Thirteen

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.

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

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

• Social housing services
• Affordable rental homes
• Shared ownership housing
• Supported housing schemes
• Housing development

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlesbrough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and core.

• Power of WomensupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2024Partnership 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.
• ZarachsupportingOthers · 30 September 2024Children'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 ConstructionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 July 2024£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 TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2024Partnership 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 GatesheadsupportingOthers · 9 April 2024Donated 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 InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Managing 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.
• ProspersupportingOthers · 26 March 2024Procurement 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 ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary 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 EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey 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)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivering £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.
• EquansmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSustainable 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 AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided £2.8 million contribution from Brownfield Housing Fund for Hillside Gardens development. Supports regeneration efforts across Tees Valley region.
• North East Housing PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThirteen 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.
• PayPointsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPayment 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/Thirteen_Group
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4Qe4MD3rJoROjMX9yy-MGQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThirteenGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thirteen-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/thirteen_group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thirteen