N-compass

What N-compass does

N-Compass is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1128809) structured as a private company limited by guarantee, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Preston, England. The organization delivers health and social care services across North England, with operations spanning Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Staffordshire. Its service portfolio is organized around four core lines: Carer Support Services, Advocacy Services, Wellbeing Services (including Connect 5 Training and the Deaf Link Service), and Counselling Services for children, young people, and adult carers. Delivery occurs through a multi-channel network of more than 12 regional hubs, a Digital Advocacy Hub, a CHAT Line telephone service, school-based counselling, home-based sitting-in services, and the Carers Community Network online platform.

Revenue is generated primarily through commissioned contracts with local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards, supplemented by fundraising, legacy gifts, and corporate partnerships. All services are free at point of use for individuals. N-Compass reports annual income of approximately £7.5 million, supports over 30,000-40,000 individuals annually, and operates with 160+ employees and 140+ volunteers. Recent expansion has included new commissioned hubs in Knowsley (Merseyside) and Westmorland & Furness (Cumbria), with staff transfers from incumbent providers accompanying contract wins. The organization holds sector accreditations including Advocacy QPM, Social Value Quality Mark Bronze, and Living Wage Employer status, and is recognized as the 3rd Best Charity to Work For in the UK (2023).

The technology infrastructure is operational rather than transformational: a Charity Log case management system, the Carers Community Network, and a Digital Advocacy Hub. There is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML capability, patents, or technology licensing. The strategic model is commissioning-led: growth depends on winning public-sector tenders, which exposes the organization to local government funding cycles (notably demonstrated by the 2019 loss of its Wellbeing Service to council cuts).

Name

N-compass

Legal name

N-Compass

Website

https://n-compass.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

N-Compass is a UK charity founded in 1999 that delivers carer support, advocacy, wellbeing, and counselling services across North England through commissioned public-sector contracts, supporting over 30,000 individuals annually with £7.5 million in income.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health and Social Care Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG)

Keywords

• Carer support services
• Advocacy services
• Counselling services
• Wellbeing programmes
• Social care charities

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Primary revenue stream from contracts with local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards. Services are commissioned to provide carer support, advocacy, counselling, and wellbeing services across multiple regions.
2. Charitable Funding: Income from fundraising activities and charitable donations, including legacy gifts and corporate partnerships.
3. Donations and Legacies: Legacy gifts from wills, corporate partnerships for CSR initiatives, and general donations supporting charitable activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

N-Compass delivers commissioned health and social care services across North England, operating four core service lines: Carer Support Services (advice, emotional support, and practical help for unpaid carers), Advocacy Services (rights representation across regional hubs plus a Digital Advocacy Hub), Wellbeing Programmes (Connect 5 Training and Deaf Link Service), and Counselling Services (one-to-one therapy, CBT, and person-centred counselling for children, young people, and adult carers). All services are free at point of use, funded through contracts with local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards, and delivered via physical hubs, community venues, schools, telephone, and digital platforms.

