Katharine Swindells
@kathyswinds.bsky.social
deputy features editor at inside housing • also seen in new statesman, guardian, inews, boston globe, teen vogue • kath.swindells@insidehousing.co.uk • she/her
Pinned
🏘️ Seems like loads of housing people have made the jump this week so going to introduce myself!
🏙️ I’m Kath and I write/edit features & investigations on social housing and homelessness in the UK @insidehousing.bsky.social
📬 Always open for tips at kath.swindells@insidehousing.co.uk
🏙️ I’m Kath and I write/edit features & investigations on social housing and homelessness in the UK @insidehousing.bsky.social
📬 Always open for tips at kath.swindells@insidehousing.co.uk
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Domestic abuse is a housing issue. The cycle of abuse and homelessness is one we can and must break.
Thank you to @kathyswinds.bsky.social & @insidehousing.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/supporting-survivors-of-domestic-abuse-must-be-core-to-our-fight-against-homelessness-94622
Thank you to @kathyswinds.bsky.social & @insidehousing.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/supporting-survivors-of-domestic-abuse-must-be-core-to-our-fight-against-homelessness-94622
Supporting survivors of domestic abuse must be core to our fight against homelessness
The government has a generational opportunity to tackle the homelessness emergency and women must be at the forefront of that strategy, writes MP Paula Barker.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Domestic abuse is a housing issue. The cycle of abuse and homelessness is one we can and must break.
Thank you to @kathyswinds.bsky.social & @insidehousing.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/supporting-survivors-of-domestic-abuse-must-be-core-to-our-fight-against-homelessness-94622
Thank you to @kathyswinds.bsky.social & @insidehousing.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/supporting-survivors-of-domestic-abuse-must-be-core-to-our-fight-against-homelessness-94622
Something a bit different from me today! Really enjoyed spending a few mornings riding South London's night buses for this piece for @londonermag.bsky.social and love any opportunity to combine narrative storytelling with data journalism
www.the-londoner.co.uk/meet-londons...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/meet-londons...
October 25, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Something a bit different from me today! Really enjoyed spending a few mornings riding South London's night buses for this piece for @londonermag.bsky.social and love any opportunity to combine narrative storytelling with data journalism
www.the-londoner.co.uk/meet-londons...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/meet-londons...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Leadership 2025 was set up with the aim of boosting the numbers of ethnic minority people in housing's top jobs by this year. So what comes next? @kathyswinds.bsky.social went along to one of its board meetings to find out
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/lead...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/lead...
Leadership 2025 aimed to diversify housing sector top jobs. In its target year, what comes next?
Leadership 2025 was founded to support minority ethnic senior professionals to become sector leaders. Katharine Swindells finds out what is next for the organisation.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
September 9, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Leadership 2025 was set up with the aim of boosting the numbers of ethnic minority people in housing's top jobs by this year. So what comes next? @kathyswinds.bsky.social went along to one of its board meetings to find out
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/lead...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/lead...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Four years ago, Croydon Council found itself leading the ITV news over disrepair at its Regina Road estate. The regulatory notice on the council has only just been lifted. My colleague @kathyswinds.bsky.social has done a great deep dive on what's happened
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
How Croydon Council got its regulatory notice lifted
Four years ago, the disrepair at Croydon’s Regina Road Estate shocked ITV viewers and led to regulatory intervention. The council has now improved services. Katharine Swindells reports.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
June 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Four years ago, Croydon Council found itself leading the ITV news over disrepair at its Regina Road estate. The regulatory notice on the council has only just been lifted. My colleague @kathyswinds.bsky.social has done a great deep dive on what's happened
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
So so pleased and proud that after four long years, New Statesman and PMI have recognised the union.
Massive credit to all the staff past and present who worked so hard to achieve this, especially the team who finally got it over the line
www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj...
Massive credit to all the staff past and present who worked so hard to achieve this, especially the team who finally got it over the line
www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj...
NUJ celebrates recognition at the New Statesman and Progressive Media Investments
The NUJ has secured recognition at the distinguished political magazine the New Statesman and the global publisher Progressive Media Investments (PMI).
www.nuj.org.uk
May 23, 2025 at 2:28 PM
So so pleased and proud that after four long years, New Statesman and PMI have recognised the union.
Massive credit to all the staff past and present who worked so hard to achieve this, especially the team who finally got it over the line
www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj...
