What Phoenix Futures does

Phoenix Futures is a UK-registered charity and Company Limited by Guarantee (founded 1969 in London, deriving from the original Phoenix House established by Professor Griffith Edwards and Dr Ian Christie) that delivers drug and alcohol recovery services across England, Scotland, and Wales. Its core service offering is abstinence-based, trauma-informed residential treatment delivered through Therapeutic Communities (TCs) — a model it pioneered in the UK in 1968 — augmented by community-based key working, criminal-justice pathways (prison-based rehabilitation and Liaison and Diversion services), housing and tenancy support, peer mentoring, and complementary programmes (Recovery through Nature, Arts, and Sport). It also operates a unique National Specialist Family Service enabling parents to remain primary carers during treatment, supported by an on-site OFSTED-rated nursery, alongside Harper House Scotland and women-only provision at Ophelia House. Phoenix Futures is a Registered Provider of Social Housing with Homes England (H3795) and holds CQC-registered sites including New Oakwood Lodge Derby and Ophelia House.

Phoenix Futures operates 12+ named service sites spanning London, Glasgow, Sheffield, Derby, Oxford, the Wirral, Billericay, Chelmsford, Saltcoats, and Aberdeen, supported by an HQ in London (68 Newington Causeway) and a Scotland regional office in Glasgow. Its revenue model is dominated by government commissioning — local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, the NHS, and the Scottish Government — supplemented by a smaller self-funded placement stream and social-housing rental receipts. Notable institutional customers include the Scottish Government (fully funding Harper House placements through the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Fund until March 2026), Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and Castle Rock Medical Group (Essex L&D service), Colchester Borough Homes (HoSTS), Essex County Council, and NSPCC. The organisation holds regulatory credentials across charity, healthcare, social housing, and education (CQC Good, OFSTED Outstanding) and is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Richard Hill with Karen Biggs serving as Chief Executive since 2007. Subsidiary brands NORCAS (acquired 2012) and Foundation66 (acquired 2014) extend its regional coverage into Norfolk, Suffolk, and London alcohol-detox services.

Name

Phoenix Futures

Legal name

Phoenix Futures

Website

https://phoenix-futures.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Phoenix Futures is a UK-registered charity and social-housing provider delivering drug and alcohol residential, community, criminal-justice, and family recovery services across England, Scotland, and Wales, primarily commissioned by local authorities, the NHS, and the Scottish Government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Use Treatment Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Behavioral Health–Capable Assisted Living (Mental Health/SUD Support) (HLADABAI)

Keywords

• Substance use treatment
• Residential rehabilitation
• Therapeutic community
• Recovery housing services
• Criminal justice support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Commissioning: Phoenix Futures is commissioned by local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, NHS, and government bodies to deliver substance use treatment services. The charity is a registered charity and housing association.
2. Self-Funded Placements: Some services accept self-funded clients who pay for their own residential treatment placement.
3. Registered Provider of Social Housing: Phoenix Futures is a Registered Provider of Social Housing with Homes England (H3795), providing accommodation services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Phoenix Futures delivers abstinence-based drug and alcohol residential treatment built on its Therapeutic Community model, alongside community recovery support, criminal justice programmes, recovery/supported housing, and specialist services for families, women-only treatment, and underserved communities. Services are primarily commissioned by UK local authorities, NHS/Health and Social Care Partnerships, and the Scottish Government, with a small number of self-funded residential placements.

