Clarion Housing Group invested a record £631m in new homes and regeneration during 2025/26, as its operating surplus climbed to £289m, the landlord has announced.
The housing association has published its audited Annual Report and Accounts for the year, reporting an operating surplus up from £232m the previous year, while net surplus increased to £148m, up from £82m.
The stronger financial performance enabled Clarion to invest at scale in resident services, new-build development and improvements to its existing stock.
Clarion completed 1,466 homes during the year – more than 80% for “affordable” tenures – in what it described as a challenging development market. Its development pipeline grew to more than 22,800 homes.
Among the year’s schemes, Clarion’s development arm, Latimer, submitted a planning application for the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, a masterplan for 7,750 new homes east of Colchester, with at least 30% to be affordable.
Alongside new development, Clarion invested £453m improving and maintaining its existing homes, including £161m through its proactive capital investment programme.
Resident satisfaction stood at 85.6% for the year, with repairs satisfaction at 91.1%. The group said it generated £156m in social value through resident services spanning wellbeing and money guidance, employment support and specialist safeguarding provision.
The results cover the year of Clarion’s most recent inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing, in which the group retained its G1 governance grade, achieved an upgraded V1 viability grade and received a C2 consumer grade.
Clare Miller, chief executive of Clarion Housing Group, said: “This has been a strong year for Clarion. Our improved operating surplus has allowed us to invest at record levels in both new and existing homes, delivering for residents today while building for the future.
“We published our Five New Giants of Opportunity report this year, setting out a long-term vision for what social housing must do to address the defining challenges facing our residents and communities, and that thinking now sits behind a refreshed set of strategies for our people, our residents, our homes and our business.
“From the progress we’re making on resident satisfaction, to creating schemes like our Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, this year shows what a financially strong, purpose-led housing association can deliver at scale.”
Mark Hattersley, Clarion’s chief financial officer, said: “These financial results demonstrate the underlying strength of Clarion’s business model. Operating surplus grew to £289m and net surplus nearly doubled to £148m, giving us the platform to invest more in new and existing homes.
“The development market remains difficult, and that has affected the number of new homes we were able to complete this year. Despite that, we are proud to have delivered 1,466 new homes and to hold a pipeline of more than 22,800 homes for the future.
“None of this would be possible without our colleagues, whose work delivering repairs, supporting residents and managing our homes underpins everything achieved in these results. I would also like to thank our residents for the trust they continue to place in us as their landlord.”
Image credit: khunkornStudio/Shutterstock
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