What Emmaus does

Emmaus is a UK-registered charity that supports people affected by homelessness and social exclusion through a federated network of approximately 30 communities across the United Kingdom. Founded in 1991, the organization operates a model in which formerly homeless individuals ("companions") live and work alongside staff in supportive residential communities, with each local community functioning as an independent registered charity under the umbrella Emmaus movement. The network collectively supports more than 850 individuals and operates with a staff base of 251–500 employees.

The charity sustains itself through a diversified income model that combines earned revenue from social enterprises with grant and donation funding. Earned-income lines include charity shops, a bistro, catering services, house-clearance operations, and a cleaning-products social enterprise. The remainder of income comes from individual donations, government grants, trust and foundation funding, and corporate sponsorships structured in tiered packages — Lime (£1,000+), Forest Green (£2,000–£5,000+), and Emerald (£10,000+). Recent capital activity includes a reported £63,048 ($63,048) from Big Issue Invest in 2022.

The technology stack is limited to off-the-shelf SaaS tools — Stripe, SmartDebit, MailChimp, OnePost, and Anchor Press — with no proprietary platform, data assets, or AI/ML capabilities evident in the available information. Recent operational moves include the November 2024 launch of an Emmaus Quality Standard (EQS), a new store opening in Woodbridge in February 2025, and an ongoing brand refresh. Leadership at the central organization includes Paul Malone (CEO), with Claire Staddon serving as CEO of Emmaus Suffolk.

Name

Emmaus

Legal name

Emmaus UK

Website

https://emmaus.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Emmaus is a UK charity operating a federated network of approximately 30 communities that provides housing, work, and long-term support to people affected by homelessness, funded through charity retail, social enterprises, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Support and Social Enterprise Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Supported housing services
• Homelessness charity support
• Charity retail shops
• Social enterprise operations
• Vocational training programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charity Retail Shops: Emmaus operates charity shops selling donated and recycled goods including furniture, clothing, books, and homeware. Revenue is generated through retail sales of second-hand items donated by the public.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate partnerships, fundraising events including London Marathon, and legacy gifts in wills provide charitable funding.
3. Social Enterprise Operations: Bistro and cafe operations, event catering services, professional eco-friendly cleaning product sales, and house clearance services generate trading income.
4. Government and Trust Funding: Grants from government bodies, the National Lottery Community Fund, Suffolk Foundation Covid Fund, and local authorities support specific programmes and capital developments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Emmaus UK is a federal charity operating approximately 30 supported housing communities across the UK that provide adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness with stable accommodation, tailored personal support, vocational training, and meaningful work in social enterprises. Revenue-generating arms include a network of charity shops selling donated and upcycled furniture, clothing, and homeware; cafés and bistros; eco-friendly cleaning products (SESI); recycled paint (CCORRN); event catering; house clearance; and home delivery services. The charity is funded through individual donations, corporate partnerships, grants, legacies, and trading income from these social enterprises.

Product overview

Emmaus UK is a nationwide homelessness charity operating a portfolio of social enterprises and support services. The core offering consists of supported housing communities providing accommodation, training, and work opportunities for people out of homelessness. Supporting this mission is a network of charity shops (including boutiques, home stores, and bric-a-brac shops), cafes and bistros (em's Bistro, Royal Oak Community Cafe), professional eco-products (SESI cleaning products, CCORRN recycled paint), catering services, house clearance services, and home delivery operations. Additional services include the Homelessness Matters podcast, volunteering programs, fundraising events (including London Marathon), and legacy giving. In November 2024, Emmaus introduced the Emmaus Quality Standards (EQS) as a new quality framework for supported housing providers aligned with the Supported Housing Act 2023. The Emmaus Quality Standards represent the organization's most recent product launch within their core supported housing mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Emmaus Quality Standards (EQS): A quality framework for supported housing providers introduced by Emmaus UK, aligning with the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
• SESI Products
• CCORRN RePaint
• em's Bistro