Product overview

Phoenix Futures is a registered charity and housing association providing drug and alcohol recovery services across England and Scotland. Their portfolio includes residential treatment services (Therapeutic Communities offering abstinence-based rehabilitation), community support services, criminal justice pathways, housing support, and specialist services for families, women, and underrepresented communities. Key residential services include Ophelia House (women-only in Oxford), New Oakwood Lodge Derby (enhanced care for co-existing mental health needs), the National Specialist Family Service in Sheffield, Harper House Scotland (family-focused programme), and dispersed residential services like Regent Quay Recovery in Aberdeen. Community services span Essex, North Lanarkshire, and Fife with peer mentoring, Recovery through Nature and Arts programmes, criminal justice support, and housing assistance through HoSTS. The organization operates as a fragmented service model with distinct local and specialist offerings rather than a unified technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Treatment Services Abstinence-based, trauma-responsive residential treatment programmes providing drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Therapeutic Community settings across England and Scotland.
• Ophelia House Women-only Therapeutic Community offering CQC-registered drug and alcohol residential care in Oxford with all-female staff team, abstinence-based treatment, and trauma-informed care approach.
• New Oakwood Lodge, Derby Enhanced Therapeutic Community offering CQC-registered drug and alcohol residential care for individuals with co-existing mental health problems alongside substance use, staffed 24/7 with a multi-disciplinary team.
• National Specialist Family Service, England (Sheffield) Unique residential family service in Sheffield enabling parents to address drug and alcohol use while remaining primary carers for their children, with an on-site OFSTED-registered nursery.
• Harper House - Specialist Family Service Scotland Family-focused intervention programme in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Scotland, allowing families to stay together during treatment with flexible 12-26 week programmes.
• Wirral Residential Service Drug and alcohol-free residential rehabilitation service in the Wirral near Liverpool with a specialist Prison Fast Track Programme for direct release from prison.
• Scottish Residential Service (Glasgow) Accessible residential service in Glasgow with 31 modern en-suite rooms for men and women addressing drug and alcohol use, offering a 3-6 month therapeutic community programme.
• Rae House Rural residential service in Aberdeenshire countryside offering a drug and alcohol-free environment and structured support for people addressing substance use.
• Regent Quay Recovery (Aberdeen) Dispersed residential service in Aberdeen city centre offering dayhab programme with structured psychological treatment while participants can stay in their own homes.
• Glasgow Supported Housing 16-bed supported accommodation unit with 10 self-contained flats offering intensive support for individuals maintaining a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle after rehabilitation.
• HoSTS Essex (Housing and Tenancy Support Service) Housing and tenancy support service in partnership with Colchester Borough Homes providing intensive support to individuals at risk of housing instability.
• Futures Together (Essex) Service combining criminal justice and social inclusion support for people experiencing multiple needs across Essex, offering wraparound person-centred support.
• Drug and Alcohol Street Support (DASS) Multi-agency partnership providing outreach support to people sleeping rough and at risk who are using drugs and/or alcohol in Essex.
• Recovery through Nature Therapeutic programme connecting participants with nature through practical conservation projects to aid recovery, including Adopt-a-Station and food growing initiatives.
• Recovery through the Arts Arts-based activities including creative writing, drama, music, and photography to help unlock self-reflection and communication for recovery.
• Peer Mentoring Programme Volunteer-led peer mentoring support programme where mentors with lived experience support individuals starting their recovery journey through one-to-one and group sessions.
• Criminal Justice Support Services Support services for people in or leaving the criminal justice system, including prison-based rehabilitation, pre-release preparation, and community re-entry programmes.
• Essex Liaison and Diversion Service Integrated Liaison and Diversion service incorporating screening, Street Triage services and community support for young people in Essex, delivered in partnership with EPUT and Castle Rock Medical Group.
• Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) Service supporting mental health offenders from Essex in medium and low secure mental health units with in-reach work prior to discharge.
• High-Intensity User Project Project working with people who have multiple needs and regularly present to emergency services due to problematic alcohol use across mid/South Essex.
• Enhanced Support and Access Team (ESAT) Specialist service providing enhanced support to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in Essex through outreach, signposting, advocacy, and accompanying to appointments.
• Empowering Adults at Risk Service (EARS) Multi-agency person-centred service working with neurodivergent adults at risk of exploitation by gangs, initiated by Adult Social Care in 2020.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of pregnant women left successfully caring for their children
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sheffield Midwifery Vulnerabilities TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NHS midwifery service for pregnant women in treatment at the National Specialist Family Service in Sheffield
• NSPCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild protection partnership supporting families in treatment at the National Specialist Family Service
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS health workshops and services integrated into family treatment programmes including health visitor visits and breastfeeding support
• North Ayrshire Health and Social Care PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership for Harper House Specialist Family Service Scotland, funded by Scottish Government
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for child mental health support within family treatment services
• North Glasgow Healthy Food InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood growing and healthy eating initiatives at Scottish Residential Service
• Partick Thistle Sporting SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports and recovery activities partnership for service users in Glasgow
• Jobs and Business GlasgowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment support partnership helping service users prepare for work
• Colchester Borough HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for HoSTS (Housing and Tenancy Support Service) delivering housing support in Essex
• Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Essex Liaison and Diversion service delivering integrated health and criminal justice support from April 2025
• Castle Rock Medical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for Essex Liaison and Diversion service
• Essex County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Essex County Council for HoSTS housing support and ESAT services for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
• STAND InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational volunteering partnership enabling service users to volunteer abroad post-treatment
• ScotrailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopt-a-Station partnership enabling service users to engage in conservation projects at railway stations
• North Lanarkshire CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Recovery through Nature programme at Summerlee Heritage Park
• HMP PerthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrison-based peer mentor training programme in partnership with Scottish Prison Service
• Wirral Met CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership at Wirral Residential Service for residents
• RASA (Rape and Sexual Assault) CounsellingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist counselling services for survivors of sexual abuse at Wirral Residential Service
• Adult Social Care (Essex)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Empowering Adults at Risk Service (EARS) working with autistic adults and those with learning disabilities at risk of exploitation

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves20 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Humankind: UK charity delivering drug and alcohol treatment, housing, and family support services. Comparable operational footprint, commissioner base, and re-entry/support housing offerings.
• Cranstoun: UK charity providing substance use, housing, domestic abuse and criminal justice services. Comparable mix of residential and community substance use programmes and similar commissioning relationships.
• Turning Point: UK social enterprise providing substance use, mental health, learning disability and housing services. Closest direct peer given comparable residential rehabilitation, community, and criminal justice portfolios.
• The Nelson Trust: UK charity providing women-only residential drug and alcohol treatment, family services, and recovery housing. Highly comparable women-only specialist residential offering to Ophelia House.
• With You (formerly Addaction): National UK charity delivering drug, alcohol and mental health support across community and residential settings. Directly comparable mission, funding model, and target population to Phoenix Futures.
• Change Grow Live: One of the UK's largest substance use treatment charities, delivering community and recovery services commissioned by local authorities. Directly comparable business model and commissioner base as Phoenix Futures.
• WDP (Drug, Alcohol & Psychosocial Support): UK substance use charity providing community and recovery services across London and the South East. Comparable local-authority commissioned operating model and treatment modalities.

Others

• Mind: UK mental health charity that influences commissioning policy and overlaps with Phoenix's co-existing mental health work. Adjacent rather than direct, given Mind does not run substance use residential services.

Broad incumbents

• UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT): Larger private-sector provider network of residential rehab facilities across the UK. Comparable residential treatment category but operates on a private-pay rather than commissioner-funded model.

Emerging players

• Together UK (formerly Richmond Fellowship): UK mental health charity that also delivers substance use recovery and housing pathways. Comparable recovery housing and supported living offerings, though broader mental health focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PhoenixFutures1
• Facebookfacebook.com/phoenixfutures

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Phoenix Futures