Commonweal Housing

What Commonweal Housing does

Commonweal Housing is an independently funded UK registered charity (Charity No. 1113331, Company No. 5319765) founded in 2005 and headquartered in London. It exists to find housing-based solutions to wider social problems across four thematic verticals: criminal justice, at-risk youth, migration/asylum/trafficking, and gender-based violence. Rather than delivering support services directly, Commonweal operates as an action-learning intermediary: it identifies gaps in supported housing provision, sources specialist delivery partners, and provides them with property assets (acquired at subsidised rents), grant funding, and structured independent evaluation.

Its core products are a portfolio of housing pilots rather than a single platform or technology. Active and historical projects include Re-Unite (2007-2017, supporting 100 mothers and ~200 children leaving prison), Amari and Rhea (2017-2023, in partnership with Solace Women's Aid for women fleeing sexual exploitation and domestic abuse), You're Home (community-led homelessness pilot with East Belfast Mission in Northern Ireland), the Phoenix Project (2025, with Servol for male ex-offenders with mental illness and substance misuse), Retreat Housing (with HAPANI for Horn of Africa refugees), and the Community Transition Service (with Depaul NI for women leaving prison). The Call for New Ideas programme disburses feasibility grants to over 20 organisations annually, and a research stream commissions and publishes independent evaluations and policy reports, including the 2025 Hidden Children study on unregistered children's homes conducted with Public First.

The revenue and operating model is that of a grant-funded charity: income derives from social investment, grants, and charitable donations used to acquire property assets and to fund pilots, with delivery handled by partner charities (Solace Women's Aid, East Belfast Mission, Depaul NI, HAPANI, Servol, Housing for Women, Women in Prison, Homeless Link, and others). Commonweal has 1-10 employees and is governed by a board chaired by Amarjit Bains with Vice-Chair Russ Edwards (appointed March 2025), operating under CEO Ashley Horsey and Deputy CEO Amy Doyle. Distribution is single-country (United Kingdom) and routed entirely through institutional partnerships rather than commercial channels.

Name

Commonweal Housing

Legal name

Commonweal Housing

Website

https://commonwealhousing.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Commonweal Housing is a London-based independent UK charity that acquires properties and grants to specialist partner organisations, enabling them to pilot housing-based solutions for ex-offenders, care leavers, refugees, domestic abuse survivors, and other vulnerable groups across four thematic areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supported Housing Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Supported housing programmes
• Social housing research
• Housing charity services
• Vulnerable persons housing
• Housing pilot evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Property/Real Estate Acquisition and Maintenance, Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Social Investment and Grants: Commonweal is an independently funded charity that receives social investment and grants to acquire properties and fund housing pilots for vulnerable populations.
2. Property Provision: Commonweal provides housing properties to project partners at subsidised rents, enabling partners to deliver support services to beneficiaries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Commonweal Housing is an independently funded charity that operates as an action learning organisation, finding housing-based solutions to social injustice. It provides property assets and grant funding to specialist partner organisations (such as charities, housing associations, and local authorities) at subsidised rents so they can deliver supported housing schemes for vulnerable populations. Commonweal also facilitates independent evaluation of all projects and commissions research, sharing findings publicly to inform housing policy and practice.

Product overview

Commonweal Housing is an independently funded charity that functions as an action learning organisation, finding housing-based solutions to social injustice. Rather than a unified technology product, it operates a portfolio of housing pilot projects across four thematic areas: Criminal Justice, At-Risk Youth, Migration/Asylum/Trafficking, and Gender-based Violence. The core offerings include housing pilots (Re-Unite, Amari, Rhea, You're Home, Phoenix Project, Retreat Housing, Community Transition Service), a Call for New Ideas funding programme for innovative housing solutions, and commissioned research/evaluation reports. Commonweal provides properties to project partners who deliver housing and support services to vulnerable populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Re-Unite A supported housing project (2007-2017) that provided mothers leaving prison with safe, stable housing so they could regain custody of their children, addressing the catch-22 of needing housing to secure custody and custody to secure housing. Served 100 mothers and approximately 200 children, achieving a 10% reoffending rate vs the national average of approximately 25%.
• Amari A supported housing project (2017-2023) delivered in partnership with Solace Women's Aid that provided safe post-emergency accommodation and wrap-around support for women experiencing sexual exploitation through prostitution or trafficking, offering 12-18 months of accommodation across 10 properties.
• Rhea A supported housing project (2017-2023) in partnership with Solace Women's Aid and Southwark Council providing stable accommodation and tailored key worker support for women fleeing domestic violence with their children, using eight properties with up to 12 months of support.
• You're Home

