ACORN
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCovent Garden, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
ACORN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ACORN
- Legal name
- ACORN The Union Limited
- Website
- https://acorntheunion.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ACORN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Covent Garden
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
ACORN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Dues-paying members fund the union's operations. Members receive defense support for housing issues, bailiff problems, and workplace issues. The union describes having more than 10,000 members.
- Trade Union Affiliation: Trade union branches can affiliate to ACORN, paying annual fees based on their membership size: £100 for 1-500 members, £250 for 500-1,000, £500 for 1,000-2,500, £1,000 for 2,500-5,000, and £2,000+ for 5,000+ members.
- Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling ACORN branded merchandise including t-shirts (£20-25), hoodies (£25), posters (£7), calendars (£5), badges (£8), and tote bags (£10).
- Donations: Donations accepted including to the ACORN legal fund and the Stand Up to Bailiffs Fund. Donations processed through Smart Raise platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Trade Union Affiliation - Tiered by membership size |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
ACORN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ACORN is a community union that provides member defence services (housing and bailiff cases), organises campaigns for renters' rights and council tax justice, and offers trade union affiliation, training, and merchandise to its members and affiliated trade unions. Its core activity is one-to-one member casework combined with direct action campaigns that target landlords, councils, and government policy.
Product overview
ACORN is a community union for the community, not a technology company. It does not offer a software product or platform. Instead, ACORN provides advocacy campaigns, member defence services, and community organising resources. The organisation's main offerings include: member defence services for housing and bailiff issues, advocacy campaigns (Bailiff Free Britain, Renters' Rights, Cost of Living Crisis), trade union affiliation programs, training services through Mighty Oak, and an online shop selling merchandise. ACORN operates through local branches across England and Wales, organising communities to fight for housing justice and renters' rights.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Member Defence Services
Quantifiable outcome
- £18 million in housing repairs won for St Judes estate residents in Bristol
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ACORN
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ACORN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ACORN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Clean SheetcoreClean Sheet is a progressive toilet paper company that gives 100% of profits to grassroots organizations fighting for housing justice, climate action, and workers' rights. ACORN is one of the first three partner organizations and will receive a third of all profits. The partnership represents a unique funding model where everyday consumer spending supports ACORN's campaigns.
- Renters Reform Coalition (RRC)coreACORN partnered with the Renters Reform Coalition to push the Renters Rights Bill through UK Parliament. Together they successfully lobbied for amendments including rent control debate opportunity and capping rent in advance requirements.
- Living Rent (Scotland)minorLiving Rent is ACORN's sister organization in Scotland. A delegate from Living Rent spoke at ACORN's Members' Convention, sharing experiences and discussing how the unions can support each other.
- Fire Brigades UnionminorGuest speakers at ACORN's inaugural Members' Convention, sharing experiences and solidarity with ACORN's organizing efforts.
- ACORN InternationalcoreACORN the Union is an affiliate of ACORN International, a federation of community organizations active in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, and the United States. ACORN International provides the global framework and historical legacy for the organization.
- Renters Reform CoalitioncoreCoalition partner in the End Unfair Evictions campaign alongside Generation Rent, London Renters Union, Tenants Union UK, and the New Economics Foundation. Led to the government announcing abolition of Section 21 'no fault' evictions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ACORN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- ACORN International: Global federation of community-organizing affiliates that ACORN the Union is a member of. Provides international brand legacy, training resources, and cross-border organizing coordination; not a competitor but the parent federation in the ACORN network.
- Renters Reform Coalition: UK coalition of housing organizations (including ACORN) that successfully lobbied for the Renters' Rights Act. ACORN is a core coalition partner; comparable as a coordinating body in ACORN's advocacy ecosystem rather than as a competing membership organization.
- New Economics Foundation (NEF): UK think tank focused on economic justice, housing, and workers' rights. Coalition partner with ACORN in the Renters Reform Coalition; complementary role providing research and policy work while ACORN provides grassroots mobilization.
Direct peers
- Generation Rent: UK-wide renters' advocacy organization campaigning for better housing policy. Coalition partner with ACORN in the Renters Reform Coalition; differs in being more policy/lobby focused than direct-action oriented, but targets the same tenant constituency.
- London Renters Union (LRU): UK-based renters' union operating a member-funded model focused on tenant defence, collective bargaining, and direct action on housing issues in London. Directly comparable to ACORN in mission, dues-paying structure, and direct-action tactics.
- Tenants Union UK: National UK tenants' union building local tenant associations and advocating for renters' rights. Direct coalition partner with ACORN in the Renters Reform Coalition and serves overlapping membership of private and social renters seeking collective representation.
- Living Rent: Scottish community union for renters, formally affiliated as ACORN's sister organization. Operates with an almost identical membership and direct-action model, focused on housing justice, member defence, and branch-based organizing.
Broad incumbents
- Citizens Advice: Large UK advice network providing free, independent advice on housing, debt, and consumer issues including bailiff-related problems. Overlaps with ACORN's bailiff member defence and housing services but delivers professional advice rather than collective organizing.
- Shelter: Major UK housing charity providing advice, advocacy, and campaigning on housing and homelessness. Much larger and more established than ACORN with professional service delivery rather than member-mobilization; serves overlapping renter constituency through different mechanism.
Emerging players
- Community Organisers (CO): UK-wide charity training and supporting community organizers using similar door-to-door, listening-based organizing methods as ACORN. Smaller in housing-specific scope but operates on the same community-organizing methodology and trains many of the same kinds of practitioners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ACORN social profiles
Digital presenceACORN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ACORN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ACORN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ACORN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ACORN
What does ACORN do?
ACORN is a community union that provides member defence services (housing and bailiff cases), organises campaigns for renters' rights and council tax justice, and offers trade union affiliation, training, and merchandise to its members and affiliated trade unions. Its core activity is one-to-one member casework combined with direct action campaigns that target landlords, councils, and government policy.
Is ACORN a public or private company?
ACORN is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was ACORN founded?
ACORN was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ACORN based?
ACORN is headquartered in Covent Garden, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ACORN make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are trade Union Affiliation, merchandise Sales and donations.
Who are ACORN's main competitors?
Others on record are ACORN International, Renters Reform Coalition and New Economics Foundation (NEF). Direct peers are Generation Rent, London Renters Union (LRU), Tenants Union UK and Living Rent. Broad incumbents are Citizens Advice and Shelter. Community Organisers (CO) is listed as an emerging player.
Does ACORN have an API?
No public API is recorded for ACORN.