This theme seeks to assess the effectiveness of the initiatives that we run to support individual customers.
At Great Places, we do more than provide affordable homes – we invest in our communities through our profit-for-purpose model, helping customers live well and independently.
We continue to work with partners to tackle homelessness through initiatives such as Greater Manchester Housing First and the Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme (RSAP), alongside delivering commissioned support via our Independence & Wellbeing teams. Our Tenancy Coach service also supports customers struggling to sustain their tenancies.
Our Community Investment Team offers a wide range of support focused on economic inclusion and personal development. Working with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners, we deliver services that promote financial resilience and reach thousands of residents across our neighbourhoods. We also connect customers to statutory services and offer volunteering opportunities through our seven community centres.
In 2024/25, our Funding Partnerships service secured over £760,000 in external funding to strengthen community partners. Our Greater Together Foundation contributed a further £250,000 – funded by Great Places and our supply chain – to support community groups and provide direct financial relief to customers. Our in-house employability team supported over 1,000 customers into work, training, and volunteering, with around 30 people starting their self-employment journey through our Boss-It programme.
The rising cost of living continues to affect our customers, and we remain committed to providing meaningful support.
Our Tenancy Coach Support Service helps customers sustain their tenancies, avoid homelessness, and build resilience and independence. The service supports those with complex needs, including mental and physical health conditions, substance misuse and financial hardship, while also signposting to specialist local partners.
Alongside this, our Financial Resilience Services Team, regulated by the FCA, supports around 500 customers annually with complex debt and advocacy. We also help customers improve energy affordability, increase income, reduce costs and manage finances more effectively. Last year, we secured over £308,000 in additional support for customers. By offering tailored advice and practical support, we continue to empower customers to navigate financial challenges and maintain stable, healthy homes.
After experiencing homelessness, Charles began his new tenancy with Great Places in an empty flat and uncertainty about the future. With support from Great Places’ Tenancy Coaching Service and the local council, he received essential furnishings, financial guidance, and help navigating benefits and utility bills. Thanks to this wraparound support, Charles has not only settled into his home but is now giving back – using his gardening skills to improve the communal spaces at Canal Mews. His story is a powerful example of resilience, community, and the impact of social value in action.
Mike, a customer in our in our South Region, faced significant financial challenges after experiencing three strokes. His wife and grown-up children had left him, and he was living alone in a four-bedroom house. Without Housing Benefit due to his previous employment, Mike was struggling to survive on £194.26 from his state pension and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and was referred to our Money Matters Team.
An initial consultation with Mike highlighted that despite being eligible for additional support, he had no Housing Benefit in place and insufficient income to cover daily expenses and bills including council tax and utility bills. Following the meeting, the team supported Mike in helping him apply for support including a single person discount on council tax, resulting in a £453.32 award, council tax support amounting to £1,087.95 and Housing Benefit of £143.74 per week. The team also contacted Manchester Council and arranged a transfer credit from the joint council tax account to Mike’s account, as he had evidence of payments. In addition, the team supported Mike in applying for pension credit of £213.94 per week and a reduction in his water bill.
The financial advice and support provided to Mike by the team significantly improved his financial situation. With the new benefits and discounts, he was able to manage his living expenses more effectively, reducing the stress and uncertainty he faced daily. The collaboration with various partner agencies ensured that all aspects of his financial needs were addressed, providing him with a stable and manageable financial foundation.
Mike’s story highlights the importance of tailored financial advice and support in improving the quality of life for customers facing challenging circumstances. Through proactive measures and dedicated assistance, the Money Matters Team was able to make a real difference.
Great Places has launched Blackburn’s first Working Wardrobe, a new initiative providing free interview clothing to help people prepare for job opportunities.
The Community Investment Team transformed an unused room at our Bowland House scheme at Primrose Bank, into a dedicated space offering interview outfits. The service is open to all Great Places customers in Lancashire and to non-tenants referred by the Job Centre. In addition to clothing, colleagues offer CV support and interview coaching.
For those unable to visit in person, a virtual service is available, allowing customers to select clothes via video call, with delivery arranged to their home.
The initiative was launched at an event with partners to explain how the scheme works.
Commenting on the launch of the service, our Employability Coach Stacey Fletcher said:
“We’re delighted to launch the Working Wardrobe at Bowland House. Interview clothes can be expensive, and by removing this barrier, we’re helping more people feel confident and ready to succeed.”
Louise Haigh MP and Clive Betts MP visited Wybourn Works, a Great Places-led employability initiative based at the Pat Midgley Community Hub in Sheffield. Launched in July 2024, the programme is one of ten national pilots funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Learning and Work Institute.
The initiative aims to raise aspirations and support residents into work, training, or volunteering. It offers structured training in areas such as childcare, hospitality and customer service, alongside personal development and wellbeing sessions.
In its first year, Wybourn Works supported 70 residents, with 15 securing full-time employment and others progressing into training or volunteering.
During their visit, the MPs met with participants who shared their experiences. Louise Haigh MP commented:
“It’s fantastic to see the impact Wybourn Works is having. This community has so much potential, and it’s vital we remove the barriers that prevent people from achieving it.”
Great Places’ Community Investment Team works closely with local organisations to support customers, including a long-standing partnership with St. Vincent’s Furniture Project in Sheffield.
Part of the national St. Vincent de Paul charity, the project has provided quality second-hand furniture to those in need since 1987. With support from Sheffield City Council, donated items are stored, sorted and delivered by volunteers to referred individuals.
Our partnership began in 2019, with St. Vincent’s collecting furniture from our void properties. In return, Great Places customers – many of whom are first-time tenants, refugees, or have experienced homelessness – are referred to receive essential household items.
We now contribute £3,500 annually from our Neighbourhood Initiatives Budget, supporting faster collections and deliveries. In the first three quarters of 2024/25, 93 items worth £4,378 (if bought new) were delivered to customers, helping them turn houses into homes while also reducing landfill waste.
A new Service Level Agreement has been confirmed to continue the partnership into 2025/26.
