Hope into Action

What Hope into Action does

Hope into Action is a registered UK charity (Charity number 1137686) and company limited by guarantee (company number 7309173), founded in 2010 in Peterborough by Ed Walker MBE. The organization enables local churches to house people affected by homelessness through a franchise model in which independent franchise operators run residential properties that are paired with nearby churches providing volunteer-based 'Friendship and Support' groups. Empowerment Workers deliver direct tenant support. The organization serves multiple end-user groups — primarily homeless individuals including ex-prisoners, refugees, addiction recovery patients, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, and people with mental health issues — alongside churches, ethical property investors, and franchise partners.

Hope into Action's operational backbone is EMPOWER, a bespoke online platform used by franchises to manage houses, tenants, and network operations, including tenant tracking, property management, and support coordination. Beyond housing services, the organization sells literature (the book 'A House Built on Love' by founder Ed Walker MBE) and merchandise through an online shop, with the book distributed via Eden Books.

The revenue model combines donations from individuals and churches, franchise setup and monthly fees paid by franchise partners (which cover only part of direct costs and require fundraising to fill the gap), and an ethical property investment program under which investors (Isaiah Partners) purchase or lease homes to the charity for a minimum 5-year term at a minimum £5,000 investment in exchange for annual lease payments up to 2% of investment value, with a pathway available through Stewardship accounts. Customer segments are intentionally multi-sided: homeless individuals as beneficiaries, churches as volunteer and spiritual community providers, ethical Christian investors as property capital providers, and franchisees (new charities, existing Christian charities, or churches) as licensed operators in defined UK territories.

Name

Hope into Action

Legal name

Hope into Action

Website

https://hopeintoaction.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hope into Action is a UK charity running a franchise model that pairs residential properties with local churches to provide supported housing for homeless individuals, including ex-prisoners, refugees, addiction recovery patients, and survivors of abuse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supported Housing and Homelessness Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Development & Affordable Housing Funds (FSANAJAK)

Keywords

• Supported housing services
• Homelessness charity
• Franchise model charities
• Church community partnerships
• Ethical property investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Property Investment Leases: Investors purchase or lease properties to Hope into Action. The charity leases these properties for a minimum 5-year term, paying annual returns up to 2% of the investment value. This provides housing stock for tenants while offering ethical investment returns to investors.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Individual donors make one-time or recurring donations through the organization's website and donation platforms. The organization also receives donations from church partners and supporters.
3. Franchise Fees: Franchise partners pay setup fees and monthly fees which contribute to franchise setup, IT, induction, training, support, branding, and management costs. However, franchise fees only cover part of direct costs and the organization fundraises separately to fill the gap.
4. Merchandise and Literature Sales: The organization operates a shop selling merchandise including literature such as the book 'A House Built on Love' by Ed Walker MBE, and clothing items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hope into Action is a registered UK charity that provides supported housing for people affected by homelessness by operating and franchising a network of residential homes paired with local church community support. Each home is staffed by an Empowerment Worker and supported by volunteer Friendship and Support groups from partner churches across denominations, addressing housing, relationships, and identity needs. The organization generates housing supply through ethical property investors who lease homes to the charity on 5+ year terms, and replicates the model through franchise partners.

Product overview

Hope into Action is a registered UK charity enabling churches to house the homeless. The organization operates through a franchise model where local franchises partner with churches to provide residential homes paired with relational support via Friendship & Support volunteer groups and dedicated Empowerment Workers. The organization offers an online tenant management platform called EMPOWER for franchise operations. Additional offerings include literature such as the book 'A House Built on Love' and general charity merchandise through an online shop. The core offering is social impact through housing provision rather than a traditional technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hope into Action Franchise Model Replicable supported housing franchise that licences partner churches, charities, or new organizations to operate Hope into Action homes in their area, pairing residential properties with local church support, an Empowerment Worker, and the EMPOWER platform.
• Isaiah Partner Property Investment Ethical investment product where Christian investors purchase or own residential property and lease it to Hope into Action for a minimum 5-year term at up to 2% annual returns, providing housing stock for tenants while delivering modest financial returns. Available directly or through Stewardship accounts.
• A House Built on Love (Book) Book written by founder Ed Walker MBE about the founding and practice of partnering with local churches to provide homes for ex-prisoners, refugees, and victims of abuse. Sold exclusively through Eden Books retail distribution.
• Hope into Action Online Shop Online shop selling charity merchandise including literature and clothing items to support the organization's work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of tenants who previously served a custodial sentence have not returned to prison
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Church Partners (100+ churches)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope into Action operates through partnerships with local churches across all denominations. Churches provide Friendship and Support volunteer groups who offer practical help, emotional support, and spiritual community to tenants. Partner churches sign a Memorandum of Understanding or Service Level Agreement with franchises and commit to working collaboratively across denominations.
• Yorkshire Building SocietyminorOthersCorporate volunteer partner whose colleagues use their volunteer hours (up to 31 hours per year) to support Hope into Action projects including decorating, deep cleaning, and gardening. Staff have participated in transforming gardens and visiting the Peterborough office.
• Eden BooksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEden Books serves as the retail distribution partner for 'A House Built on Love', the book written by founder Ed Walker MBE about the organization's work and founding story.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stonewall Housing: UK charity providing housing advice, accommodation, and support for LGBT+ people experiencing homelessness. Comparable in specialized supported housing model with community-based tenancy support.
• Centrepoint: UK charity providing housing and support for young people experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in providing supported housing with structured support services across multiple UK locations.
• Emmaus UK: UK charity providing supported housing and community for homeless and excluded people through a federation of local communities. Highly comparable faith-inspired, community-based supported housing model with diverse funding streams.
• Plus Dane Housing: UK housing provider offering supported housing and community-based services. Comparable in providing supported housing with a focus on vulnerable tenants across multiple UK locations.
• Together UK (Together for Short Lives / Together Housing): UK housing association providing supported and general needs housing. Comparable as a UK supported housing provider with similar tenant demographics and community-focused delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Home Group: Large UK housing association providing supported housing, mental health services, and homelessness accommodation. Comparable in providing supported housing with wraparound services across multiple UK regions.
• Crisis UK: National UK charity working to end homelessness through housing, education, and advocacy. Comparable in mission and UK-wide reach, but focuses more on member services and policy than direct housing provision.
• YMCA England & Wales: Federated UK charity providing supported housing and community programmes across many locations. Comparable as a large-scale UK housing provider with a faith-inspired heritage, though broader in scope.
• Shelter: Major UK housing and homelessness charity providing advice, support, and legal services. Comparable mission but primarily focused on advice, campaigning, and policy rather than direct housing provision.
• St Mungo's: Large UK charity providing housing and support for people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping across London and the South. Broader incumbent offering emergency hostels, recovery housing, and rough sleeper outreach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HopeintoActionCoventry
• Xx.com/hopeintoaction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hope-into-action-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Hope into Action