Heritage almshouses throw open their doors

England’s largest festival of history and culture!

The country’s largest Heritage Open Days festival returns with a packed programme of FREE events, unwrapping England’s history of creativity and this September almshouses from all over England are taking part.

It’s wonderful to see so many member charities participating – this event not only provides an excellent opportunity for almshouses to share their rich historical backgrounds but also helps people understand their significant role in society.

The Heritage Open Days Festival is a fantastic platform for showcasing the heritage and stories of almshouses and contributes to the celebration of community spirit and the sharing of captivating narratives and anecdotes. It’s a great way for people to connect with their local history and appreciate the valuable contributions almshouses have made to their communities over hundreds of years.

To find our more, please click in the links below:

We are sure the Festival will be a great success and hope many people take the opportunity to visit and learn more about these cherished almshouses during this year’s Festival, which runs until September 17th. It’s a valuable initiative that fosters appreciation for history and the importance of preserving our cultural heritage.

posted 4 September 2023

Fire doors in almshouses

Fire Doors are crucial in preventing the spread of fire and smoke in buildings.  Responsible persons need to decide on suitable and sufficient measures for the specific types of premises they are responsible for.

For example, further information can be obtained from:

  • The Fire Safety in Specialised Housing Guidance
  • The suite of HM Government Fire Safety Risk Assessment Guidance
  • The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that flat entrance doors must be considered in the Fire Risk Assessment mandated by the Fire Safety Order
  • The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require regular checks to ensure that self-closing devices are working and the fire doors including flat entrance doors are in efficient working order and in good repair. These checks are to ensure that the existing door standard is maintained
  • Responsible Persons, including both building owners (for example freeholders) and other persons having control of the premises (for example managing agents) were required to comply with the regulations from 23 January 2023.

Residents have an important role to play in ensuring that, if there is a fire in their almshouse, the entrance door is an effective barrier to the spread of fire and smoke into the common parts.

Regulation 10 requires that residents are given information that:

  • fire doors should be kept shut when not in use
  • residents or their guests should not tamper with self-closing devices
  • residents should report any fault or damage immediately to the Responsible Person.

The above information must be provided by the Responsible Person to any new resident as soon as reasonably practicable after the resident moves into their flat. The Responsible Person must also remind all residents about this information at periods not exceeding 12 months.

Where a resident wants to alter or change their front door, this should be done with the knowledge and agreement of the Responsible Person to ensure that it does not negatively impact upon the overarching fire risk assessment for the premises.

It is good practice to inspect fire resisting door sets on a six-monthly basis as part of a programme of planned preventive maintenance. Communal fire doors should be inspected more frequently i.e., 3 monthly.  For example, check fire door sets from both sides:

  • Check the operation of the self-closer; door closes fully and tightly in to the rebate
  • Check the door and frame are not damaged
  • No warping of the door that affects its fit in its frame
  • Check intumescent fire and cold smoke seals are intact, serviceable and not overpainted
  • The cold smoke seal should bridge the gap between the door and frame
  • Doors needs to be a good fit within their frames with a maximum of 4mm gaps between the sides and tops of a door and the door frame
  • The gaps at the base of the door should normally be limited to 6mm
  • Check the door frame and leaf are OK, i.e., free of holes left from replacement locks and handles etc.
  • The condition of the fire-resisting glass and glazing system in the door panels, and any associated side or over panels forming part of the door set, retains their ability to resist the spread of fire and smoke
  • No obvious defects in the hinges (for example missing or loose screws), or any other element of the ironmongery (for example ventilation grilles)
  • Letterboxes are firmly closed and not jammed open. Where a letterbox has been fitted to a door that did not previously have one, the resident will need to confirm that the new letterbox is suitable for use in fire-resisting doors and has been fitted by a specialist contractor
  • If there has been any alterations or damage to a door’s glazing apertures or air transfer grille
  • Is there any newly fitted, but inappropriate, door furniture?
  • Have any relevant doors been replaced using non-fire-resisting types? Modern fire doors should display a visible fire resistance rating
  • Where needed, relevant fire door signage is in situ?
  • Although unusual, where a double door is installed, that requires one leaf to close before the other, a door selector may be fitted to ensure that the doors swing closed in the correct order. Where such a selector is fitted, this should be checked to ensure that it is operating correctly.