Massive credit to all the staff past and present who worked so hard to achieve this, especially the team who finally got it over the line
www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj...
So honoured to be a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Reporting Homelessness, for my work on toddlers and babies living in temporary accommodation
You can read my shortlisted work here
www.orwellfoundation.com/homelessness...
You can read my shortlisted work here
www.orwellfoundation.com/homelessness...
“The media has the power to foster meaningful solutions.” - Dr Lígia Teixeira, Chair of Judges
We're proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Orwell Prize for Reporting Homelessness.
Explore their work: homelessnessimpact.org/blog
@homelessnessimpact.bsky.social
#OrwellPrize2025
We're proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Orwell Prize for Reporting Homelessness.
Explore their work: homelessnessimpact.org/blog
@homelessnessimpact.bsky.social
#OrwellPrize2025
May 14, 2025 at 11:49 AM
So honoured to be a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Reporting Homelessness, for my work on toddlers and babies living in temporary accommodation
You can read my shortlisted work here
www.orwellfoundation.com/homelessness...
You can read my shortlisted work here
www.orwellfoundation.com/homelessness...
As I was sifting through the hundreds of FOI responses to update to our young children in temporary accommodation data dashboard, I spotted what looked like a mistake - one council had a 90% reduction in three months.
But it wasn't a mistake. Read more here ⤵️
But it wasn't a mistake. Read more here ⤵️
May 12, 2025 at 12:29 PM
As I was sifting through the hundreds of FOI responses to update to our young children in temporary accommodation data dashboard, I spotted what looked like a mistake - one council had a 90% reduction in three months.
But it wasn't a mistake. Read more here ⤵️
But it wasn't a mistake. Read more here ⤵️
A new report into Peabody's Nag's Head estate found that 58% of households surveyed have had someone develop a respiratory condition since they moved in
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/london-...
I dug into the case of Nag's Head for this piece last year
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/london-...
I dug into the case of Nag's Head for this piece last year
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
The estate where tenants are taking collective legal action on damp and mould
Tenants on one east London estate are teaming up to file a joint legal claim about the damp and mould in their homes. Katharine Swindells reports
www.insidehousing.co.uk
April 14, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A new report into Peabody's Nag's Head estate found that 58% of households surveyed have had someone develop a respiratory condition since they moved in
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/london-...
I dug into the case of Nag's Head for this piece last year
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/london-...
I dug into the case of Nag's Head for this piece last year
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Nice to highlight the wins for a change.
@kathyswinds.bsky.social has been smashing it with this campaign:
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/major-c...
@kathyswinds.bsky.social has been smashing it with this campaign:
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/major-c...
Major councils change data collection on children in temporary accommodation after Inside Housing investigation
Several councils confirmed they changed their reporting system since Inside Housing launched its tracker on the number of children living in temporary housing.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
April 9, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Nice to highlight the wins for a change.
@kathyswinds.bsky.social has been smashing it with this campaign:
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/major-c...
@kathyswinds.bsky.social has been smashing it with this campaign:
www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/major-c...
🏡 "It feels like I’m fighting fires with a cup of water"
🏙️ "I’m not able to be a friend, support worker, councillor, doctor and housing officer to every tenant"
Fascinating findings from our survey of frontline social housing staff, check it out ⤵️
🏙️ "I’m not able to be a friend, support worker, councillor, doctor and housing officer to every tenant"
Fascinating findings from our survey of frontline social housing staff, check it out ⤵️
To launch Inside Housing Management, we surveyed over 600 frontline housing staff. We wanted to find out about the biggest issues affecting your job, your organisation and the sector more broadly. @kathyswinds.bsky.social reports on what we found
management.insidehousing.co.uk/home/feature...
management.insidehousing.co.uk/home/feature...