Products and services

• Supported Housing (Homelessness Services) Accommodation, tailored personal support, and work/skills opportunities for adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness across approximately 30 Emmaus communities in the UK.
• Emmaus Communities Network of approximately 30 federal communities across the UK providing accommodation, social enterprise work, and ongoing support to help people rebuild their lives after homelessness.
• Charity Shops Network of approximately 30 retail shops across the UK selling donated, vintage, upcycled, and preloved furniture, clothing, books, homeware, and bric-a-brac. Includes Emmaus Village Carlton Home Store and Boutique, and Emmaus Suffolk locations such as The Dales, Carr Street, Felixstowe, and Woodbridge.
• em's Bistro On-site bike-friendly bistro at Emmaus Village Carlton offering hot and cold drinks, cakes, bacon baps, and meals. Named 'Cafe of the Year' by Brixworth Velo Cycling Club. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10am-4pm.
• Royal Oak Community Café Emmaus Suffolk community café located at 175 Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, offering subsidised meals and a community wellbeing hub. Open Wednesday-Saturday 10am-3pm.
• Event Food Catering Service Catering service for businesses, organisations and groups. Sustainable menus using surplus food, delivered in an electric van. Rates start at £10 per person.
• House Clearance Service House clearance service with Cherry Pick (free collection of sellable items) and Full Clearance (paid service including disposal of unsellable items). Full Clearance starts at £400, with quote based on distance, items/rooms to clear, disposal costs, and value of sellable items.
• Home Delivery Service Home delivery for large furniture purchases from the Emmaus Village Carlton Home Store. Prices range from £10 to £35 depending on distance (up to 20 miles); items carried into ground floor of home.
• SESI Eco Cleaning Products Professional-grade eco-friendly cleaning and hygiene products supplied by SESI and sold by Emmaus Suffolk. Vegan, cruelty-free, refillable, made in the UK using 100% renewable energy. Sold to businesses in health, care, education, hospitality, catering, and building management sectors.
• CCORRN Recycled Paint CCORRN RePaint recycled paint stocked by Emmaus Suffolk, turning old unwanted paint diverted from the waste stream into new high-quality emulsion and chalky furniture paint.
• eBay Online Store Emmaus Village Carlton eBay storefront offering expanded online sales of second-hand donated and upcycled goods to UK consumers.
• Emmaus Suffolk Gift Shop Retail vouchers, Royal Oak Cafe vouchers, reusable eco totes, magazine subscriptions, and digital gift cards offered by Emmaus Suffolk.
• Emmaus Quality Standards (EQS) Quality framework introduced by Emmaus UK in November 2024 for supported housing providers, aligned with the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, improving safety, dignity, and person-centred care.
• Homelessness Matters Podcast Podcast by Emmaus UK covering homelessness-related topics, featuring stories from the community and discussions about the supported housing mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 Emmaus communities supporting 850+ people across the UK
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Suffolk Building SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partnership with Suffolk Building Society, one of Emmaus Suffolk's key corporate supporters. Includes employer-supported volunteering and charitable donations.
• AxterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Emmaus Suffolk through charitable donations and corporate social responsibility activities.
• Crane Business SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Emmaus Suffolk through charitable donations and business support.
• Butterworth & SonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business partner supporting Emmaus Suffolk's homelessness mission in Suffolk.
• Mathias & SonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business partner supporting Emmaus Suffolk through corporate donations.
• SemaleaseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Emmaus Suffolk.
• AttwellsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal law firm partner supporting Emmaus Suffolk.
• Siemens EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Emmaus Suffolk through charitable donations and sustainability initiatives.
• ChurchmanorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner of Emmaus Suffolk.
• CABWIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Emmaus Suffolk through training and development partnerships.
• SESIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partnership supplying professional-grade eco-friendly cleaning products. SESI products are vegan, cruelty-free, refillable, and made in the UK using 100% renewable energy.
• CCORRNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to stock recycled paint from CCORRN RePaint initiative, which diverts usable paint from waste stream.
• Sainsbury'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated 100 Easter eggs for Mental Health Packs during COVID-19 pandemic support.
• Sock ShopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated thermal and bamboo socks for Mental Health Packs during COVID-19.
• Chapman Centre (Ipswich Housing Action Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agency for Mental Health Packs distribution and homeless support referrals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Centrepoint: UK national charity providing supported housing, training and employability services to homeless young people aged 16-25. Directly comparable as a homelessness charity operating supported accommodation and skills programmes with similar funding mix of donations, retail and grants.
• Crisis UK: National UK charity dedicated to ending homelessness through housing, education, and research/advocacy. Comparable as a similarly scaled homelessness charity combining direct service delivery, campaigning, and policy research, supported by donations and retail income.
• St Mungo's: Major UK homelessness charity providing supported housing, recovery services, and outreach across southern England and beyond. Directly comparable as a supported-housing provider for adults with complex needs including mental health and addiction — Emmaus's core beneficiary profile.
• Shelter: UK national housing and homelessness charity combining advice services, supported housing, and campaigning. Comparable in mission focus on housing insecurity and homelessness, with similar donation-driven funding model and brand-led national presence.
• Depaul UK: UK charity supporting people experiencing homelessness and exclusion through accommodation, training, and prevention services. Comparable operating model providing supported housing combined with training and employment pathways for people with complex needs.
• The Big Issue: Social enterprise offering vendors the opportunity to earn income through magazine sales, plus housing and support services. Comparable social-enterprise model that combines trading activity with homelessness support and a similar revenue mix of magazine/retail sales plus donations.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA England & Wales: Large national federation providing supported housing and training for young people and vulnerable adults. Comparable supported housing model and federal structure across many local YMCAs, but broader scope spanning health, fitness, and youth services beyond Emmaus's homelessness focus.
• Emmaus International: Global Emmaus movement founded in France in 1949, coordinating Emmaus communities worldwide. Closely related as the international parent movement of which Emmaus UK is a national federation, with shared mission and brand but operating at the international coordination level.
• The Salvation Army UK: International charity providing supported housing, food banks, addiction services, and employment programmes across the UK. Comparable in delivering a similar package of housing plus training/employment support for homeless adults, though operating at much larger scale and with a broader mission.
• Habitat for Humanity Great Britain: Housing-focused charity operating ReStore charity shops and supported housing/volunteer programmes. Comparable charity retail model (ReStores mirror Emmaus shops) plus supported housing mission, though the global affiliate's primary focus is on home-building internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EmmausUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmmausUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emmaus-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Emmaus