Where defects are reported, it is important that action is taken within an appropriate timescale and that they are not simply left until the next six/three-monthly inspection.

As mentioned above, the information is provided for guidance purposes only. Responsible persons need to decide on suitable and sufficient measures for the specific types of premises they are responsible for.

Written by Robert Grayson, Fire Risk Assessors & Workplace Safety Ltd, Email: fra.grayson@gmail.com, Company Registration Number 10279766 – England, dated 2 September 2023

Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill 2022-23: Affordable Housing and the Infrastructure Levy

This flagship item of legislation is continuing to progress its way slowly through Parliament and is currently at the Report Stage in House of Lords, prior to its 3rd Reading.

This legislation will have a wide ranging impact across England and Wales.  One of the biggest changes will be to Community Infrastructure Levy, which will be retained by Greater London and Wales, but the rest of England will have a new Infrastructure Levy system, which will be non-negotiable and set locally. It will also eventually replace s.106 contributions.

Local Authorities must provide an exemption for Charities, where they would be liable to pay for the development or if the building or structure is to wholly or mainly used for a charitable purpose. They may also provide full or partial exemptions for institutions established for charitable purposes.

The Levy itself can be used for a wider range of “infrastructure” including

(a) roads and other transport facilities, (b) flood defences, (c) schools and other educational facilities, (d) medical facilities, (e) sporting and recreational facilities, (f) open spaces,  (g) affordable housing, (h) facilities and equipment for emergency and rescue services, (i) facilities and spaces which— (i) preserve or improve the natural environment, or (ii) enable or facilitate enjoyment of the natural environment, and (j) facilities and spaces for the mitigation of, and adaption to, climate change.

There may well be scope for further exploration as the definition of affordable housing is given as:

“affordable housing” means— (a) social housing within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, and (b) any other description of housing that IL regulations may specify.

This is an very important clause, as it could well allow almshouses, as community housing to be considered as “affordable housing” for the purposes of receiving funding from the Infrastructure Levy.  The Infrastructure Levy regulations will be made by Statutory Instrument.

The Almshouse Association (with your support) has already been active (see Questions to Parliament ) in trying to get this definition widened for s.106 funding. The latest position from Government is indicating that they wish to leave Local Authorities to decide, however we will push for a clear national position. 

P&G update: 22.08.23

Policy and Governance Update – Qualification for those operating Social Housing

We met with DLUC development team this week who are working on the requirements for qualification of those operating Social Housing following the Social Housing and Regeneration Act 2023.

There are two main areas requiring qualification identified in the Act. Those providing leadership and those providing housing management within an organisation or associated organisation. These are identified within the Act identified as Senior Housing Manager (Level 4) who carries out a series of duties that include: customer service, complaints, lettings, repairs etc and a Senior Housing Executive who has a strategic role (Level 5) more likely to be the CEO or equivalent. Both require a qualification (though this is yet to be defined).

In these discussions we have set out the case that such requirements on trustees would be detrimental to the appointment of and retention of almshouse charity trustees. We have made the case that trustees already have a personal responsibility to the charity and the effective and safe running of the almshouses. We further discussed a typical almshouse structure whereby the “management” may be subcontracted to a part time clerk or firm of surveyors firm and discussed how the requirement for Senior Housing Manager qualifications would work in such circumstances.

It is our view that a requirement for trustees to gain a qualification would be beyond reasonable expectations and that the almshouse model, as a charity structure, should be exempt from this aspect of the legislation.

posted 22 August 2023

MP Briefing

The Association has always encouraged our member almshouse charities, wherever possible, to hold meetings with their local MPs for them to gain an understanding of the issues affecting almshouse charities.

This is something we are especially encouraging at this time as there are a number of regulatory matters that have an adverse effect upon almshouse charities that we are keen to see addressed at both a local and national level.

