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In a recent conversation, Managing Consultant Lowri James sat down with Wilco Beumer, an experienced senior Finance contractor whose career has taken him across both private and public sectors - from PwC, to local authorities, to more than a decade within housing associations. What emerged was an honest and compelling look at why the Social Housing sector still matters, how it’s changed, and what challenges lie ahead for Finance teams.
How did Wilco find purpose in Social Housing?
Wilco’s journey into housing wasn’t planned. After relocating to the UK with his spouse, he landed a temporary role at a housing association. Three months became three years - and eventually led to a Head of Finance position.
What kept him there? Purpose.
Unlike the private sector - where long hours often serve shareholder returns - Wilco found that housing offered something more meaningful: the chance to improve people’s lives. “You actually see the impact of your work,” he explains. “It’s real people benefiting from the decisions we make.”
How has the Social Housing sector transformed since 2005?
Since 2005 when Wilco began working in the sector, the Social Housing landscape has changed dramatically. The biggest shift? Mergers - and lots of them.
Wilco points to the wave that began with big names like Clarion and L&Q, followed by the continuous stream of mergers still happening today. For many organisations, it’s about:
Achieving economies of scale
Reducing duplicated overheads
Strengthening commercial viability
Improving borrowing capacity
Smaller associations, he notes, are increasingly struggling to meet the regulatory and reporting demands placed on them, making consolidation a logical path.
Why is regulation such a pressure point for Finance teams?
Finance teams in Social Housing operate under some of the tightest regulatory scrutiny in the sector’s history. Quarterly returns, 30-year business plans, shifting accounting standards (like FRS 102), and extensive disclosures mean that staying ahead isn’t optional.
While some see regulation as a burden, Wilco argues it keeps the sector financially healthy and accountable: “It ensures the accounts remain a fair and truthful reflection of an organisation’s position.”
However, he warns that many issues stem from leaving things too late. Year-end often triggers a scramble of reconciliations and corrections that should have been addressed throughout the year. His advice is simple: prepare early, tighten processes, and don’t wait for audit season.
Housing associations are generally improving, he adds, but local authorities still lag behind in adopting commercial-style financial disciplines.
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What are the challenges hitting the sector currently?
During the conversation, Wilco highlighted several current pressures affecting finance and operations:
1. Rising repair costs
Repairs remain one of the biggest financial burdens, especially for organisations with ageing stock. Poor management of repairs can quickly snowball into losses.
2. Capacity reductions following mergers
Fewer senior roles and more competition have made the job market tighter for finance specialists.
3. National Insurance increases
Recent employer NI changes placed further financial strain on housing providers, causing delays to recruitment and development programmes.
4. Ever-changing accounting rules
With standards evolving toward closer alignment with IFRS, finance teams must continuously adapt their processes, systems, and policies.
What does the sector need most right now?
With upcoming regulatory changes and accounting updates on the horizon, Wilco believes many organisations will need interim or specialist support - particularly those that don't have internal expertise to interpret or implement new rules.
Contractors with strong year-end and audit backgrounds, he says, will continue to play a vital role in ensuring compliance and avoiding audit issues.
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Why does Wilco remain committed to Social Housing?
Despite the challenges, Wilco remains committed to the sector. For him, housing strikes the perfect balance: commercially challenging, socially purposeful, and filled with people who genuinely care.
“It’s not about profit for profit’s sake,” he says. “Money goes back into communities. You can literally see the difference it makes.”
About Lowri
Lowri is an experienced Managing Consultant specialising in connecting top-tier talent with exceptional opportunities across the Finance & Accounting sector within London & the surrounding counties.
She is committed to delivering tailored recruitment solutions, bridging the gap between outstanding talent and dynamic organisations, ensuring the perfect fit every time. With a proven track record in the placement of both temporary and permanent professionals, she excels in sourcing high-calibre candidates for a wide range of Finance & Accounting roles.
020 7430 1284 | ljames@jarsolutions.co.uk
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