STAIRs publication scheme: what housing associations must publish from 1 October 2026

The short answer: Since 1 October 2026, private registered providers of social housing in England must have a STAIRs publication scheme. It covers information they hold about governance, spending, homes, performance, services, registers and housing management. Providers do not have to create new records. Appropriate redaction is allowed. The separate requirements for tenant information requests begin on 1 April 2027.

What is a publication scheme?

A publication scheme explains what information your organisation makes available routinely and where tenants can find it. They should not have to make a formal request to understand how you run homes and services.

The government’s STAIRs policy statement sets out the requirements. STAIRs now forms part of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

For the wider background, read STAIRs: What Housing Associations Need to Know. This article focuses on the publication scheme itself.

Who needs a STAIRs publication scheme?

The requirements apply to private registered providers of social housing in England. This includes housing associations. The policy does not provide a general exemption for small providers.

Local authority landlords are already subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Do not assume STAIRs applies to every housing organisation across the UK. Check your registration and the services you provide.

What must it include?

Your scheme must cover information you hold within seven areas. The examples below help you identify existing material. They are not a substitute for checking the policy statement.

1. Governance and decision making

Explain who runs the organisation and how decisions are made. Examples include senior staff roles, governance arrangements, decision-making policies and information about tenant consultations.

2. Spending

Show how money is used. Existing financial reports, grant information and explanations of how service charge revenue is spent can help cover this area.

3. Housing stock management

Include information about managing and maintaining homes. Examples include maintenance plans, stock transfers and progress towards net zero.

4. Performance

Help tenants understand how services are performing. Examples include inspection outcomes, Tenant Satisfaction Measures, complaint figures, health and safety assessments and maintenance performance.

5. Housing services

Describe the services tenants can use. Link to existing advice, guidance and service information, including how tenants can access support.

6. Lists and registers

Review information held in legally required registers and other lists relating to social housing management. Assess what can reasonably be published without exposing protected information.

7. Social housing management

Include policies and strategies for managing social housing. Your existing housing management policies may already provide much of this information.

What does a publication scheme not require?

You do not have to create new records. Start with information your organisation already holds. This does not remove the need to identify it and make it accessible.

You do not have to publish every document without checks. Appropriate and reasonable redaction is permitted. Record why information is withheld and apply the policy statement’s safeguards.

It is not a one-off upload. Providers must review and update the information regularly. Assign an owner and choose a review cycle that fits your organisation.

How should you publish it?

Tenants must be able to identify and access the information. These five practical steps can help:

1. Create an easy-to-find starting point. A dedicated website page can link to information you already publish. Check that the links work.
2. Group information under the seven areas. Make it clear what each link contains and flag gaps for action.
3. Make access practical. Use plain English and accessible documents. Provide a route for tenants who need another format or cannot use the website.
4. Explain how to contact you. Include questions about missing information and the STAIRs review process.
5. Keep it current. Show a review date, assign owners and check for changes to policies, services and published figures.

These are implementation suggestions. A particular page layout or quarterly review cycle is not prescribed by the policy statement.

Missed 1 October? Here’s how to catch up.

If your scheme is not ready, start by identifying the gaps. Keep a clear record of your actions and who is responsible for them.

1. Order existing information. Check annual reports, policies, service pages, performance reports and governance material against the seven areas.
2. Prioritise missing items. Identify information you hold but have not made available. Give each action an owner and a realistic completion date.
3. Check before publishing. Review accuracy, accessibility and any information that needs redaction.
4. Publish checked material promptly. Keep working on gaps. A first version does not, by itself, establish that you have met every requirement.
5. Tell tenants where to find it. Explain the contact and review routes, then schedule your next check.

If you need help identifying gaps, explore our STAIRs Readiness Assessment.

How do you protect personal data before publishing?

Transparency does not mean publishing personal information without a lawful reason. Review documents for names, contact details, complaint information and details that could identify a tenant indirectly.

Do not automatically remove every name. Some information, such as senior staff roles, may be appropriate to publish. Assess the purpose and legal basis for each disclosure.

Where redaction is needed, remove the information securely. Check comments, tracked changes, hidden data and searchable text. A coloured box over text may leave the underlying information accessible.

Keep a record of decisions and have someone check the final public version. Our STAIRs housing FAQs cover further practical questions.

How is a STAIRs request different from a SAR?

A STAIRs request concerns relevant information about the management of social housing. A subject access request (SAR) concerns a person’s own personal data.

For example, a request for a repairs policy is different from a request for personal information in a tenant’s repair records. One message may contain both.

Assess each part and route it correctly. The STAIRs policy directs providers towards the appropriate statutory route where a separate legal right of access applies. Do not apply the STAIRs 18-hour limit to a SAR.

The ICO’s right of access guidance explains the separate SAR requirements.

What changes on 1 April 2027?

From 1 April 2027, tenants or their designated representatives can make written requests for relevant information. Providers should acknowledge them promptly.

• 30 calendar days: Respond promptly and no later than 30 calendar days from receipt. Extra time is permitted only in exceptional circumstances specified in the policy. Explain any delay and when a response is expected.
• 18-hour staff-time limit: A provider may refuse where the work involved would exceed 18 hours. This is a refusal threshold, not an automatic charge. Record the reasoning behind any estimate.
• Internal review: If the tenant is dissatisfied, they should first complain to the provider. The review should normally finish within 30 calendar days, with additional time possible in certain circumstances.
• Housing Ombudsman: A tenant dissatisfied with the review can escalate under the Housing Ombudsman Scheme.

The publication scheme has its own review and escalation route already. Do not wait until April 2027 to explain how tenants can raise missing information.

For earlier sector context, see our STAIRs update for housing associations.

Your STAIRs publication scheme checklist

• Identify the information you hold under all seven areas.
• Check what is already public and prioritise gaps.
• Review personal data and record withholding decisions.
• Check links, readability and access in other formats.
• Explain the contact, review and escalation routes.
• Tell tenants where to find the scheme.
• Assign owners and regular review dates.
• Prepare request-handling processes for April 2027.

Frequently asked questions

When did STAIRs publication schemes become mandatory?

The publication-scheme requirements apply from 1 October 2026 to private registered providers of social housing in England.

Do housing associations have to create new records?

No. The publication scheme covers information already held. Providers still need to identify relevant information and make it accessible.

Can we redact information before publishing?

Yes, where appropriate and reasonable. Apply the policy statement’s safeguards, assess personal data carefully and record the reasons for redaction.

When do tenant information requests begin?

The separate information-request requirements begin on 1 April 2027. Providers must respond promptly, normally within 30 calendar days of receipt.

Where do publication-scheme complaints go?

Tenants should first use their provider’s STAIRs review process. If dissatisfied with the review, they can escalate to the Housing Ombudsman under its Scheme.

Is STAIRs the same as the Freedom of Information Act?

No. STAIRs is a separate framework for private registered providers. It supports tenant access to housing management information but does not make those providers subject to FOI simply because STAIRs applies.

How can Data Protection People help?

Need help reviewing your publication scheme or preparing your team for information requests? We can help you work through information rights and data protection questions.

Speak to our team about Information Rights Support.

Sources

• MHCLG: STAIRs policy statement.
• Regulator of Social Housing: Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.
• Housing Ombudsman: new information rights for social housing tenants.
• ICO: right of access guidance.