The issues concerned are set out as follows below and as a download here. We we hope you will find it a helpful briefing note, but please do not hesitate to let us know should you have questions arising.

BRIEFING NOTE:  Regulatory Challenges to The Almshouse Charity Model

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER: The Almshouse Association is seeking for almshouses:

  • to be recognised in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) definition as “affordable housing”
  • to be recognised under the new Community Infrastructure Levy as “affordable housing”
  • to be exempt from new regulation that would challenge the charity structure and spirit of almshouses as embodied in the Social Housing Bill
  • a new appropriate form of regulation fit for small housing charities such as almshouses.

The history and background:  Almshouses, established as a charitable form of social housing in the 10th century, continue to operate as charities providing valuable social housing at a local level, with residents being offered a home based on the terms of the gift of the original benefactor as laid down in the charity’s governing documents.

Almshouse charities today: There are 1,600 almshouse charities operating throughout the UK today providing safe, comfortable homes to some 37,000 people in need. Most almshouses are small communities comprising less than 20 dwellings and while residents live independently, they are also part of a community where there is help and support in the background which may be called upon in times of need.

Almshouses are affordable housing for people in need and often operate within a specified geographical boundary. In some cases, the charities cater for a specified group of people, defined for example by age, sex and, in some instances, those who have been employed in certain industries and are now retired. While the majority of almshouse charities are for older people, the almshouse movement is progressive and there are increasing examples of new charities being established for younger people and families.    

 How almshouse charities operate: Almshouses operate under charity law, are regulated by the Charity Commission and abide by the guidance of The Almshouse Association in its manual, Standards of Almshouse Management (“SAM”)which was produced in conjunction with the Association’s legal advisors, Stone King and in consultation with the Regulator of Social Housing. SAM provides a robust set of standards, processes and procedures, policies and templates that set out legal and good practice examples which are subject to regular review by Stone King.

Almshouse charities also comply with legal obligations such as those required by the Health and Safety regulations, the Trustee Act, the Charities Act and overarching duties such as safeguarding within the Care Act. Almshouse charities are managed and led by voluntary trustees and do not operate under the Landlord and Tenant Act. As opposed to Assured Shorthold Tenancies, almshouse residents, who are beneficiaries of the charity, occupy by way of a licence commonly known as a ‘Letter of Appointment’. 

The Regulator of Social Housing: The 2008 Housing and Regeneration Act established the Regulator of Social Housing. The Act states that Government funding through Homes England (and other funding bodies such as the Greater London Authority) could only be used to support “affordable housing” defined as Regulated Housing such as Housing Associations.

Almshouses are a form of affordable housing and are often the most affordable form of housing available in the area. Residents do not pay rent but pay a Weekly Maintenance Contribution. The majority of almshouses (80%) are not regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing and therefore cannot access the funds made available to other forms of affordable housing unless they become regulated and, as a result, are subject to regulations not always fit for purpose.

Under the NPPF funding can be made available for affordable housing under Section 106. However, as almshouses are not recognised as affordable housing in the current guidance unless they are registered providers with the Regulator of Social Housing, they are not eligible to receive the funding concerned.  

Almshouses that become Regulated Housing Providers (RHPs): The Regulator of Social Housing is designed for organisations holding over 1,000 units but it is a significant fact that 80% of almshouse charities have less than 20 units. The obligations of being an RHP or Regulated Social Landlord can be extensive, time-consuming, and inappropriate. Out of our membership of 1,600 almshouse charities, 264 have opted to become RHPs in order to access Homes England funding.

Not only is regulation an additional burden on trustees but new policies and obligations for RHPs can challenge the charity status of almshouse charities leading to, we believe, a homogenisation of almshouses in order to fit into the social housing model. This can significantly restrict the ability of trustees to fulfil their objectives, can inadvertently widen the objectives of the charity to mirror small housing associations, and can dilute the model of charity which is locally led under defined objectives.  There is a significant risk that this centuries-old, workable, valuable, charity housing model could disappear.

