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Katharine Swindells

@kathyswinds.bsky.social
1.5K followers 201 following 29 posts

deputy features editor at inside housing • also seen in new statesman, guardian, inews, boston globe, teen vogue • kath.swindells@insidehousing.co.uk • she/her

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Reposted by Katharine Swindells
Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
What is actually stopping social housing tenants from downsizing? @kathyswinds.bsky.social has done a deep dive into data from councils showing the huge gap between the numbers who say they want to move, compared to actual downsizers: www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/thou...
insidehousing.co.uk
Thousands of social tenants want to downsize, but can’t. What’s going wrong?
An investigation by Inside Housing reveals that 10,000 households are registered to downsize their council homes, but are stuck in a convoluted system.
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The Londoner @the-londoner.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
London is the only part of the UK where the population is shrinking. What's going on? And what does it have to do with Clapham? Read @andrewkersley.bsky.social and @kathyswinds.bsky.social deep dive:
the-londoner.co.uk
Will the last person in London turn off the lights?
How rising rents, closing schools and the unstoppable ascendancy of Clapham is pushing London’s population into decline for the first time in decades
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
“She’s hurting herself rather than studying, because our lives are so disrupted. She deserves a safe, stable home life" Incredible grateful to the five mothers who spoke to me about how temporary accommodation is affecting their neurodivergent child www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/temp...
insidehousing.co.uk
Temporary accommodation is even worse for neurodivergent children, but councils can do better
There may be tens of thousands of neurodivergent children in temporary accommodation. Katharine Swindells talks to families who are struggling to cope.
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
An interesting insight here into one of the backbench Labour MPs who has been focusing on how the government's been delivering on homelessness, or in her words how government can "get our shit together" www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/paul...
insidehousing.co.uk
Paula Barker: how Labour can ‘get our sh*t together’ on homelessness
Paula Barker spent less than a year as shadow homelessness minister. Now she’s advocating for homelessness from the back benches. Katharine Swindells meets her.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
"There are certain things we can’t compromise on" I chatted to Paula Barker MP, co-chair of the homelessness APPG, about tarot, the electoral threat of the right and left, and what more she wants to see from the Labour Party on housing. www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/paul...
insidehousing.co.uk
Paula Barker: how Labour can ‘get our sh*t together’ on homelessness
Paula Barker spent less than a year as shadow homelessness minister. Now she’s advocating for homelessness from the back benches. Katharine Swindells meets her.
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
An essential and sobering report on homicides and suicides where domestic abuse and housing come into play, based on detailed analysis of 75 domestic homicide reviews by @kathyswinds.bsky.social www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/dome...
insidehousing.co.uk
Domestic homicide: what can housing learn when the worst happens?
Inside Housing analysed 76 domestic homicide reviews to pull out the crucial lessons for housing teams. Katharine Swindells reports.
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Paula Barker MP @paulabarkermp.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
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
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 25/10/2025
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...
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
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-...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
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...
nuj.org.uk
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).
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
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...
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
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 ⤵️
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
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-...
insidehousing.co.uk
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
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Stephen Delahunty @sdelahunty.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
🏡 "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 ⤵️
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Inside Housing @insidehousing.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
dlvr.it
Inside Housing launches new site aimed at frontline staff in social housing
Ocean Media Group has today launched Inside Housing Management, a new online publication aimed at housing officers and other staff in housing management, with a focus on learning and development
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
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
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
“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!
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
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
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Stephen Delahunty @sdelahunty.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
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-...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
“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-...
insidehousing.co.uk
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...
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
The consequences of chronic underfunding of councils - and why this morning’s announcement of £1bn for homelessness is so important ⤵️
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Nearly Legal @nearlylegal.co.uk · 17/12/2024
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
"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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Arthur Webber 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @bernietranders.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
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
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
"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...
insidehousing.co.uk
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.
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
I think people who don't know much about social housing in the UK would probably be quite surprised at the condition many homes are in when tenants move in - and a big example of that is no flooring (often the landlord has stripped out the floors the previous tenant laid).
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-... @kathyswinds.bsky.social's story on this from last winter is a really good take which sets out the situation.
insidehousing.co.uk
The case for flooring to be included when social homes are let
Wales has passed regulations that new social lets must come with flooring included. Should English and Scottish social landlords follow suit? Katharine Swindells reports.
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
With thousands of people are facing redundancy from Tata Steel, how should the local social landlords be supporting the community? I went to Port Talbot to find out. The piece is now online here ⤵️ www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
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Jim Gleeson @geographyjim.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
In March 2024 there were 65,280 households in temporary accommodation arranged by London boroughs, an increase of 9% in a year and the highest figure on record.
Chart showing the trend in homeless households placed in temporary accommodation by London boroughs by type of accommodation, 1988 to 2024 Q1
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Jess McCabe @jessmccabe.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
A place to follow @insidehousing.bsky.social contributors: go.bsky.app/QiwMEJa
go.bsky.app
Inside Housing writers
Join the conversation
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 09/11/2024
🏘️ 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
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 09/11/2024
As of March 2024, Inside Housing estimates there were 34,900 families with children aged under five in temporary accommodation. Two-thirds had been there for more than 6 months. Use our data dashboard to check out the full local authority data breakdown ⤵ www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/how-...
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Katharine Swindells @kathyswinds.bsky.social · 01/10/2024
“I am 40 and still living in an overcrowded, cold, rat-infested HMO" Hundreds of staff in the social housing sector responded to our survey about their personal housing situation and how it impacts their work You can read the full investigation online here ⤵️ www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/the-...
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