- Are you a social housing resident who wants to make a difference?
- Do you care about how tenants and housing associations work together to provide safe, good‑quality homes in great places to live?
- Would you like the chance to learn new things, grow your confidence, and work alongside other tenants and housing professionals at a national level?
If so, you might be exactly the kind of person who would thrive on the National Housing Federation’s Tenant Advisory Panel (TAP).
TAP brings together residents from different backgrounds who share a simple aim: to help shape decisions that affect millions of social housing tenants across England. Previous members have said that being part of TAP helped them build skills, meet new people, and make a real difference. If that sounds interesting to you, we would really encourage you to apply.
Join the National Housing Federation’s Tenant Advisory Panel
TAP is committed to welcoming applications from residents with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and circumstances — including disabled people or people with long-term health conditions. We want the process to be fair, accessible and inclusive for everyone.
If you feel that your personal circumstances might make it harder for you to apply or interview, we are very happy to make reasonable adjustments. This could include more time, different formats, or other types of support to help you show your strengths and take part on an equal footing with others.
If you’d like to talk confidentially about what support might help you apply or participate fully, please contact the NHF at taprecruitment@housing.org.uk. We’ re here to make sure everyone who wants to contribute has a fair opportunity to do so.
Download the recruitment pack here
How to apply
1. Tell us about yourself by sending us an email, including:
- Your full name.
- Your full address.
- The name of your housing association.
- A contact telephone number.
2. Tell us why you’d like to join TAP
In 200 words or less, explain why you want to join TAP. You don’t need to have been on a panel or committee before — your lived experience as a tenant and commitment to making a positive difference is what matters most.
3. Send five short written examples of your skills, including:
- A time when you worked well as part of a team.
- A time when you used clear and effective communication.
- A time when you weighed up options and decided on the best way forward.
- A time when you constructively and respectfully challenged someone’s view.
- A time when you came up with a creative or fresh idea to solve a problem.
Each example should be between 100 and 300 words. We’d like you to use the STAR method for these answers, and we’ve explained how you can do this below.
4. Send your application
- Email everything to taprecruitment@housing.org.uk
- Deadline: 5pm on Friday 30 January 2026
The NHF will be appointing five new TAP members. Strong applicants who are not appointed now may be considered for any vacancies that come up in the next two years.
How to use the STAR method
The S.T.A.R method can help you to structure your examples. It stands for:
- Situation: what was happening?
- Task: what was your role?
- Action: what did you do?
- Result: what was the outcome?
You may not be familiar with the S.T.A.R. method, so here’s an example to help you structure your answers:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is TAP?
The National Housing Federation (NHF) represents nearly 600 housing associations in England, who provide homes for around six million people. After the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, the NHF introduced the Together with Tenants Charter to strengthen relationships between landlords and residents. To support this work, the NHF set up the Tenant Advisory Panel so that residents could shape national policy, guidance and best practice.
What does TAP do?
- Offers feedback to the NHF when new policies, services or national consultations are being developed.
- Helps raise awareness of the Together with Tenants Charter.
- Acts as a group of experienced tenant voices who can support member organisations of the NHF with their engagement work.
Examples: TAP has shaped NHF responses to national consultations on the revised Decent Homes Standard, and rent convergence, and is helping the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) develop resident guidance related to Awaab’s Law.
What responsibilities would I have?
- Attend at least three out of four core meetings each year.
- Join monthly informal TAP meetings.
- Participate in occasional conferences and national events.
- Work collaboratively with the NHF and fellow panel members.
Am I eligible?
You can apply if you live in social housing provided by an NHF member. We’ re looking for people who:
- Work respectfully with others.
- Communicate clearly and listen carefully.
- Can consider different viewpoints and make fair judgments.
- Are open to learning new things.
- Are able to see the ‘big picture’ and work strategically
- Can attend online meetings (digital support is available).
- No previous experience on formal panels, boards, or committees is needed. You will receive an induction, training, and ongoing support.
What happens after I apply?
Your application will be reviewed by the selection panel:
- Vic Andrews, Chair of TAP
- Helena Ingham, TAP member
- Andy Fry, Tpas (England’s leading tenant engagement experts)
The top 10 applicants will be invited to a 45-minute informal interview in the week of 29 January 2026. You will then receive feedback from Andy Fry, and the top five candidates will be offered places on TAP.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
The NHF values and promotes EDI and works closely with members and partners to champion fairness and understanding across the sector
GDPR and your data
The NHF is committed to protecting your personal data. For more information, please see our privacy notice or contact privacy@housing.org.uk or 020 7067 1010.
