How a Digital First Pilot is Helping Social Housing Tenants in Scotland
Insights from the SFHA & TEC Housing Financial Inclusion Pilot Report
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), in collaboration with TEC Housing, recently published a Learning Report Summary showcasing the results of a 12-month pilot project aimed at improving financial support access for social housing tenants. The pilot, delivered with Link Housing and Lightning Reach, tests whether a digital-first model can help tenants find financial support more easily, reduce staff workload, and generate data-driven insights for future services.
What Was the Pilot About?
Between July 2024 and September 2025, Link Housing introduced a digital portal using the Lightning Reach platform. This portal was designed so tenants could self-navigate financial support options — with the goal of:
Reducing pressure on frontline housing staff
Supporting tenants with early interventions before crisis points (like arrears or eviction)
Growing evidence on what works in tenant financial inclusion.
This pilot aligns with national priorities across poverty prevention, digital inclusion, and long-term housing stability policies in Scotland.
Key Results: What the Data Shows
Here are the highlights from the pilot outcomes:
High Engagement and Usability
1,145 tenants accessed the portal during the pilot.
A striking 98% completed the process independently, meaning most participants didn’t need help from staff.
That high completion rate shows that digital access, when designed well, can significantly increase tenant autonomy and reduce pressure on in-house teams.
Staff Time Saved
The portal prevented the equivalent of 891 hours of staff work, roughly 24 weeks of full-time hours that would otherwise have been spent helping tenants manually.
Tenant Experience
Feedback was largely positive or neutral. Around 60–70% of tenants reported a good experience, although some identified barriers such as low digital confidence or unmet expectations.
What the Pilot Teaches Us
The report goes beyond numbers to stress broader insights:
Digital Tools Work — With Support
The model proved that digital platforms can absorb high volumes of tenant need, but the report also highlights that digital alone isn’t enough. People with low digital confidence or complex needs still need human support.
Early Data = Early Intervention
Because the portal tracks usage patterns, it offers strategic value — such as identifying when someone is at risk of arrears before it becomes a crisis. This could help shift services away from reactive support toward proactive prevention.
The Importance of Cross-Sector Collaboration
One clear lesson: scaling innovative solutions requires shared investment and cooperation not just within housing, but with tech partners and policymakers too.
What the Report Recommends
The SFHA summary includes actionable recommendations for different stakeholders:
For Housing Providers:
Embed financial wellbeing services into tenancy support
Invest in digital skills for tenants
Use portal data to shape services proactively.
For Policymakers and Funders:
Support scalable, preventative approaches
Encourage ethical data use
Fund digital inclusion pilots that work at scale.
For Technology Partners:
Co-design tools with tenants and frontline staff
Improve how recommendations match individual needs
Make platforms as accessible and transparent as possible.
Why This Matters
Across Scotland, financial inclusion and digital access are essential parts of keeping people housed securely and sustainably. With rising demand on social housing services — as highlighted in broader sector reporting — pilots like this offer a glimpse into how innovation can ease pressures while ensuring fairness and dignity for tenants.
By blending technology with human support, housing associations can do more than deliver services — they can anticipate needs and prevent hardship before it escalates.
Read the Executive summary here
Read the full report here