residents and supported them to take advantage of digital support, help and services offered by the landlord and more widely.
• Demonstrate how your initiative has had a positive impact on your organisation.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? What can others learn from it?

Campaign of the year can include a variety of initiatives, for example, you may have run a successful campaign to tackle a specific issue, run sustained communications activity to become a thought leader in a particular area, transformed the culture of your organisation with powerful internal communications work or you may have demonstrated excellence in communications across the board.

• Set out the objectives of the campaign and how these were met and exceeded.
• Demonstrate how you have put communication at the heart of the work you do and show how it has supported the wider goals of your organisation.
• Provide evidence of how you have clearly communicated your work to your target audience - whether it is to your tenants, the wider community, different organisations or politicians. Ideally you should include contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for organisations that can show a truly innovative approach. This could relate to any part of your business or service. Technology may have been central to your innovation but this isn’t essential.

• Demonstrate how you have thought outside the box to deliver a service or product in a way which shows a truly innovative approach.
• We’re looking for original thinking which has changed the way you work in a clear and sustainable way. Show evidence of how this has strengthened your work and enhanced your overall service.
• What can others in the sector learn from your innovation/approach? How can the learning be replicated?
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for an organisation that has played a vital role in supporting residents into training and work, whether you have used traditional means or shown innovation in your approach.

• Outline the challenges your residents face and how your programme is designed to help.
• Demonstrate how the approach had a positive, tangible and lasting impact on the quality of lives of tenants, including testimonials from the people you have worked with.
• Show how the work has supported the wider goals of your organisation.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

This award will recognise an approach to regeneration that has been successful in transforming an area and the lives of the people living in it. Your project must have at least one phase that is complete.

• Summarise the regeneration challenge, the local circumstances, community make-up and stated objectives.
• Demonstrate how you engaged and collaborated with the wider community.
• Show evidence of the tangible outcomes that have come from your regeneration, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc). This could include the difference on issues such as health, education and employment. Judges will welcome testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with, and from community members.
• Why has this project been particularly outstanding? What can others learn from it?

This award celebrates projects, initiatives and organisations working to prevent or relieve homelessness in their communities. Judges will be looking for innovation, collaboration and evidence of success.

• Summarise what homelessness looks like in the community, and what role your project, initiative or organisation has played.
• Demonstrate the impact you’ve had and the difference you’ve made to people’s lives in your community.
• Describe how your work has been innovative, what new approaches you have taken and whether your work could be replicated elsewhere.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for a landlord who has played a vital part in providing housing and support to the elderly population.

• Demonstrate that you have developed and delivered a housing offer which meets their needs.
• Showcase how your project does much more than put a roof over the heads of your residents. How have you helped people to maintain their independence and live healthy, happy lives?
• How have you worked with relevant organisations to get the best outcomes for the people you house?
• Where appropriate, include testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of tenant satisfaction with the landlord services, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for a landlord who has played a vital part in providing housing and support to residents needing additional support in areas such as mental health, substance misuse and learning disabilities.

• Demonstrate that you have developed and delivered a housing offer which meets their needs.
• Showcase how your project does much more than put a roof over the heads of your residents. How have you helped people to maintain their independence and live healthy, happy lives?
• How have you worked with relevant organisations to get the best outcomes for the people you house?
• Where appropriate, include testimonials from the people and organisations you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of tenant satisfaction with the landlord services, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking for an organisation that has gone the extra mile to promote inclusivity and diversity. Your scheme could have dealt with gender inequality in your workforce or supported LGBT people in your communities. You may have launched your own initiative or partnered with other organisations to great effect.

• Demonstrate how you have put inclusivity and diversity at the heart of your work, and the impact this has had within your organisation.
• Where appropriate, include testimonials from the people you have worked with.
• Provide evidence/measures of success, ideally with contextual data (sector averages etc).
• Why has the past year been particularly outstanding? (This should be linked to performance and objectives, rather than a milestone such as an anniversary.)

We are looking to hear about exemplar approaches to delivering new sustainable homes or projects that improve the sustainability of existing properties.

• Showcase how you have delivered a project that will help tackle the climate emergency
• Provide evidence of the ways in which your project is delivering new energy efficient housing and minimising energy use
• Demonstrate how your homes are user-friendly and will help improve fuel poverty for residents
• Provide clear information about the targets you set for your project and how you are evaluating performance
• State why your project demonstrates exceptional performance and why you think others could learn from it