Defining and Advancing the Social Purpose PRS

Client: World Habitat

The private rented sector is the second largest housing tenure in the UK, but it suffers from a poor reputation. Commissioned to explore the role of the private rented sector (PRS) in delivering affordable housing, Polygon founder Elizabeth co-led an international research project that identified and defined a previously unrecognised subset of mission-driven PRS operators.

Outcome: The report led to client World Habitat coining the new term “Social Purpose PRS” to describe these operators, enabling for the first time a clear way of distinguishing affordable, socially driven PRS models from the rest of the sector.

Impact: The work was used as the foundation for senior cross-sector roundtables, informed Ministerial discussions, and has since been referenced in written evidence to Parliament. Internally, it shifted World Habitat’s advocacy focus, embedding the Social Purpose PRS within their ongoing strategy, convening programme, and engagement with foundations and social finance organisations.

Client testimonial: “It wasn’t just a standalone research report — it directly informed senior roundtables, Ministerial engagement and our wider advocacy activity. It strengthened our ability to convene cross-sector stakeholders and advocate confidently for practical solutions.”

-Louise Winterburn, Deputy Chief Executive, World Habitat

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