What Nacro does

Nacro is a UK-registered national charity (Charity number 226171) founded in 1966 and celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026, operating across England and Wales with approximately 950 employees. The charity delivers integrated social services across four core verticals: Education (vocational training, GCSE retakes, apprenticeships for 14-19+ year-olds, rated 'Good' by Ofsted in June 2024 and described as England's largest independent training provider for 16-18 year-olds), Housing (supported accommodation housing 2,400 people nightly, homelessness prevention, and a landlord leasing programme), Criminal Justice (resettlement support, criminal record advice, advocacy, and the Resettlement Advice Service Helpline), and Health and Wellbeing (mental health and substance misuse support). The charity supports roughly 33,000 service users annually and reports a 91% GCSE Maths and English pass rate.

Technology infrastructure comprises standard case management systems, learning management systems for education delivery, a proprietary 'Service Finder' online portal enabling location- and eligibility-based service discovery, a 'Cx' housing management system, and the Criminal Record Support Service online hub. Digital self-serve channels supplement traditional referral-based commissioning. Subsidiaries and sub-brands include Nacro Community Enterprises Limited, Totton College, Beyond Youth Custody, Recovery Near You, Opus Salon, Get Set! vocational courses, and Lincolnshire NEST.

Revenue is generated primarily through public commissioning contracts with the Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, ESFA, NHS bodies, and local authorities, supplemented by charitable donations and a small landlord leasing programme. Services are free at point of use for beneficiaries, with education free for under-19s and EHCP students. The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Nick Hardwick CBE with Chief Executive Enver Solomon OBE, and operates under regulatory oversight from Ofsted, the Housing Ombudsman, the ESFA, and the Charity Commission.

Name

Nacro

Legal name

Nacro

Website

https://nacro.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Nacro is a UK national charity delivering integrated education, housing, criminal justice, and health services to vulnerable populations including young people, homeless individuals, people in the justice system, and care leavers across England and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Community Housing Services (62422), Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Supported housing services
• Vocational education training
• Criminal justice support
• Homelessness prevention services
• Social welfare charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Commissioning and Contracts: Nacro receives funding from government bodies, local authorities, and public commissioners to deliver housing, education, justice, and health services. Services are commissioned under public task obligations including contracts with the Department for Education, Ministry of Justice, and local government housing authorities.
2. Donations and Charitable Funding: The charity accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support its charitable activities and service expansion.
3. Education Services: Nacro Education provides vocational training and qualifications. For students aged 16-19 and those with EHCPs, education is free. Additional financial support through Learner Discretionary Bursary and Vulnerable Learner Bursary is available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nacro is a UK-registered charity that delivers supported housing, education and skills training, justice and resettlement services, and health and wellbeing programmes for vulnerable people including young people, those in or leaving the criminal justice system, homeless individuals, and care leavers. Services are primarily delivered through commissioned contracts with government bodies, local authorities, the Ministry of Justice, and the NHS across England and Wales, supplemented by direct self-referral channels.

Product overview

Nacro operates as a multi-service charity organization offering a portfolio of social services across four main areas: Education (Nacro Education), Housing, Justice, and Health and Wellbeing. The core offering consists of face-to-face service delivery including vocational training programs under the Get Set! brand, supported housing, criminal justice rehabilitation, and health services. Key products include the Service Finder tool for locating services, the Criminal Record Support Service, and specialized programs like Lincolnshire NEST and CONNECT Manchester. The organization is England's largest independent training provider of education and skills to 16-18 year-olds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Get Set!: Vocational courses designed for students aged 14-19+ offered through Nacro Education, combining vocational learning with essential English and mathematics qualifications, enriching experiences, and workplace encounters.
• Criminal Record Support Service
• NEST
• CONNECT Manchester

