Making communities safer – ASB Awareness Week 2025
We are supporting ASB Awareness Week, which takes place from 30 June to 6 July 2025. This national campaign raises awareness of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the work being done to make communities safer.
What is anti-social behaviour (ASB)?
Anti-social behaviour refers to deliberate acts that cause fear, alarm or distress to another person or community, including:
- Repeated loud noise
- Threats or verbal abuse
- Damage to property
- Ongoing nuisance or intimidation
Not every issue between neighbours is considered ASB. It depends on what happened, how often it happens, and how it affects others. Find out more about what is and isn’t considered ASB on our anti-social behaviour web page.
The impact of ASB
National research shows that anti-social behaviour has a serious impact on people’s lives:
- 1 in 4 people say ASB has made them feel unsafe where they live
- 1 in 7 say it has affected their mental health
- 1 in 10 have moved home as a result
- Over half of victims and witnesses don’t report ASB, often because the process isn’t clear or they’re unsure who to contact.
We’re also seeing more reports of ASB in the neighbourhoods where we work. Between March 2024 and April 2025, we looked into 159 cases linked to community safety, a 61% increase compared to the previous year.
We are working to improve how residents feel we handle anti-social behaviour. It’s one of the areas where we’ve seen higher dissatisfaction scores, both through the Tenant Satisfaction Measures and in other resident feedback.
We’ve made some changes over the last year, and satisfaction with how we handle ASB as reported through the Tenant Satisfaction Measure surveys has gone up by 5 percentage points. We’re continuing to focus on this and are working hard to make further improvements to support residents.
Our commitment
This year’s theme is ‘Making communities safer’. We’re using this as an opportunity to share how we’re responding to resident feedback and strengthening our approach to tackle ASB based on what matters most to you.
In response to resident feedback, ASB is one of our five key service improvement areas. We’re committed to meeting the Neighbourhood and Community Standard set by the Regulator of Social Housing. We take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously, listening to residents, working with partners, and improving how we respond when concerns to provide homes that are safe and comfortable.
Find out more about our commitment to you.
with PC Alex Wheeler and PCSO Nat Skinner during Westmill
Neighbourhood Action Weeks
How we’re improving our ASB service
- Making it easier and more secure to report ASB through our website, with clear guidance on who to contact for different concerns
- Setting clear action plans with timelines so you know what to expect and when updates will be provided
- Training colleagues to give consistent responses aligned with our service standards
- Working closely with partners, including the police, local councils, and NHS, to take joint action early
- Updating My Settle Portal, our online resident portal, with the Voice of the Resident Panel to improve how residents can report ASB concerns online.
You can read more in our full ASB Improvement Plan and Digital Ease and Accessibility Improvement Plan. We’re also reviewing our Hate Crime Policy and inviting residents to give your feedback via Settle Connect to tackle hate-related incidents and support community cohesion and wellbeing.
The statistics on anti-social behaviour show it’s a serious issue affecting many people and communities. We know it can have a real impact on how safe and comfortable you feel at home. We’re working hard to listen, make reporting easier, and respond quickly. By raising awareness about the support available and working closely with residents and partners, we want to help make the neighbourhoods in which we work feel safer and welcoming for everyone.
–Amanda Surridge, Director of Customer Services
Reporting ASB
We work with residents and partners to find a resolution to ASB. While we investigate reports that relate to your tenancy or property, some cases may be better handled by other agencies, such as the police when a crime has been committed.
If you’re experiencing ASB:
- Report it to us online or by calling 0330 343 0016.
- Keep a record of what’s happening using our incident diary sheet (Word)
- For non-emergencies, contact the police on 101. If someone is at immediate risk, call 999
- Contact your local council’s Environmental Health team for noise or nuisance concerns
Extra support, advice and information about your rights as a victim of crime are available from Citizens Advice and Victim Support.
