Member services

The Almshouse Association is on hand to provide you with help and guidance on a broad range of general and specific issues to support trustees, clerks, wardens and scheme managers of almshouse charities to ensure best practice in line with legislation and guidelines set down by the Charity Commission.

Your annual membership subscription gives you access to the following membership benefits:

Guidance Manual – The Almshouse Association Standards of Almshouse Management Guidance Manual is a benchmark document supported by the Charity Commission to provide detailed guidance and reference points on almshouse matters. 

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Model Policies and Templates – A library of customisable polices and templates is available to download from our website. These are added to, reviewed and updated at regular intervals to ensure they remain current.  Model Policies and Templates

Seminars and Regional Meetings – Seminars are organised annually by the Association in different regions across the country for Trustees, Clerks and Scheme Managers/Wardens. The seminars provide an ideal opportunity to keep abreast of new regulations and policy developments, and to exchange ideas with colleagues from other almshouse charities. Seminars are supplemented by regional meetings organised periodically by local almshouse charities and supported by the Association.

Our CPD accredited training course, ‘The Almshouse Way’ is aimed at ‘new to the role’ CEOs, clerks and trustees as well as members who are looking to consolidate their knowledge.
Click here to find out more .

Our CPD accredited Trustee Recruitment Workshop has been designed to actively engage delegates in a structured process aimed at strengthening trustee recruitment efforts.
Click here to find out more.

Online Training – Members have access to free, online training courses through our partnership with an online training provider. Topics such as GDPR, Legionella Awareness, Safeguarding can be accessed by members via a portal on our training pages.

More courses will continue to be added. The Almshouse Association also holds webinars on a variety of topics.

Mediation Scheme – Members can take advantage of a mediation schemes set up with external mediation companies to help resolve issues and conflicts that might arise within their charities.

Profile – The Association seeks to raise the profile of almshouses at a national level and is regularly referenced in the national press and on TV. Raising the profile of almshouses is a key tool in attracting funding and trustees to membership organisations.

Representation – The Association places considerable emphasis on creating the conditions for independent almshouse charities to thrive within an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment.  We work closely with the Charity Commission and various government departments. We lobby Ministers on behalf of the movement and member issues. We represent our members at strategic planning groups within the sector and develop partnerships where they add the best additional value for the members.  We maintain regular contact with our Royal Patron and Royal Vice Patron, have established connections with grant making trusts, and regularly work with other representative organisations to further our cause.  2025 will see significant challenges and opportunities in new legislation for the almshouse movement that The Association will need to monitor and influence.

National Association of Almshouses Comprehensive Insurance Policies (Brown & Brown and Grouts) – Two insurers offer special block policies specifically tailored for, and only available to, almshouse charities in paid up membership. We are working with insurers to make sure they are able to respond to changing threats and requirements of members.

Financial Support – The Almshouse Association offers interest free loans and small grants to member almshouse charities to assist with the development and support of almshouse foundations. The Association also provides support and advice to member charities needing to raise funds for projects they wish to undertake, whether this is to assist with the cost of repairs to their almshouses, the building of new almshouses, or remodelling and refurbishment projects that are designed to improve the living standards of residents.

The Almshouses Gazette – The Almshouses Gazette features the latest issues and almshouse stories. All member charities receive two copies of each publication with their subscription. To order extra copies (at a cost of £3 per copy) please contact admin@almshouses.org. Back issues can also be downloaded from our website.

Almshouse Association Awards – Every year member charities are invited to submit their projects (completed in the previous year) to the Association.  There are four categories of awards in recognition of the many wonderful innovations taking place throughout our membership to benefit their residents: The Patron’s Award, The Inspirational Homes Award, The Gardens and People Award and the Innovation for Living Award.

The Almshouse Association Website – The Almshouse Association website includes: our guidance manual, model policies and templates, latest news, current issues and member stories, member’s forum, our panel of consultants, seminars, meetings and events pages. Members can also advertise their resident and job vacancies and meetings on our pages.

Panel of Consultants – The Almshouse Association Annual Report and website contain a directory of legal practices specialising in charity law, VAT specialists, architects, building surveyors, quantity surveyors, project managers, managing agents, HR consultants and other specialists whose businesses have been recommended by members of the Association.

Note: The products & services of the panel members listed on our website should be compared with others in the marketplace by trustees

The Almshouse Association Members Privacy Notice, click here