Products and services

• Education and Skills Training
• Supported Housing Services
• Justice and Resettlement Services
• Health and Wellbeing Services
• Service Finder Online directory and self-referral tool that allows individuals to locate nearby Nacro services and request support directly without going through a commissioner.
• Community Mentor Service Volunteer-based community mentoring programme that pairs trained mentors with service users to support rehabilitation, reintegration, and personal development goals.
• Criminal Record Support Service Online hub providing practical advice and guidance on disclosure, criminal records, and employment implications for people with convictions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of students studying with Nacro pass their GCSE Maths and English
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Manchester City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNacro is a founding partner of CONNECT Manchester, a collaborative initiative bringing together four organisations committed to working with Manchester City Council to end homelessness. The partnership delivers integrated housing and support services aligned with Manchester's Homelessness Strategy.
• Skills BuildercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkills Builder is an education partner providing a framework for developing essential skills including communication, problem solving, teamworking, interview practice, and CV writing integrated into Nacro Education's curriculum.
• MyBankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial education partnership through which Nacro Education students learn financial and life skills as part of their tutorial programme.
• EmpaticominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership providing enrichment activities and opportunities for Nacro Education students through virtual exchanges and collaborative learning experiences.
• University of NorthamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership producing reports on ex-service personnel in the criminal justice system, commissioned by Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT). The partnership conducts policy research to inform practice and government policy.
• Property LandlordscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProperty owners who lease their properties to Nacro to support homelessness prevention services. Nacro manages the properties and provides support services to tenants, while landlords receive guaranteed rental income.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Catch22: Catch22 is a UK social business delivering education, justice, and employability services for vulnerable young people and adults. It is the closest multi-vertical peer to Nacro, with overlapping commissioning footprints in MoJ and DfE contracts and similar charity/social-enterprise operating model.
• YMCA England & Wales: YMCA England & Wales is a federation providing supported housing, health and wellbeing programmes, and training for young people across the same geography. It is directly comparable to Nacro in offering wraparound education, housing, and health services for vulnerable populations.
• St Mungo's: St Mungo's provides homelessness housing and recovery support across London and the South. It overlaps directly with Nacro's supported housing services, including reoffending prevention and substance misuse pathways for people in contact with the justice system.
• Crisis UK: Crisis is a national charity for people experiencing homelessness, offering housing, education, and employment support across the UK. Comparable to Nacro's housing and education verticals, with overlapping member-base of homeless individuals and similar policy-driven operating model.
• Clinks: Clinks is the infrastructure body for the UK voluntary sector working in criminal justice, supporting over 500 charities including Nacro peer organisations. Comparable in the justice vertical with Nacro's resettlement, advocacy, and Criminal Record Support Service offerings.
• The Prince's Trust: The Prince's Trust supports 11-30 year-olds across the UK through education, training, and employment programmes. Directly comparable to Nacro Education's Get Set! programmes and NEET-focused support, with similar target demographics and public/private blended funding model.
• Centrepoint: Centrepoint is the UK's leading youth homelessness charity, providing accommodation, employment, and education support for 16-25 year-olds. Directly comparable to Nacro's housing and young-person segments, with similar local-authority commissioning model and London-headquartered operations.
• Sova: Sova is a UK charity providing mentoring and rehabilitation services for people in the criminal justice system, including resettlement support and employment pathways. Directly comparable to Nacro's justice and rehabilitation service lines, with similar MoJ commissioning dependency.

Broad incumbents

• Shelter: Shelter is the UK's largest housing and homelessness charity, operating across England and Scotland with national brand recognition. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with Nacro's housing vertical, though Shelter focuses on advice, campaigning, and private-rented-sector support rather than direct service delivery.
• Barnardo's: Barnardo's is the UK's largest children's charity, providing services including care leaver support, young people's justice services, and education across England. It is a broader incumbent with overlapping service lines in care leavers, youth justice, and education that compete with Nacro for local authority contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nacro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NacroPeople
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nacro
• Instagraminstagram.com/nacrocharity

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Nacro