Affordability and Security
This theme looks at the extent to which we provide long-term homes that are genuinely affordable for people on low incomes.
As at 31 March 2026, Great Places owns and/or manages 28,313 properties, 87% of which are social housing.
New homes completed in 2025/26
- Social rent: 318
- Affordable rent: 312
- LCHO (low-cost home ownership): 471
- Supported housing: 12
- Rent to buy: 167
- Total: 1280
How do we offer security of tenure for our customers?
We know a secure home makes a real difference. Great Places usually offers starter tenancies to new customers. Once that starter period has been completed successfully, customers move to an Assured Tenancy, which gives a high level of security. Customers who held a Secure or Assured Tenancy before April 2011 are also granted an Assured Tenancy. We use tailored agreements for supported and newly built homes where a different approach is needed.
On average, our rents are set at 77% of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and 58% of typical private sector rents. The table below provides a breakdown for the five local authority areas where we have the largest number of homes.
| LA | Number of homes | Ave. current weekly rent | Ave. weekly market rent | Ave. of weekly market rent % | Ave. of LHA | Ave. of LHA % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 2,697 | £122.48 | £260.92 | 47% | £201.28 | 61% |
| Salford | 2,271 | £127.08 | £256.86 | 49% | £206.46 | 62% |
| Sheffield | 2,055 | £114.71 | £181.29 | 63% | £146.21 | 78% |
| Oldham | 1,317 | £122.17 | £229.41 | 53% | £147.23 | 83% |
| Blackpool | 1,189 | £121.41 | £156.07 | 78% | £121.40 | 100% |
| Total | 9,529 | £121.57 | £216.91 | 56% | £164.51 | 74% |
