Thirteen
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMiddlesbrough, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Thirteen does
Thirteen is a UK housing association registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (Register no. 7522) and the largest provider of affordable housing in the North East of England, operating across the Tees Valley, Yorkshire and Humberside. It provides social rented homes, shared ownership properties, and specialist supported accommodation (sheltered housing, extra care, housing for people with complex needs, and key-worker/student housing) to households on local authority waiting lists and other vulnerable groups, with 13,000 households on Tees Valley council lists as a measure of underlying demand.
The core business model is regulated rental income under the Regulator of Social Housing Rent Standard (rents set at CPI + 1%, with most rents rising 2.7% from April 2025), supplemented by service charges, shared ownership leases, and grants from Homes England's Affordable Homes Programme. In FY2023/24 the organisation reported turnover of £207.3 million (up from £198M), a net surplus of £29 million, £243 million of investment in stock, and the delivery of 542 new properties — record highs across these metrics — alongside £100M+ of investment across the "big three" Middlesbrough sites (Kedward Avenue, Union Village, Hillside Gardens).
Operational technology is built around the My Thirteen online tenant portal, PayPoint-integrated payment processing, and a multi-channel customer access network comprising Touchpoint stores in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Hull, plus a Mobile Touchpoint van service. Notable proprietary technology includes a DWP-approved Universal Credit verification bot that processed 13,000+ rent change records and contributed to reducing year-end debt from 3.22% to 2.9%; this won the UK Housing Awards 2024 Innovator of the Year. The organisation holds G1 (Governance) and V1 (Viability) ratings from the Regulator of Social Housing and is led by Chief Executive Matt Forrest, with a senior team overseeing finance, investment, customer services and development.
Thirteen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thirteen
- Legal name
- Thirteen
- Website
- https://thirteengroup.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thirteen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Housing
- NAICS
- Community Housing Services (62422), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990), Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Other Community Housing Services (624229)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Association Management (BPAJAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Small Residential Care Homes (RCFE/Board & Care) (HLADABAF)
Keywords
Where Thirteen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Middlesbrough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Thirteen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Rental Income: Thirteen generates primary revenue from rental income from social housing tenants. Rents are set according to Regulator of Social Housing Rent Standard guidelines (CPI + 1%). The organization also derives income from service charges for shared buildings and spaces, shared ownership leases, and other housing-related services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Weekly | Social housing rent with regulated increases |
| Subscription | Weekly | Service charges for shared facilities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Thirteen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thirteen is the largest housing provider in the North East of England, operating as a registered society (non-profit housing association) that provides affordable homes for rent, shared ownership purchase, and specialist supported housing (sheltered, extra care, and housing for vulnerable groups). It supplements its housing stock with community-facing services including an employability programme, furniture support scheme, customer engagement platform, and an in-house repairs operation handling around 150,000 repairs per year.
Product overview
Thirteen is a housing association providing social housing services across the North East and Yorkshire. The core offering includes affordable rented homes, shared ownership, and specialist housing options. Digital services include the My Thirteen customer portal for online account management and rent payments, the Touchpoint Store network for face-to-face support, Mobile Touchpoint for community outreach, and the Your Voice online engagement platform. Thirteen also operates supplementary services including an employability programme, furniture support scheme, and internally-developed automation tools such as the Universal Credit Bot for rent verification processing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Affordable Rental Homes General needs social rented homes let to households on local authority waiting lists across the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside. Rents are set in line with the Regulator of Social Housing Rent Standard.
- Shared Ownership Homes Shared ownership and right to buy/acquire homes allowing buyers to purchase a share of a property and pay rent on the remainder. Available to qualifying households seeking a route into home ownership.
- Supported and Specialist Housing Housing with on-site support for elderly residents (60+), people with disabilities, dementia, mental health needs, and other vulnerable groups, plus specialist housing for NHS staff, students and business owners. Includes sheltered accommodation and extra care schemes.
- Furniture Support Scheme Service helping families in need furnish their homes by redistributing donated and upcycled furniture, supporting those on low incomes, rebuilding after homelessness, fleeing unsafe situations, or affected by flooding/fire.
- Employability Service Employment support service accredited to the matrix Standard, helping people into jobs and training. Provided 934 people with employment support over the prior year.
- Tees Valley Move Forward – New Start Paid work placement scheme for economically inactive people, delivered in partnership with North East Housing Partnership members (Beyond Housing, Home Group, Karbon Homes, North Star Housing). Helped 65 people into work.
- JobsPlus Pilot American-inspired employment pilot providing on-site employment services, community support, and financial incentives to help social housing residents find work.
- Your Voice Engagement Platform Online platform enabling customers and community members to participate in forums, surveys and polls to help shape Thirteen's services and decisions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88.1% customer satisfaction (2023/24), up from 84.4%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Thirteen
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Thirteen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
Thirteen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and core.
- Power of WomensupportingPartnership to support schools to showcase opportunities available to girls and boys across Tees Valley. Thirteen is main partner for PoW's primary schools ambassador programme, providing workplace visits and workshop participation.
- ZarachsupportingChildren's bed poverty charity receiving £13,500 donation from Thirteen through Prosper's Social Value Dividend Fund. Funding helped establish Zarach's new warehouse in Hartlepool to provide beds and bedding to families in need.
- Esh Constructionmajor£4.3 million refurbishment at Bramley Court (46 homes) and Richard Court (48 homes) in Hartlepool. Major heating upgrades, electrical work, warden call, access controls, CCTV, and decoration improvements.