Housing officers’ top priorities revealed
IHM surveyed over 600 frontline housing staff. We wanted to find out about the biggest issues affecting your job, your organisation and the sector.
management.insidehousing.co.uk
April 3, 2025 at 8:47 AM
🏡 "It feels like I’m fighting fires with a cup of water"
🏙️ "I’m not able to be a friend, support worker, councillor, doctor and housing officer to every tenant"
Fascinating findings from our survey of frontline social housing staff, check it out ⤵️
🏙️ "I’m not able to be a friend, support worker, councillor, doctor and housing officer to every tenant"
Fascinating findings from our survey of frontline social housing staff, check it out ⤵️
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
So excited that @ihmanagement.bsky.social has launched today - our new online publication aimed at housing officers and staff on the front line in social housing, to help them provide excellent services and develop their careers.
www.insidehousingmanagement.co.uk
www.insidehousingmanagement.co.uk
April 2, 2025 at 8:36 AM
So excited that @ihmanagement.bsky.social has launched today - our new online publication aimed at housing officers and staff on the front line in social housing, to help them provide excellent services and develop their careers.
www.insidehousingmanagement.co.uk
www.insidehousingmanagement.co.uk
“Social housing should be the new Airbnb of property,” Mr Wicks says. “…And it is difficult, because social housing has probably some of the most boring people that exist in this sector, I think.”
So many great details in this piece by James, give it a read!
So many great details in this piece by James, give it a read!
Exclusive: The TikTok entrepreneur making a profit from ‘social housing’
On TikTok, Jack Wicks has been advertising high-return investments in his company Social Housing Group. Here is my report
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
On TikTok, Jack Wicks has been advertising high-return investments in his company Social Housing Group. Here is my report
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
The TikTok entrepreneur making a profit from ‘social housing’
On TikTok, Jack Wick has been advertising high-return investments in his company Social Housing Group. James Riding reports.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
February 6, 2025 at 1:01 PM
“Social housing should be the new Airbnb of property,” Mr Wicks says. “…And it is difficult, because social housing has probably some of the most boring people that exist in this sector, I think.”
So many great details in this piece by James, give it a read!
So many great details in this piece by James, give it a read!
A new report out today reveals that 80 children have died in temporary accommodation in the year to September 2023.
Imagine being a parent living in a B&B room with your family, and reading that statistic
Imagine being a parent living in a B&B room with your family, and reading that statistic
And the latest update of our tracker reveals there were 36,900 families with young children in temporary accommodation in June, up 14% yoy www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
How many toddlers and babies are living in temporary accommodation in the UK?
Inside Housing’s latest quarterly update to its live data dashboard reveals the numbers of households with children aged under five living in temporary accommodation and B&Bs
www.insidehousing.co.uk
January 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
A new report out today reveals that 80 children have died in temporary accommodation in the year to September 2023.
Imagine being a parent living in a B&B room with your family, and reading that statistic
Imagine being a parent living in a B&B room with your family, and reading that statistic
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Had fun going back and forth to the National Archives on this to help mark @insidehousing.bsky.social's 40th anniversary year.
👉Wanted to put “true cost of council housing” on a “more business-like footing”
👉Concern "left-wing activists will take over" trusts
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
👉Wanted to put “true cost of council housing” on a “more business-like footing”
👉Concern "left-wing activists will take over" trusts
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
The housing act from 1988 that shaped the sector today
Margaret Thatcher’s government spearheaded major reforms with the Housing Act 1988. Stephen Delahunty digs into the archives and speaks to two of the key players.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
January 13, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Had fun going back and forth to the National Archives on this to help mark @insidehousing.bsky.social's 40th anniversary year.
👉Wanted to put “true cost of council housing” on a “more business-like footing”
👉Concern "left-wing activists will take over" trusts
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
👉Wanted to put “true cost of council housing” on a “more business-like footing”
👉Concern "left-wing activists will take over" trusts
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless, vulnerable, but not a priority
As local authorities struggle with the numbers of people turning to them for homelessness help, many are left to fend for themselves. Katharine Swindells investigates.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 17, 2024 at 11:20 AM
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Inside Housing has joined forces with Homeless Link for the Reset Homelessness campaign. This week we’ve launched with a whole week of content covering the homelessness funding crisis
🧵 a thread ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
🧵 a thread ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
Reset Homelessness: ‘The system cannot continue as it is’
Inside Housing and Homeless Link’s new campaign, Reset Homelessness, calls for a systemic review of homelessness funding in England. Jess McCabe reports.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 20, 2024 at 1:22 PM
Inside Housing has joined forces with Homeless Link for the Reset Homelessness campaign. This week we’ve launched with a whole week of content covering the homelessness funding crisis
🧵 a thread ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
🧵 a thread ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
“We’ve got a phrase in medicine called ‘other people’s x-rays’. You’re looking at an x-ray and you can’t see the fracture, and someone walks past and goes, ‘There it is.’”
