What The Grace Eyre Foundation does

The Grace Eyre Foundation is a UK registered charity (no. 1020192) and company limited by guarantee (no. 02806429) headquartered in Brighton that delivers person-centred social care and support services to people with learning disabilities and autistic adults. Its operational footprint spans Brighton & Hove and West Sussex, with a Shared Lives expansion into London confirmed for June 2026. The portfolio is organised around three pillars — Independent Living (Choices supported living, Homeshare Sussex, specialist Housing, Shared Lives family-based arrangements, The Reach community hub, Travel Buddy independent travel training, and Your Money financial guidance); Learning and Having Fun (Active Lives day activities, Pioneer Arts, Purple Clubhouse and Purple Productions neurodiverse-led events, and Sport); and Employment and Skills — supplemented by Our Voices advocacy, Corporate Training, and Transition Services. Governance is user-led: 28% of the Board currently comprises people with lived experience (target >50%), supported by a ringfenced director post and Senior Leadership Team representation. The charity traces its heritage to 1892.

Name

The Grace Eyre Foundation

Legal name

The Grace Eyre Foundation

Website

https://grace-eyre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Grace Eyre Foundation is a Brighton-based UK registered charity delivering person-centred social care, supported living, housing, employment, and community services for people with learning disabilities and autistic adults across Sussex and London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hooe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Local Authority Contracts: The majority of funding comes from local authority contracts for social care services. As a social care provider, Grace Eyre receives government-funded contracts to deliver support services for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
2. Individual Donations: One-off, monthly, and in-memory donations from individuals supporting the charity's mission.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses such as the Brighton & Hove Estate Agent's Association who raise funds through events like gala dinners.
4. Fundraising Events: Challenge events, community fundraising activities, and corporate partnerships generate additional revenue.
5. Legacy Gifts: Gifts in wills/bequests from supporters who leave charitable donations in their estate planning.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Grace Eyre Foundation is a registered charity providing person-centred social care and support services for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. The portfolio spans supported living, housing, Shared Lives family-based care, independent travel training, employment preparation, day activities, arts programmes, advocacy, and corporate training. The majority of services are delivered under contracts with local authorities across Brighton & Hove, West Sussex, and London.

Product overview

The Grace Eyre Foundation operates as a social care charity offering a comprehensive portfolio of person-centered services for people with learning disabilities and autistic adults. The organization functions as a multi-service provider rather than a unified software platform. Core service areas include: Independent Living (housing, supported living, Shared Lives, travel training, and financial guidance); Learning and Having Fun (day activities, arts programs, sports, and social groups); and Employability and Skills (employment training, job placement, and transition support). The portfolio also includes advocacy programs (Our Voices/Ambassadors), organizational training for external partners, and user-led governance initiatives. Services are delivered across Brighton & Hove and West Sussex, with a strong emphasis on co-production, user leadership, and community integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Choices: Supported living and community outreach services
• Homeshare Sussex
• The Reach
• Travel Buddy
• Purple Clubhouse
• Purple Productions
• Pioneer Arts
• Active Lives
• Work Buddy Project
• Grace Eyre Housing
• Shared Lives
• Grace Eyre Friendship Group

Products and services

• Choices - Supported Living and Community Outreach Person-centred support enabling adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults to live independently in their own homes while receiving tailored assistance with daily living, community engagement, and personal development.
• Homeshare Sussex
• Housing
• Shared Lives Family-based care arrangements where people with support needs are matched with approved carers who share their family and community life, providing long-term, personalised care.
• The Reach
• Travel Buddy
• Your Money Service
• Active Lives - Day Activities
• Pioneer Arts
• Purple Clubhouse and Purple Productions
• Sport
• Employability and Skills
• Our Voices / Ambassadors
• Corporate Training
• Transition Services
• Independent Living Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 documented individual success stories across housing, employment, travel training, and independent living
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 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

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PhotosymbolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining provider for Grace Eyre staff. Photosymbols provided a 10-week training course to support Margaret in her role as Easy Read Officer.
• Team DomenicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment training venue providing work placements at Café Domenica and other locations around Brighton. Multiple Grace Eyre service users have trained and worked there.
• Speak Out Brighton & HovecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal advocacy charity that Grace Eyre service users and staff are involved with. Margaret became a trustee for Speak Out.
• Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRail operator that supported Zoe's train travel training with travel costs and coordinated with their Accessibility team to improve station accessibility.
• University of BrightonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on learning disability and transport issues. Dee MacDonald, social science researcher, collaborated with Becky on a film about public transport challenges.
• Brighton & Hove Estate Agent's Association (BHEAA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerChosen charity for 2025, raised £3,000 at gala dinner for the Big Build project. Partnership includes raffle donations from local businesses.
• Bevy Community PubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity pub where Andrew completed a 4-month work placement preparing meals for local people on low income or with disabilities.
• Fabrica GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallery where Christian completed a work placement signing people in, working in the shop, and engaging with art.
• Care Quality CommissioncoreOthersGovernment regulator for health and social care in England. Grace Eyre is regulated by CQC.
• Investors in PeopleminorOthersSilver accreditation recognising good people management practices.
• Shared Lives PluscoreOthersMembership organisation for Shared Lives schemes across the UK.
• VODG (Voluntary Organisations Disability Group)coreOthersMembership organisation representing voluntary organisations delivering disability services.
• Driving Up QualityminorOthersQuality improvement initiative for learning disability services.
• East Sussex CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution where Travel Buddy delivered workshops helping pupils with learning disabilities rebuild travel confidence.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: UK's leading learning disability charity, providing supported living, employment, advocacy and information services nationally. Larger and more diversified than Grace Eyre, but operates overlapping service lines (and is already a Grace Eyre partner funding specific activities).
• Sense: Major UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities including those who are deafblind. Wider scope than Grace Eyre but overlapping supported living and community services for disabled adults.
• National Autistic Society: UK's largest charity for autistic people, offering advice, education, social care and advocacy services. Broader remit than Grace Eyre but overlaps on adult support, employment guidance and advocacy for autistic beneficiaries.

Direct peers

• Hft (Home Farm Trust): One of the UK's largest charities supporting adults with learning disabilities, delivering supported living, housing, and daytime opportunities across multiple regions. Closest direct peer to Grace Eyre given overlapping service portfolio and CQC-regulated operations for a similar beneficiary group.
• Voyage Care: Large UK provider of supported living, residential and home care services for adults with learning disabilities, autism and acquired brain injuries. Overlapping service lines and CQC-regulated delivery, with greater national scale.
• Lifeways: UK social care provider (now part of the Optimo Care Group) delivering supported living, residential and community support for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs. Operates a comparable person-centred, multi-site care model.
• United Response: National charity providing person-centred support for people with learning disabilities and mental health needs, including supported living and community services. Directly comparable operating model and beneficiary profile to Grace Eyre.
• Dimensions UK: UK specialist provider of support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, delivering supported living, residential care and community-based services. Comparable beneficiary group, operating model, and service breadth.
• MacIntyre: National charity providing lifelong learning, supported living and employment services for people with learning disabilities. Similar co-production ethos, multi-service portfolio and regional delivery to Grace Eyre.

Emerging players

• Ambitious about Autism: UK charity focused on autistic children and young people, particularly education-to-employment transitions. Adjacent beneficiary overlap with Grace Eyre's Transition Services and shared-employment pathway ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GraceEyreF
• Xx.com/graceeyref
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grace-eyre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The Grace Eyre Foundation