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Sureserve partners with RoSPA to launch falls awareness campaign
A campaign for the social housing sector
Sureserve has joined forces with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to help launch the first national ‘Social Housing Falls Awareness Month’, running from 18 June.
As research finds people living in social housing are 13 times more likely to suffer an accident, the initiative aims to shine a light on the rising risk of falls in social housing and calls on housing professionals, contractors and providers across the sector to take action.
Our engineers visit 1 in 5 social housing homes across England every year. We are therefore taking the lead by delivering ‘toolbox talks’ to staff to help them identify early warning signs, ensure materials are stored safely, and check residents' surroundings.
To highlight the issue to the sector, Sureserve will be launching a public Pledge Wall at HOUSING 2025 in Manchester next week where visitors will be encouraged to make a simple commitment - to check for fall risks during home visits and act as informal safety advisers.
Social Housing Falls Awareness Month assets will also be live online, where supporters can access downloadable social media graphics, training badges, and take part in a free, expert-led online training session hosted by RoSPA and open to anyone working in social housing. The session aims to bring attention to the key fall risks, effective prevention strategies and the small but powerful steps housing professionals can take to protect residents, particularly older and vulnerable individuals.
The campaign will also urge supporters to contact their local MP to increase support for local authorities to deliver home adaptations and safety interventions.
Speaking on the campaign, Emma Nicklin, Commercial Director at Sureserve, said,
“Falls are the leading cause of accidental injury-related deaths and hospital admissions in England, with more than 450,000 people admitted to hospital each year due to a fall - twice the capacity of Glastonbury Festival.
As a sector which works within resident properties every single day, it’s clear we are in a unique position to help our neighbours and the community by looking out for each other and those around us, especially the most vulnerable in society.
We are encouraging everyone involved in housing to get involved within this campaign, whether that’s by benefiting from the free training available, signing the pledge or by writing to their local MP to push for policy change and better address inequalities. By working together, we can reduce the risk of falls, promote safer homes, and help people live healthier, more independent lives.”
Speaking on behalf of RoSPA, Jules Robinson, said, “‘Falls can be a risk in any home, but disproportionately affect people in social housing. Falls also pose the greatest danger to the most vulnerable, such as young children and the elderly.
When falls are so common and the consequences can be so serious, RoSPA believes that falls shouldn’t just be something people ‘put up with’, they are a serious danger we must take urgent action to prevent. RoSPA’s ‘Fall Fighter’ campaign aims to raise awareness of risks around the home so people can avoid falls, stay safe, prevent death or serious injury and stay independent.
RoSPA is excited to be partnering with Sureserve on this essential work, as we know their network of experts will help to spread this lifesaving message even further, particularly to the vulnerable people who most need to hear it.”