- National Literacy TrustsupportingPartnership to improve reading and literacy skills for students at Kings Academy in Middlesbrough. National Literacy Trust donated 200 books and volunteers serve as reading mentors.
- IKEA GatesheadsupportingDonated furniture items including mattresses, sofas, rugs, and cupboards to support Thirteen's furniture upcycling scheme at Billingham recycling centre. Helps customers with low incomes, those fleeing dangerous circumstances, or previously homeless.
- Learning and Work InstitutesupportingManaging the JobsPlus pilot, an American-inspired employment scheme. Thirteen is one of nine housing associations trialling the programme in the UK, funded by DWP through Labour Market Evaluation and Pilots Fund.
- ProspersupportingProcurement consultancy providing Social Value Dividend Fund. Awarded £13,500 to Zarach and £10,000 to Middlesbrough Food Partnership from Thirteen's funding. Previously awarded £108,097 in 2023. Supports retrofit pilot and contractor framework.
- Esh ConstructioncorePrimary development partner for Thirteen's major housing projects in Middlesbrough. Delivering the £23 million Amberley & Harrogate development (96 homes), £18 million Kedward Avenue development (105 homes), and Hillside Gardens (296 homes). Partnership has delivered over 540 affordable homes across Middlesbrough. Also delivering refurbishment works through Capital Investment Framework.
- Homes EnglandcoreKey strategic partner providing funding through the £7.4 billion Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). Thirteen is one of Homes England's key strategic partners with 1,800 homes already completed or underway. AHP is a five-year project running until 2026.
- RE:GEN (Regeneration Specialist)majorDelivering £6.6 million refurbishment at Glastonbury House and £2.37 million investment at Bellamy Court through Capital Delivery Framework. Partnership focused on sheltered accommodation upgrades including fire safety, mechanical and electrical improvements.
- EquansmajorSustainable regeneration specialist appointed for £1.9 million upgrade at Cedar House sheltered housing scheme in Stockton. Delivering improvements including heating, ventilation, lift upgrades, fire alarms, CCTV, and communal area renovations.
- Tees Valley Combined AuthoritymajorProvided £2.8 million contribution from Brownfield Housing Fund for Hillside Gardens development. Supports regeneration efforts across Tees Valley region.
- North East Housing PartnershipsupportingThirteen is part of the North East Housing Partnership, collaborating with Beyond Housing, Home Group, Karbon Homes, and North Star Housing to deliver the Tees Valley Move Forward – New Start employment scheme.
- PayPointsupportingPayment services provider replacing Allpay from July 2024. Provides payment app, online payments website, and PayPoint location network for rent and service charge payments.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Thirteen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Home Group: One of the UK's largest housing associations, operating across the North East and North West providing affordable rented homes, supported housing, and shared ownership. Co-partner with Thirteen in the North East Housing Partnership and the Tees Valley Move Forward employment scheme.
- Karbon Homes: North East-based housing association providing affordable homes for rent and sale across the region. Directly comparable in geography, customer base, and product mix; collaborates with Thirteen through the North East Housing Partnership.
- Beyond Housing: North Yorkshire and North East housing association providing affordable homes, supported housing, and shared ownership. Operates in overlapping geographies and serves similar customer segments, with joint programme participation on Tees Valley Move Forward.
- North Star Housing: North East-focused housing association delivering affordable rented and shared ownership homes. Member of the North East Housing Partnership alongside Thirteen, with comparable tenant base and operational model.
Broad incumbents
- Places for People: One of the UK's largest property management, development, and housing associations with national reach. Provides affordable housing at significantly larger scale but with broader geographic and product diversification than Thirteen.
- Clarion Housing Group: Largest UK housing association with ~125,000 homes across England. Operates a similar social housing plus supported housing model but at national scale and with a broader development pipeline than Thirteen's regional focus.
- Peabody: Major London-headquartered housing association with national operations. Comparable in delivering affordable rented, shared ownership, and supported housing, but with significantly larger portfolio and stronger focus on London and South East.
- L&Q Group: Large UK housing association and developer providing affordable and private rented housing, shared ownership, and supported accommodation. Significantly larger than Thirteen with operations primarily in London and the South East.
- Notting Hill Genesis: Major UK housing association formed through merger, with operations across London, the South East, and East Midlands. Provides social and affordable housing at scale beyond Thirteen's regional footprint.
Emerging players
- Habinteg: Specialist UK housing association focused on accessible and inclusive homes for disabled people. Shares Thirteen's supported/specialist housing angle but operates nationally with a narrower product focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thirteen social profiles
Digital presenceThirteen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thirteen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Thirteen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thirteen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thirteen
What does Thirteen do?
Thirteen is the largest housing provider in the North East of England, operating as a registered society (non-profit housing association) that provides affordable homes for rent, shared ownership purchase, and specialist supported housing (sheltered, extra care, and housing for vulnerable groups). It supplements its housing stock with community-facing services including an employability programme, furniture support scheme, customer engagement platform, and an in-house repairs operation handling around 150,000 repairs per year.
Is Thirteen a public or private company?
Thirteen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Thirteen founded?
Thirteen was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Thirteen based?
Thirteen is headquartered in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Thirteen make money?
One revenue line is on record: rental Income.
Who are Thirteen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Home Group, Karbon Homes, Beyond Housing and North Star Housing. Broad incumbents are Places for People, Clarion Housing Group, Peabody, L&Q Group and Notting Hill Genesis. Habinteg is listed as an emerging player.
Does Thirteen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thirteen.
What industry is Thirteen in?
Thirteen's product category is Social Housing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAHAC, Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Association Management, with a secondary code of BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 62422 and its SIC code is 8300.