Was brilliant to speak to Dr Neilson from @sharedhealthgm.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
Was brilliant to speak to Dr Neilson from @sharedhealthgm.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
The doctor-turned-campaigner for homeless children
The Shared Health Foundation’s campaign led to the government changing its guidance on providing cots in temporary accommodation. Katharine Swindells speaks to CEO Dr Laura Neilson about the next stag...
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 18, 2024 at 1:12 PM
“We’ve got a phrase in medicine called ‘other people’s x-rays’. You’re looking at an x-ray and you can’t see the fracture, and someone walks past and goes, ‘There it is.’”
Was brilliant to speak to Dr Neilson from @sharedhealthgm.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
Was brilliant to speak to Dr Neilson from @sharedhealthgm.bsky.social
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
The consequences of chronic underfunding of councils - and why this morning’s announcement of £1bn for homelessness is so important ⤵️
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless, vulnerable, but not a priority
As local authorities struggle with the numbers of people turning to them for homelessness help, many are left to fend for themselves. Katharine Swindells investigates.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 18, 2024 at 9:29 AM
The consequences of chronic underfunding of councils - and why this morning’s announcement of £1bn for homelessness is so important ⤵️
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
A catalogue of unlawful decisions by councils ('not yet pregnant enough', ignoring domestic abuse etc) to deny priority need for homeless applicants, in the context of huge rise in applicants and funding crisis.
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless, vulnerable, but not a priority
As local authorities struggle with the numbers of people turning to them for homelessness help, many are left to fend for themselves. Katharine Swindells investigates.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 17, 2024 at 11:33 AM
A catalogue of unlawful decisions by councils ('not yet pregnant enough', ignoring domestic abuse etc) to deny priority need for homeless applicants, in the context of huge rise in applicants and funding crisis.
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless, vulnerable, but not a priority
As local authorities struggle with the numbers of people turning to them for homelessness help, many are left to fend for themselves. Katharine Swindells investigates.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 17, 2024 at 11:20 AM
As the homelessness numbers continue to rise, so are the numbers of people refused council help because they're ‘not vulnerable enough’. Are councils really getting stricter? And what’s it like to be one of these people turned away?
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Read my piece here ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Today @insidehousing.bsky.social and @homelesslink.bsky.social are launching a new campaign, Reset Homelessness - calling for the new government to commit to a major review of how homeless services are funded. There are some shocking numbers here, but
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
Reset Homelessness: ‘The system cannot continue as it is’
Inside Housing and Homeless Link’s new campaign, Reset Homelessness, calls for a systemic review of homelessness funding in England. Jess McCabe reports.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 16, 2024 at 1:14 PM
Today @insidehousing.bsky.social and @homelesslink.bsky.social are launching a new campaign, Reset Homelessness - calling for the new government to commit to a major review of how homeless services are funded. There are some shocking numbers here, but
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/rese...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
"You all f***ing talk too much"
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless and with communication difficulties: how services can listen better
What can the social housing and homelessness sector learn about how to interact with people who have complex communication needs? Katharine Swindells finds out.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 9, 2024 at 9:33 AM
"You all f***ing talk too much"
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Reposted by Katharine Swindells
It’s even worse knowing that Wes actually met trans kids, listened to them cry about how awful it would be to go through the wrong puberty, how this is a lifesaving treatment, and is fucking doing this anyway
It’s even more heartless than shutting them out of conversations
It’s even more heartless than shutting them out of conversations
BREAKING: I have seen confirmation that the indefinite puberty blocker ban for trans kids that was passed by the NI Executive yesterday will be UK-wide. It will come into effect on January 1 2025 when the temporary ban expires.
It is being laid before Parliament today.
It is being laid before Parliament today.
December 11, 2024 at 10:49 AM
It’s even worse knowing that Wes actually met trans kids, listened to them cry about how awful it would be to go through the wrong puberty, how this is a lifesaving treatment, and is fucking doing this anyway
It’s even more heartless than shutting them out of conversations
It’s even more heartless than shutting them out of conversations
"You all f***ing talk too much"
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Homeless and with communication difficulties: how services can listen better
What can the social housing and homelessness sector learn about how to interact with people who have complex communication needs? Katharine Swindells finds out.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
December 9, 2024 at 9:33 AM
"You all f***ing talk too much"
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...
Was fascinating working on this piece about speech and language therapy in homelessness services, and what the entire housing sector can learn about inclusive communication.
Read the piece online now ⤵️
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/home...