The recent economic downturn has had a significant impact on pay budgets in the housing sector, with associations cutting the estimated average pay awards by almost 30% since the autumn.

The survey from Smith & Williamson, the accountancy and financial services firm, shows that the average predicted pay rise is 2.6%, down from 3.8% in November 2008.

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Rachel Stone, Partner at Smith & Williamson explained: "For our Housing Association Executive Reward Survey 2008/09, we invited housing associations to respond to a broad range of questions, including a number of questions relating to their 2009 pay review process. The data was collected before the economy downturn, so we felt that their pay expectations for 2009 were likely to have been reviewed and their plans re-shaped. To ascertain how far the pay landscape has changed, we sent an e-mail survey to 820 housing associations in the UK asking what they expect their average pay rise to be in 2009."

The data was collected between 29 January 2009 and 6 February 2009.

(CD/JM)