Quantifiable outcome

• Re-Unite achieved 10% reoffending rate vs national average of ~25%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Public FirstminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Commissioned researchers to investigate rapid increase of unregistered children's homes across UK. Produced 'Hidden Children' report with recommendations.
• Solace Women's AidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership delivering the Rhea project (2017-2023) providing stable accommodation and tailored support for women fleeing domestic violence with children. Also partnered on Amari project (2017-2023) for women experiencing sexual exploitation. Eight properties provided at subsidised rent.
• Women in PrisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Re-Unite project (2007-2017), addressing the housing needs of mothers exiting prison and enabling reunification with children. Re-Unite grew to a network of 12 women's centres around England.
• Housing for WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Re-Unite project alongside Women in Prison, providing family housing for women leaving prison to reunite with children.
• Southwark CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Rhea project where Southwark Housing Department identifies and refers survivors. Assessments conducted by embedded Solace staff. Collaborative model combining housing authority resources with specialist support.
• East Belfast MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner on You're Home community-led housing pilot in Northern Ireland. Successfully secured £2 million government investment for scale-up to deliver 18 additional units for those recovering from homelessness.
• ServolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched The Phoenix Project in West Bromwich supporting 12 male ex-offenders with serious mental illness and substance abuse issues.
• HAPANI (Horn of Africa People's Aid Northern Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Retreat Housing providing stable accommodation and integration support to newly granted refugees from Horn of Africa. Commonweal purchased three multi-bedroom properties.
• Depaul Northern IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Community Transition Service, a trauma-informed housing initiative for women leaving prison with complex psychosocial needs. Commonweal acquired seven properties with social investment.
• AdvanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating to develop London-based housing pilot testing alternatives to custody for young women at risk of recall to prison.
• Spring HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned research 'The Benefits of Youth' examining affordability and employment challenges faced by young people in supported housing.
• Woolwich Service Users Project (WSUP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeasibility study through Call for New Ideas programme investigating supported housing model for survivors of modern slavery and newly granted refugees at risk of exploitation (Pivot House).
• Homeless LinkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with WSUP on feasibility study, bringing national expertise in supported housing research.
• Brighton Women's CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned feasibility study on trauma-informed women-only accommodation model for women leaving prison in Sussex.
• Accommodation ConcernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeasibility study on housing model for refugees and those with No Recourse to Public Funds in Northamptonshire.
• Julian HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth West homeless charity. Feasibility study for modular homes supported by Commonweal. Later secured £299k from Homes England's SHAP programme.
• BreakminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung people's charity. Feasibility study on tenancy switch model for care leavers through Call for New Ideas programme.
• Off West End Plays & Playwrights (OWEPP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch grant for feasibility study on affordable rented properties for underprivileged writers, including Writers' Block scheme.
• NacrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organisation in criminal justice sector.
• Human Trafficking FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organisation in migration, asylum and trafficking sector.
• Thames ReachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organisation in homelessness sector.
• English RuralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organisation.
• Hope for JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPioneer of Independent Modern Slavery Advocate (IMSA) framework referenced in WSUP research.
• Prison Reform TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Re-Unite Network campaign for policy change on mothers in criminal justice system.
• IVAR (Institute for Voluntary Action Research)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAction learning partner for Re-Unite project, supporting ongoing evaluation and adaptation.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Emmaus UK: Federation of UK Emmaus communities offering accompanied housing and work-based support to people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion. Directly comparable supported-housing-with-wraparound-care model, though Emmaus operates physical residential communities rather than property partnerships.
• Centrepoint: UK charity providing accommodation and support to young people facing homelessness. Directly comparable to Commonweal's At-Risk Youth vertical and care-leaver tenancy-switch research, with overlapping partner ecosystems and policy remit.
• Depaul UK: International family of charities focused on homelessness and accommodation, including ex-offender rehousing. Commonweal works directly with Depaul Northern Ireland on the Community Transition Service, so the business model and beneficiary group (women leaving prison, complex needs) overlap tightly.
• Crisis UK: National UK homelessness charity combining direct housing delivery, research, and policy advocacy. Closely comparable operating model to Commonweal - independent evaluation, year-round policy research output, and focus on homeless and vulnerably-housed populations.
• Housing Justice: UK charity promoting housing for the poorest and most vulnerable, including faith-based and supported housing initiatives. Comparable mission focus and scale, with overlapping work on asylum-seeker and refugee housing models relevant to Commonweal's third vertical.
• Homeless Link: National membership body for organisations working with people experiencing homelessness in England. Co-partnered with Commonweal on the WSUP Pivot House feasibility study, comparable in research-and-infrastructure support function.
• Revolving Doors Agency: UK charity working at the intersection of criminal justice and housing, supporting people with multiple and complex needs including ex-offenders. Directly aligned with Commonweal's Criminal Justice vertical and the Phoenix Project population.
• Foyer Federation: UK charity developing 'foyer' model of housing combined with employment and training for young people, a near-direct analogue to Commonweal's at-risk-youth supported-housing pilots, including care-leaver and tenancy-readiness initiatives.
• St Mungos: UK charity supporting people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping, including recovery and criminal-justice pathways. Long-standing partner of Commonweal on the Chrysalis/Amari predecessor work, with overlapping service user profiles in domestic abuse and exploitation.

Broad incumbents

• Shelter UK: Larger, established UK national housing charity focused on advice, advocacy, and campaigning for better housing. Operates in the same overall mission space as Commonweal but at vastly greater scale and with broader (non-vulnerable-population-specific) remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CommonwealTweet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commonweal-housing-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Commonweal Housing