Product overview

N-Compass is a charity providing health and social care services across the North of England, operating as a single integrated service portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of four main service lines: Carer Support Services (regional hubs providing advice, emotional support, and practical help for unpaid carers), Advocacy Services (regional hubs plus a Digital Advocacy Hub for rights representation), Wellbeing Services (including Connect 5 Training and Deaf Link Service), and Counselling Services (therapeutic support for children, young people, and adult carers). Additional offerings include the Volunteer Hub for coordinating volunteer contributions, the Carer Friendly Mark accreditation programme, and the CHAT Line telephone support service. Services are delivered through regional hubs across Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Staffordshire, with a Digital Advocacy Hub extending reach online. The organisation supports over 30,000 individuals annually through approximately £7.5 million in annual income.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carer Support Services Comprehensive support services for unpaid carers including advice and information, emotional support, practical help with carer assessments, and assistance navigating the caring journey. Delivered through regional hubs and available to adult carers, young carers aged 5+, and parent carers across North England.
• Advocacy Services Expert advocacy support empowering individuals to speak up, be heard, and have their rights upheld in decisions affecting their care, including those with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and individuals navigating complex statutory processes. Delivered through seven physical hubs and a Digital Advocacy Hub.
• Wellbeing Services Programmes helping people maintain their wellbeing through tailored support including Connect 5 Training (mental health awareness training) and the Deaf Link Service (specialised support for deaf individuals with accessible communication assistance).
• Counselling Services Therapeutic support for children and young people aged 5-18 (up to 25 for SEN), and unpaid adult carers. Uses evidence-based approaches including one-to-one counselling, CBT, play therapy, person-centred counselling, and group therapy delivered in schools and community settings.
• Volunteer Hub Dedicated programme that recruits, trains, and supports volunteers across all services including advocacy volunteers, CHAT Line volunteers, sitting-in-service volunteers, office support volunteers, and young carers volunteers. Coordinates 172 volunteers contributing thousands of hours annually.
• Digital Advocacy Hub Online platform providing digital access to advocacy services, enabling remote support delivery, SignVideo BSL interpretation, and reach beyond physical locations for individuals who cannot attend in-person hubs.
• CHAT Line (Carers Help and Talk Line) Telephone support line offering support to unpaid carers through regular befriending calls, a listening ear, and social contact, delivered by trained volunteers.
• Carers Community Network Online community platform connecting carers for peer support, information sharing, and ongoing community connection, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continuity of support during lockdowns.
• Knowsley Carers' Hub Single point of access for adult carers (18+) supporting someone living in Knowsley or registered with a Knowsley GP, offering practical and emotional support including one-to-one sessions, group sessions, information and advice, financial guidance, and access to local activities.
• Westmorland & Furness Carer Support Service Support service for carers of all ages (5+) including young carers, parent carers, and adult carers providing unpaid care for someone living in Westmorland and Furness, offering help, information, and guidance close to home.
• Carer Friendly Mark Quality mark accreditation programme that recognises and celebrates organisations committed to supporting young and adult carers who are accessing their services or employed by them, setting key criteria and minimum standards for carer support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of service users would recommend N-Compass services to friends and family
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Westmorland and Furness CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Westmorland and Furness Council funds the Westmorland & Furness Carer Support Service, supporting carers of all ages (5+) including young carers, parent carers, and adult carers. The service ensures carers can access the right help, information and guidance close to home.
• Knowsley CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowsley Council commissioned N-Compass to deliver the Knowsley Carers' Hub, the organization's first carers' service in Merseyside. N-Compass worked closely with the council to ensure smooth transition and effective mobilisation of the new service.
• NHS Cheshire and MerseysidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board partners with N-Compass on commissioning healthcare and social care services across the Merseyside region, including advocacy and carer support services.
• Carefree (Partnership for Carer Breaks)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership enabling carers to access short breaks through a UK hotel partnership (small admin fee applies). Carefree provides respite opportunities for carers supported through N-Compass services.
• Knowsley Carers Centre (Staff Transfer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStaff from Knowsley Carers Centre (which supported carers since 1997) transferred into N-Compass as part of the Knowsley Carers' Hub mobilisation. Their existing relationships with carers and local partners were maintained to ensure continuity.
• Knowsley Carers CentresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer provider of carers' services in Knowsley borough since 1997. N-Compass welcomed the team into the organization as part of service transition.
• SignVideosupportingTechnology or IntegrationSignVideo provides real-time British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation service, enabling BSL users to communicate directly with N-Compass staff through qualified interpreters.
• Carers UKsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity partnership providing resources and support for carers. N-Compass provides free access to Carers UK Digital Resource (carersdigital.org) with code NCOMPASS.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mind: National mental health charity providing counselling, advocacy, and wellbeing services. N-Compass delivers comparable counselling and wellbeing programmes and Mind operates in similar NHS-commissioned spaces.
• Age UK: Large national charity serving older people with overlapping support services. While not a pure carer-support specialist, Age UK competes for similar local authority contracts and serves many of the same elderly carer demographics.
• Mencap: National charity supporting people with learning disabilities and their families. Overlaps with N-Compass's advocacy services for individuals with learning disabilities and parent-carer support.
• Rethink Mental Illness: National charity providing mental health services, advocacy, and carer support. Comparable to N-Compass's counselling and advocacy offerings, particularly for adults with mental health conditions.

Direct peers

• Carers Trust: National network of carer support services across the UK. Highly comparable to N-Compass in providing advice, advocacy, and practical support for unpaid carers, and competes for the same local authority and NHS commissioning contracts.
• Contact: National charity supporting families with disabled children. Directly comparable to N-Compass's parent carer and young carers services, serving similar segments with similar local authority commissioning.
• Carers UK: National charity supporting unpaid carers through information, advocacy, and policy work. N-Compass already partners with Carers UK to provide free access to Carers UK Digital Resource, and operates in overlapping service areas.
• Together for Mental Wellbeing: UK charity providing mental health advocacy and support services. Directly comparable to N-Compass's advocacy and wellbeing service lines, operating under similar local authority commissioning models.

Regional players

• Sefton Carers Centre: Regional carer support charity operating in Merseyside, geographically adjacent to N-Compass's newly launched Knowsley and Liverpool services. A local competitor for Merseyside local authority contracts.
• Lancashire Carers Service (predecessor operations): Regional carers' service operating across Lancashire, the historical core geography of N-Compass. Comparable in scope and structure as a hub-based carer support service funded by local authorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_ncompass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/n-compass-uk

Compliance9 records

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 N-compass