Right to Buy: Almshouses as charities are exempt from the Right to Buy as trustees currently hold the asset on trust in perpetuity.  It is feared that if they fall under the increasing remit of the Regulator of Social Housing, their defence against Right to Buy would be weakened and could leave charities open to being sold.

What is needed: Almshouse charities to be recognised by local government planning departments as being affordable housing and qualified to access support or land under Section 106 (NPPF).

The same recognition is needed in the drafting of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Almshouses are regulated by the Charity Commission and if a different measure of regulation is to be required in order to access Government funds it should be appropriate to both the scale and structure of these small almshouse charities. Trustees should be allowed to continue to operate under charity law and to fulfil their legal duties and obligations to act in the best interests of their charity and, by definition, their residents.

If you are successful in arranging a meeting with your MP, we would also welcome receiving any feedback.

posted 21 August 23

STOP PRESS – Community housing at heart of Govt housebuilding announcement

On 24 July 2023, both the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak and the Housing & Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove gave commitments to meet the Conservative Government’s target of building 1 million new homes over the course of the current Parliament.

For almshouses, there were a number of specific points to note within these announcements, especially the focus on a more locally and community driven approach to new housebuilding.

  1. “Development should proceed on sites that are adopted in a local plan with full input from the local community, unless there are strong reasons why it cannot.”
  2. “Better use should be made of small pockets of brownfield land by being more permissive, so more homes can be built more quickly, where and how it makes sense, giving more confidence and certainty to SME builders.”
  3. Consultation on Permitted Development Rights, to convert redundant commercial properties in town and city centres to residential.
  4. Establishing the Office for Place in Stoke-on-Trent, a new body to lead a design revolution, ensuring beautiful new homes are built according to a simple design code supported by local people. The Office for Place will support residents to demand what they find beautiful from developers – ensuring every local place is built to reflect the individual local character and beauty of every community across the country.
  5. £800 million allocated from the Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land fund to unlock.

Almshouses have a proud track record of providing focused community housing in line with local needs and as such the announcement could provide greater scope and opportunities for new almshouses.

The Almshouse Association will be carrying out a Census of our member Almshouse Charities this autumn and the information you provide will be key to helping us to help you, by raising awareness of the good work you do for your local communities with Members of Parliament, Local Councils and Councillors.

posted 10 August 2023

Case Study: Solar Panels

At the end of 2022 The Almshouse Association was pleased to be able to respond to a request for a loan from Lord Petre and Puckle Charities to support the installation of solar panels. In addition the Charity was looking to replace their night storage heaters with a new heating system which would be compatible with their drive to solar energy.

David Clark, Chair of the Trustees at Lord Petre and Puckle Charities is sharing with us a case study of their project in 2 parts. In the following article, we learn about the background and installation of the solar panels and their new heating system. The second instalment will hopefully reflect the benefits to the Charity and the residents of their new solar energy system after the best that a UK winter can throw at them!

“The almshouses in Little Burstead, Essex are financed and managed by Lord Petre & Puckle Charities. The terrace of three bungalows was built in 1972 as replacements for the original cottages dating back to the 1920s. They are located within the village conservation area and the project proceeded without the need for planning permission. The pitched roof of the properties faces north/south and south is the preferred orientation for maximum solar panel efficiency.”

Before solar panels were fitted

“In the spring of 2022 at the commencement of the Ukrainian/Russia war the effect on energy costs was so horrendous that we needed to look at ways to significantly reduce this area of our overheads. As the Charity pays for all heating, hot water and communal lighting for the residents, we were greatly impacted by the soaring energy costs.

We conducted an exercise looking at the previous year’s usage which was 22,000 kWhr or 1500 kWhr per month and projecting that forward at the new rates per kW, this would have used 52% of our total income per year – a big problem going forward. In addition to this, we were already contemplating replacing 50-year-old night storage heaters which were very inefficient.

It was decided that we should get quotes for solar panels/batteries and replace the old heating system. We looked at several  companies and chose The Skill Group to work with the Charity on this project.

