The Young Foundation were keen to identify innovative solutions which have the potential to address the failures within the housing system. The issues facing the private rented sector are well-known and widespread, and are reinforced by social and economic inequalities. Poverty among renters has doubled in the last ten years and millions of households are trapped in insecure, expensive housing.

While many community schemes seek to tackle the issues facing the private rented sector (eg social lettings agencies, homeshare schemes and schemes targeted at solving specific barriers like finding a rent deposit), the need for creative solutions is still there. The Reimagining Rent programme, which is funded by the Nationwide Foundation, supports a number of innovations tackling many of the challenges presented by the Private Rented Sector. These innovations will be supported to strengthen their model, demonstrate their social impact and grow their potential to be scaled up, in order to make the PRS work better for vulnerable people and those on low incomes.

Reimagining Rent was launched in 2017.