Driving change together: reflections from HOMES UK 2025
As a headline sponsor of HOMES UK 2025, LHC played a central role in one of the sector’s most anticipated gatherings.
From a prominent presence on stand U870 – directly opposite the Warm and Healthy Homes stage – to insightful contributions across key panel discussions, the event offered an ideal platform for connection.
Colleagues from LHC enjoyed meeting with partners, clients and peers to discuss the pressing challenges and opportunities facing the housing and construction sectors.
With retrofit, regulation and resident engagement high on the agenda, the conference affirmed just how critical early engagement, cross-sector collaboration and long-term thinking are to the sector’s success.
Unlocking funding and making PAS work
Paul Dawson, LHC's technical manager, joined the panel on Making PAS Work alongside Derek Horrocks from Sustainable Building Services (UK) and architect Vimbai St John. The trio shared practical insights on how to implement PAS 2035 and 2030 in a way that supports long-term success.
Paul’s key message was clear: successful retrofit delivery demands more than box-ticking. It means planning upfront, understanding your housing stock and ensuring compliance not only with PAS guidance but with wider building regulations.
He explained that just because you have the funding doesn’t mean you should go ahead, and advised housing providers to take a whole stock view and do what’s right for each home and resident.
LHC’s experience shows that successful retrofit clients invest in their own workforce and collaborate early across design, assessment and compliance teams. Avoiding silos and aligning maintenance and retrofit strategies is not just good practice – it saves money and delivers better results.
Panellists stressed the importance of joined-up design and avoiding the mistake of treating PAS like traditional building regs. Done properly, PAS builds capacity and drives quality, with LHC highlighting the growing need to support competent contractors through procurement, training and technical guidance.
Remediation and regulation: the path to 2029 and beyond
Liz Jones, regional director for the Welsh Procurement Alliance – one of LHCPG’s regional business units, joined leaders from Peabody and Homes England to explore the challenges of remediation and the future of building safety.
Liz shared insights from her work advising the Welsh Government, where new data requirements under the revised Welsh Housing Quality Standard are transforming how social landlords manage their housing stock.
In Wales, each property must now meet 147 data requirements, including an EPC rating of C and a SAP score of 75 by 2030.
Liz also pointed to the need for a building passport approach – a consistent, long-term view of each property’s needs – to underpin safe and effective remediation programmes.
A common theme across the panel was the urgent need for better data, better engagement and better procurement. Too often, procurement processes stop at appointment; the sector must instead look beyond frameworks to monitor delivery, track outcomes and build in accountability from day one.
A unified message
Throughout the two-day event, one message resonated loud and clear: collaboration, early planning and long-term thinking are non-negotiable.
Whether delivering warm, safe homes or unlocking the next wave of retrofit funding, the sector can only succeed if it works together – across disciplines, departments and delivery partners.
LHC remains committed to supporting this journey, not only through robust procurement frameworks, but also through technical guidance and by supporting clients to deliver genuine social value.
Thank you to everyone who visited us at HOMES UK 2025. We look forward to continuing the conversation and working collaboratively to deliver better homes.