Initially the cost of such a project looked to be problematic, especially as we explored the possibility of grants but were turned down. However The Almshouse Association came to our rescue and granted our Charity a £40,000 interest-free loan, for which we are extremely grateful.”

With solar panels

“On 6 March this year the scaffolding went up, on 7 March the Skill team arrived and installed all 72 solar panels including bird guards; these are essential to stop the possibility of birds nesting under the panels. On 8 March the scaffolding was removed, all without any inconvenience to our residents. Part 1 of the project completed.

It was decided that the next stage, installing the batteries in the roof voids and the electrical work connecting everything up would be left until the weather was warmer so that we could limit the disturbance to our residents. This part of the project commenced in late April, together with the removal of the old storage heaters and the installation of the new heating system compatible with the solar panel installation. This part of the project took just over a week and was completed most efficiently, with only minor hiccups and very little inconvenience to our residents.

The solar panel installation went live in May and we have generated 7,713 kWhr of energy which is now supplying most of our electricity needs, additionally we are currently selling back to the grid through our electricity supplier, Octopus Energy per day at a price of 15 pence per kW. The amount of energy we have sent back so far is 6,356 kWhr. This sell back will be credited and used against what we will need to buy in during the winter months when the solar panels will not produce as much electricity. Our energy usage has gone from 1,500 kWhr per month to 100kWhr.

The Charity would highly recommend The Skill Group to other almshouses who might be contemplating this type of project. They were extremely personable, understanding, efficient and quick to react to any concerns or issues we had.

The Charity would also like to reiterate its thanks to The Almshouse Association for granting us the loan which has allowed us to complete this project.”

Well done to you all for meeting the challenge head on! We are all looking forward to hearing the second instalment in the new year!

Posted August 2023

Case Study: Lord Leycester Almshouses

Case Study – Almshouses Lord Leycester (Oct 2022)

The Almshouse Association made a loan of £50,000 in Q1 2020 to the Lord Leycester Almshouses. The purpose of the loan was to support funds “To renovate almshouses and provide habitable homes with a focus on needy and wounded service veterans. The almshouses date from the 15th century and require substantial external and internal renovation to make them fit for the 21st century.

Charity Background

The Lord Leycester operates in the Museum and Heritage site sector and often say they are Warwickshire’s answer to the Royal Hospital Chelsea – just smaller and older! The organisation is a Registered Charity in England that provides almshouses for veterans. The buildings are Grade 1 and Grade II listed with a Registered Garden. We are located in the centre of the town of Warwick on the western end of the High Street.

The charity has two aims:

  1. Caring for the collection of nationally significant heritage Grade 1 buildings comprising the Lord Leycester Hospital and the 500 year old registered garden;
  2. The charitable role of maintaining and providing homes for needy and wounded service personnel – a role that it has carried out continuously since 1571.

The Charity’s main source of revenue is from Heritage visitors and Guided Tours, rents from function rooms, filming, rents from properties sub-let, and donations. The Lord Leycester Hospital is open 6 days per week to visitors. In addition, they have eight Brethren living at the site as Charity recipients and four non-Brethren residents who live in the almshouses.

“Seven centuries ago, the Guilds built these medieval buildings as the centre of civic life with a strong philanthropic mission and a space for community events. In the 1500s the buildings became a “Hospital” carrying on the philanthropic tradition by caring for wounded warriors.

Time has seen the Lord Leycester retreat to where it sits today in the shadow of town life.  The ancient buildings need restoring. For seven centuries the Lord Leycester was important as a centre of civic life but time and lack of funds has ravaged the fabric of the building.

