What Stepping Stone Projects Ltd does

Stepping Stone Projects Ltd (registered in England as a charitable company limited by guarantee; company number 2647645, charity number 1004375) is a homelessness charity founded in 1984 in partnership with Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council. The organisation provides short-term accommodation with both on-site and floating support services, helping individuals develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to secure and maintain independent housing. It operates across the North-West of England, delivering over 700 homes and supporting more than 1,200 people annually across multiple boroughs.

The service portfolio spans general homelessness accommodation, the Young People Forward Project, care-leaver support, services for asylum seekers and those with no recourse to public funds, family support, and the Integrated Rehabilitation Service (IRS) for people on probation delivered via the new Bury Wellbeing Hub and in partnership with The Big Life Group across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs. A Central Referral Team provides a single point of contact accepting both self-referrals and agency referrals.

The business model is grant and contract funded rather than commercial: revenue is generated primarily through local authority commissioning across the North-West, supplemented by individual and organisational donations. Services are provided free of charge to service users. The organisation is governed by a board of trustees, led by CEO Dave Smith, and holds accreditations including Investors in People Gold Award, Great Place to Work Certification, and Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter supporter status. Beyond direct service delivery, SSP runs the 'Together We Can End Homelessness' national advocacy campaign targeting policy change by 2034.

Name

Stepping Stone Projects Ltd

Legal name

Stepping Stone Projects

Website

https://stepping-stone.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stepping Stone Projects Ltd is a UK charitable company that delivers short-term accommodation and floating support services to over 1,200 homeless and vulnerable people across 700+ homes in the North-West of England. Services span general homelessness, young people, care leavers, asylum seekers, and people on probation, funded via local authority commissioning and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness and Supported Housing Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homelessness support services
• Supported accommodation
• Floating support services
• Housing referral services
• Rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochdale

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Local Authority Commissioning: SSP receives funding through contracts commissioned by local authorities across the North-West to deliver accommodation and support services for people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support their charitable mission of ending homelessness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stepping Stone Projects provides short-term supported accommodation and on-site plus floating support services for people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes across the North-West of England. Services include dedicated regional accommodation projects, life skills and tenancy support, and integrated rehabilitation support for people on probation and those experiencing disadvantage.

Product overview

Stepping Stone Projects operates as a homelessness charity providing a coordinated portfolio of accommodation and support services across the North-West of England. The core offering centers on stable short-term accommodation with both on-site and floating support services, complemented by a Central Referral Team that serves as a single point of contact. Services are delivered through regional programs including Burnley Accommodation Services, Lancashire Dispersed Housing, and the Rochdale Life Skills and Tenancy Support Service. The organization also operates specialized hubs like the Bury Wellbeing Hub for integrated rehabilitation, and runs targeted programs such as the Young People Forward Project. Beyond direct service delivery, the organization conducts advocacy through its 'Together We Can End Homelessness' campaign, which outlines five strategic priorities for policy change.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 homes provided and support to over 1,200 people across the North-West
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and supporting.

• The Big Life GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026The Big Life Group leads the wider Greater Manchester Integrated Rehabilitation Service (IRS) contract delivered across all 10 boroughs. SSP is a key delivery partner within this framework, contributing to coordinated support services for people on probation and those experiencing disadvantage.
• Paula Barker MP / All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ending HomelessnessstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026SSP CEO Dave Smith met with Paula Barker MP, Chair of the APPG on Ending Homelessness, to present their campaign and advocate for policy changes at national level. Paula expressed support and interest in continued engagement through the APPG.
• Spotland Community AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026SSP is working in partnership with Spotland Community Association, a long-established Rochdale charity supporting disadvantaged communities.
• Probation ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with probation services to deliver integrated support for individuals in the criminal justice system. Collaboration enables coordinated responses to housing and support needs.
• NHS ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NHS services to ensure holistic support for individuals with health needs alongside housing support.
• Citizens AdvicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing access to advice services for individuals supported by SSP.
• DWP/Jobcentre PlussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus to support employment and benefits advice for service users.
• Housing ProviderssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with other housing providers to create pathways and access to accommodation across the region.
• Voluntary and Community OrganisationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWide network of voluntary and community organisations supporting integrated service delivery.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Depaul UK: UK charity supporting young people facing homelessness and disadvantage across the North and other regions. Comparable to SSP in youth homelessness focus, supported-accommodation delivery, and partnership-based model with local authorities.
• Crisis: National UK charity focused on ending homelessness through housing, education, and advocacy. Comparable to SSP's combination of direct service delivery and national policy advocacy (e.g., Together We Can End Homelessness campaign), with overlapping customer base of single homeless adults.
• Emmaus UK: UK charity supporting people out of homelessness through residential communities and supported housing. Comparable to SSP in mission and supported-accommodation model, with similar charitable commissioning and donations funding mix.
• Centrepoint: UK charity providing accommodation and support services for young people experiencing homelessness, including care leavers. Directly comparable to SSP in mission, customer segment (16-25 cohort), and commissioning-based revenue model, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Salvation Army Housing Association: UK provider of supported housing and homelessness services for vulnerable adults, including those with complex needs and offending histories. Directly comparable to SSP's probation-facing, complex-needs supported housing offering and partnership model.
• St Mungo's: UK charity providing accommodation, recovery, and prevention services for people experiencing homelessness, including those with complex needs. Directly comparable to SSP in supported-housing model, local-authority commissioning, and complex-needs cohort, though primarily London-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Home Group: Large UK housing provider delivering supported, general needs, and specialist housing, including homelessness services in the North. Comparable as a commissioned supported-housing provider with a strong North of England footprint, but operating at significantly larger scale.
• Shelter: Large national UK housing and homelessness charity combining advice, campaigning, and direct services. Comparable in mission and policy-advocacy positioning, but with a much broader national footprint and a wider portfolio that goes beyond accommodation delivery.

Regional players

• The Riverside Group: Large UK housing and care provider with significant North-West presence delivering supported housing and homelessness services. Comparable to SSP in service model and commissioning relationships, but at considerably larger operational scale.
• Plus Dane Housing: Housing association operating primarily in the North-West and Merseyside, providing supported housing and homelessness services. Directly comparable to SSP on regional overlap and customer segments served.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SSPhomeless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stepping-stone-projects

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Stepping Stone Projects Ltd