Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd

What Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd does

Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd is a UK-registered social enterprise founded in April 2012 by Katherine Murray and Dawn Brown and headquartered in South Shields, North East England. It delivers welfare-to-work employment support services for disadvantaged and long-term unemployed individuals, including those with health conditions or disabilities, carers, veterans, ex-offenders, and culturally-specific groups such as Bangladeshi women served through the Tara programme. Its customer base is split between publicly-funded programme participants and a referral network of regional employers (including Sodexo, Marriott, DXC Technology, Churchill Services, Metec, OCS, BCE Northern and Atlas NextWave) into whom candidates are placed.

The organisation operates through a group structure of four subsidiaries covering Durham/Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear, Shared Services and Pathfinder, and delivers a portfolio of UK government programmes — the Restart Scheme, Connect to Work, JETS, Work and Health Programme and Step Ahead — alongside the regionally funded Tara initiative. Service delivery is human-led and supported by specialist clinical capability (including senior occupational therapy input). Recent operational milestones include Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification in May 2025 and a 2025 Silver Better Health at Work Award.

Revenue is generated through contract and outcome-based payments from UK central government (DWP-administered programmes) and the North East Combined Authority. No external equity funding has been disclosed. The company employs 21 people and operates as a not-for-profit social enterprise, reinvesting surpluses into its mission rather than distributing profits.

Name

Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd

Legal name

Northern Rights Social Enterprise Limited

Website

https://northernrights.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd is a North East England social enterprise delivering welfare-to-work employment support for disadvantaged individuals under UK government contracts, placing candidates with regional employers such as Sodexo and Marriott.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Welfare to work services
• Employment support programmes
• Back to work coaching
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Social enterprise employment

Headquarters

HQ city

South Shields

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Government Welfare to Work Contracts: Funded through UK government employment programmes including Restart Scheme, Connect to Work, JETS (Job Entry: Tailored Support), and WHP (Work & Health Programme). These contracts provide employment support services to disadvantaged job seekers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northern Rights is a North East England social enterprise that delivers government-funded welfare-to-work programmes for disadvantaged individuals. Through the Connect To Work, Restart Scheme, and Tara programmes, plus core Personal Development & Employability Support, the organisation provides one-to-one advising, CV and interview preparation, skills training, employer matching, and in-work mentoring to long-term unemployed people, those with health conditions or disabilities, ex-carers, veterans, and socially excluded groups. Services are free to participants and funded through UK government employment contracts.

Product overview

Northern Rights is a social enterprise offering a suite of employment support services for disadvantaged individuals in the North East of England. The core portfolio includes three named programmes: Connect To Work (providing personalized employment support for South Tyneside residents), the Restart Scheme (helping long-term unemployed individuals return to work through training and mentoring), and Tara (a women-only initiative for Bangladeshi women in South Tyneside). These programmes are complemented by core employability services including one-to-one personal development advising, CV and interview preparation, skills training through a Skills Academy, and sustained in-work support. The services are delivered through a localized, participant-centered approach with dedicated Employment Advisers and Occupational Therapists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants placed into sustainable employment with ongoing in-work support

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North East Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of the Tara South Tyneside programme for Bangladeshi women. North East Combined Authority provides funding to support disadvantaged women in South Tyneside through employment and skills support.
• WhistcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in the Tara South Tyneside project, working alongside Northern Rights to support Bangladeshi women overcome barriers and gain independence.
• Apna GharcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in Tara South Tyneside project, providing culturally appropriate support services for Bangladeshi women.
• Training in CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in Tara South Tyneside project, contributing to the support network for Bangladeshi women in South Tyneside.
• Jobcentre PluscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment employment service that refers job seekers to Northern Rights programmes. Key referral pathway for participants entering the Connect to Work and Restart schemes.
• Karbon HomesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHousing association operating the New Start programme. Northern Rights referred Nathan who successfully secured a permanent position through this partnership.
• First Contact ClinicalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHealthcare referral partner that sends participants to Northern Rights for employment support services.
• Atlas NextWaveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialist agency supporting ex-veterans transitioning into civilian careers. Facilitated placement of Kasem into offshore oil rigging role.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shaw Trust: UK charity focused on disability employment, learning and wellbeing, delivering welfare-to-work programmes including specialist disability contracts. Comparable to Northern Rights' disability and disadvantaged cohorts work.
• Ingeus UK: Major UK welfare-to-work and Restart Scheme prime contractor. Comparable as a direct competitor on government employment programmes serving long-term unemployed participants.
• Seetec: One of the largest UK welfare-to-work and employability providers, delivering Restart, JETS and similar DWP-funded programmes. Directly comparable as a contract-funded employment support competitor bidding on the same UK government lots.
• Maximus UK: Global employment services and disability assessment provider with substantial UK welfare-to-work operations. Comparable as a large incumbent on Restart and disability employment programmes.
• Remploy: Established UK disability employment provider, now part of Maximus, delivering welfare-to-work and disability employment programmes. Comparable for the disability employment support segment.
• Pluss: UK social enterprise supporting people with disabilities into employment, delivering similar programmes. Comparable for disability-focused employment support and specialist contract delivery.
• Reed in Partnership: UK welfare-to-work subsidiary of Reed, delivering government employment programmes including Restart. Directly competes for the same DWP contracts and serves the same disadvantaged jobseeker segments.
• People Plus: UK social enterprise delivering employment support and skills programmes including Restart. Comparable as a regional welfare-to-work provider competing on the same UK government contracts.

Others

• Local Government Association (employment support partnerships): Coordinates UK local authority employment support initiatives and devolved funding streams (relevant to North East Combined Authority). Adjacent enabler rather than direct competitor; represents an institutional buyer/channel.

Broad incumbents

• Serco (Employment Services): Large multinational government services contractor delivering welfare-to-work programmes including Restart as a prime. Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping employability service lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1993608827322371
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-rights-social-enterprise-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Northern Rights Social Enterprise Ltd