The Lord Leycester Hospital is at risk but with investment and a good business plan linked to key conservation management plans that are fully implemented, it can become self-sustaining and restored to its former glory as a centre of gravity in Warwick’s historic community. It also has the potential to add significantly to the economic growth of Warwick.  One of the areas to develop was the upgrading of our almshouses.  We requested a £50,000 loan to begin the work on our almshouses.“

“By 2023 we want to have a strategy in place to undertake mounting Heritage/almshouse repair requirements and be able to offer far more to our Heritage visitors which in turn will also increase our footfall from 5,000 a year to 35,000. This footfall increase will generate more revenue for the Institution and the Town as we attract a greater number of non-local visitors. The Lord Leycester has the potential to take back the position of being active and central to community life in Warwick and to increase its annual footfall.  We also want to upgrade and repair our almshouse residential cottages which are at the core of our charity. “

Q: What challenges were you facing before the project started?

“We could not get ahead of the bow wave on residential repairs and with sub-standard accommodation we were not in position to charge a weekly maintenance contribution.”

Q: Did you source additional funds from other organisations?

“Yes, we received donation funding from the Army Benevolent Fund, Warwick Relief in Need and Thomas Oken Trust.”

Q: What would have happened had you not been successful in receiving a loan or grant from the Association?

“Three cottages would have had to be left unoccupied without the income from the weekly maintenance contribution and we would not have upheld our full responsibility as an almshouse charity.”

Q: Did your project include making renovations to a listed building?

“It was like for like repair in a Listed Building, not renovations.”

Q: On completion of the project what feedback have you received from the residents?

“The cottages are really nice, comfortable and accessible. Our residents love their almshouse – they feel very privileged and protected to live on our site.”

Almshouse living: by the residents

Take a peek into the lives of Hopton’s Almshouse residents…

Hopton’s Almshouses were established in Southwark, London in 1752 and have been continually occupied since. They provide the opportunity for residents of the borough to remain in the heart of the city, actively engaged in the community in which they have lived for most of their lives.

The film on the website of Witherford Watson Mann Architects was commissioned as part of the on-going research into the views of older people on the value of remaining in their existing communities in the heart of busy urban locations. The findings underpin the design being developed by the Architects for a contemporary almshouse for the 21st century to be run by United St. Saviour’s Charity.

Nigel, Shamus and Barry talk about almshouse living and the importance of being able to live in their local community.

Click on the video at the end of the architects webpage below to view….

or to access the video directly

posted courtesy of WWM Architects 8 August 2023

P&G update: 8.8.23 Charity Investments

The Charity Commission has updated guidance on charities and investments.

Published on 1st August 2023, the guidance (known as CC14) has been redesigned to offer greater clarity and to give trustees confidence to make investment decisions that are right for their charity.

The language used in the guidance is clearer and the structure has been updated so that it is shorter and easier to use, and trustees can find the information they need more quickly.

As discussion continues within the sector about charities’ ability to account for factors such as the environmental impact of investments, the guidance makes clearer that trustees have discretion to choose what is best in their circumstances and have a range of investment options open to them – provided they ultimately further the charity’s purposes.

The refreshed guidance follows a Commission ‘call for information’ and consultation on financial investment and reflects a significant High Court judgment on charity trustees’ investment duties (the ‘Butler-Sloss’ case). Trustees can have confidence in the decisions they make when following the guidance, knowing it is up to date and properly reflects the relevant law.

The guidance:

  • includes examples of various issues which may be relevant for trustees to consider when making investment decisions, such as the potential for an investment to conflict with the purposes of the charity, or the reputational impact of an investment decision.
  • lists steps trustees ‘must’ take to be compliant with the law and those trustees ‘should’ do which are strongly recommended as best practice but not legally required.
  • explains that acting in the best interests of a charity is about ensuring that above all else any decision furthers its purposes. It also warns trustees to not allow personal motives, opinions, or interests to affect the decisions they make.
  • incorporates previously separate guidance on social investment and no longer uses terminology that could get in the way of trustees’ understanding, such as ‘ethical investment’, ‘mixed motive investment’ and ‘programme related investment’.

The examples featured in the guidance are designed to help trustees identify the factors that are relevant to their own charity’s situation and then use these to determine how to approach their investment decisions. This should make it easier for trustees to apply the guidance correctly and feel able to justify that the decisions they take are in their charity’s best interests.

posted 8 August 2023