Upcoming Simpler Recycling legislation changes that will affect social housing residents

The government will soon be bringing in changes to waste and recycling services which will affect all housing developers, local authority housing officers, and managing agents and landlords.

Simpler Recycling legislation sets out that by 31 March 2026:

• Every household in England will be required to have a weekly collection of food waste – this includes all purpose-built flats, HMOs and flats above shops.*
• Every household should be able to recycle a core set of items.
• Waste authorities must collect paper and card separately (where practical).

(*31 local authorities can implement food later than the 2026 deadline. However 12 of those must implement food collections by 2028.)

In 2027, local authorities will also be expected to collect film and flexibles (e.g. plastic carrier bags and food wrappings).

For landlords and housing managers, flats that you manage (either the building as a whole or individual tenancies) are already likely to have a recycling service for residents to recycle their plastic bottles, paper, glass and cans but many don’t yet have a separate food waste collection service.

What can landlords and housing managers do to prepare for food waste recycling?

It is a legal requirement for households to be provided with this service, and landlords and housing managers can help by liaising with the local authority to find the best locations for new bins and signage and ways to engage residents to use the service.

Housing managers should ensure that local councils have the most up-to-date contact information for their blocks. It is recommended that housing managers proactively reach out to councils to confirm they have your most recent contact details. If you're uncertain about which council is responsible for collections at your blocks, you can use the 'Find My Council' search tool on the government website.

Making a recycling service work well requires collaboration between all the parties involved – the local authority, landlords or housing managers, and the residents.

Resources available to help

The ReLondon Flats Recycling Package toolkit is a straightforward, evidence-based guide to help councils, landlords and housing managers make recycling work for people living in flats, and it’s free for anyone to use. It includes clear guidelines, communications assets, and project planning templates. Key recommendations for food waste services include:

• Making sure there are enough bins for everyone to use, in convenient locations so people don’t have to carry their food waste too far.
• Keeping bins and bin rooms clean – and making sure caretakers and residents know how to report any issues so they can be resolved quickly.
• Engaging residents in advance about their new service to explain how it works, and the benefits of using it.

The toolkit can be found online at https://relondon.gov.uk/resources/toolkit-flats-recycling-package.

For support implementing recycling or food waste services, or accessing the free-to-use toolkit, contact ReLondon at hello@relondon.gov.uk.