Serve

What Serve does

SERVE is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1043321; Company No. 2951827) founded in 1983, headquartered in Rushden, Northamptonshire, providing integrated care and support services to older people and adults with disabilities across the East Midlands. The organisation delivers six core services: CQC-registered Personal and Domestic Care (personal care, medication management, dementia support), the Ron Manning Day and Activity Centre in Higham Ferrers, countywide Community Transport with wheelchair-accessible vehicles, a free Countywide Befriending service, a flexible Home Help Service, and Community Services including hearing aid servicing and DBS check processing. All care is delivered in-person by trained, DBS-checked staff and supported by a network of 264 volunteers; the organisation has no proprietary technology platform and operates a conventional website with payment integrations to JustGiving and PayPal.

In FY 2023-2024, SERVE generated total income of £1,559,078, a ~30% increase from the prior year, drawn from three revenue streams: Care Charges (£790,328, ~50.7%), Donations and Legacies (£391,296, ~25.1%), and Service Contracts with local authorities and healthcare commissioners (£268,896, ~17.2%). Operating metrics included 29,085 hours of homecare delivered, 40,919 care calls, 42,435 transport journeys, and 1,000 respite places for family carers. The organisation holds reserves of £732,777, with £394,444 in free reserves equivalent to approximately three months of operating costs. SERVE is CQC-registered with a 'Good' rating and is the 2024 winner of the Great British Care Awards (Best Homecare Team, East Midlands).

The business model is a hybrid charity/care-provider model: fee-for-service income from private-pay clients and local authority contracts is cross-subsidised by charitable donations, legacies, and grants from over 20 grant-making trusts. Go-to-market is community-led in Northamptonshire, accessed via phone, website contact forms, and referrals from healthcare professionals and social services, with a free home-assessment onboarding process. Leadership transitioned during the period from CEO Jessica Slater to CEO Tony Gibbs, who also leads a newly structured corporate fundraising programme targeting local SMEs.

Name

Serve

Legal name

SERVE

Website

https://serve.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

SERVE is a Northamptonshire-based charity founded in 1983 that delivers CQC-registered homecare, day services, accessible transport, and befriending to older people and adults with disabilities, generating approximately £1.56M in annual income across fees, donations, and local authority contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Social Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Caregiver Coaching, Education & Support (HSABAIAI), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Adult social care
• Home care services
• Community transport
• Befriending services
• Day care centre

Headquarters

HQ city

Rushden

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Care Charges: Primary revenue stream from providing CQC-registered homecare services. Care charges generated £790,328 in FY 2023-2024, representing the largest income source at approximately 50.7% of total income.
2. Donations & Legacies: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and grant-making trusts. Generated £391,296 in FY 2023-2024, representing approximately 25.1% of total income. Includes corporate fundraising partnerships and community appeal donations.
3. Service Contracts: Contracts with local authorities and healthcare commissioners for delivery of care, transport, and community services. Generated £268,896 in FY 2023-2024, representing approximately 17.2% of total income.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SERVE is a Northamptonshire-based charity that provides personal care, domestic support, day care, community transport, befriending, and home help services to older adults and people with disabilities so they can continue living independently in their own homes and communities. Services are delivered by paid care staff and trained volunteers, funded through a mix of local-authority/personal-budget fees, charitable grants, and donations.

Product overview

SERVE is a voluntary charity providing a portfolio of six integrated care and support services for older people and adults with disabilities across Northamptonshire. The core offering includes CQC-registered Personal & Domestic Care (personal care and domestic support), the Ron Manning Day and Activity Centre (social activities and meals), Community Transport (wheelchair-accessible door-to-door transport), Countywide Befriending (companionship to combat isolation), Home Help Service (practical household assistance), and Community Services (hearing aid servicing, DBS checks, and community events). Services are designed to work together holistically, enabling individuals to receive coordinated support tailored to their needs while remaining independent at home.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal & Domestic Care

Quantifiable outcome

• 29,085 hours of care delivered and 40,919 care calls completed in FY 2023-2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• RicohminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter providing Christmas gifts to service users. Represents corporate social responsibility partnership bringing festive cheer to vulnerable adults.
• Happy Mondays CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business in Rushden providing Christmas gifts and fundraising support. Community partnership with local independent business.
• Wellingborough WillsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm providing corporate partnership support to SERVE.
• York Ward & RowlattminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm engaged in corporate partnership with SERVE.
• CSR DigitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital agency providing marketing support and expertise as part of corporate partnership.
• WhiteStarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner providing support to SERVE's community initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Voluntary Service: National charity with a strong volunteer-led service model delivering companionship, hospital transport, and community support for older people – directly comparable to SERVE's volunteer-driven befriending and transport services.
• MHA (Methodist Homes): One of the largest UK charitable providers of care for older people, offering residential, dementia, and homecare services nationally. Comparable mission and CQC-regulated care, but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Helping Hands Home Care: Established UK homecare provider offering visiting and live-in care, including dementia and complex care. Comparable in service mix to SERVE's Personal & Domestic Care service.
• Home Instead (UK): National franchised homecare provider with offices across Northamptonshire offering personal care, dementia support, and companionship – directly competing for SERVE's privately funded clients.
• Caremark: National homecare franchise with multiple East Midlands offices providing personal care, respite, and support for older adults and people with disabilities – a direct competitor in the same county.
• Bluebird Care: UK-wide homecare franchise network providing personal care, live-in care, and companionship. Operates across the East Midlands and competes head-to-head with SERVE's homecare offering.
• Age UK Northamptonshire: Local Age UK affiliate delivering personal care, befriending, information/advice, and community services to older people in Northamptonshire. Most direct geographic peer to SERVE.
• Northamptonshire Carers: Local charity supporting unpaid family carers with respite, advice, and emotional support – directly comparable to SERVE's Carers' Needs Program and befriending offer.

Emerging players

• Disabled Living Foundation: UK charity providing advice and information on independent living for disabled adults. Comparable to SERVE's information services and disability support, though primarily advisory rather than care delivery.
• Alzheimer's Society: National charity providing dementia support services incl. companion schemes and local support services. Overlaps with SERVE's dementia homecare offering but operates nationally rather than locally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SERVE234
• Xx.com/serve_care
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serve-nvca

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Serve