The winners of the Northern Housing Awards 2025 were announced at a glittering awards ceremony in Manchester last week, where the sector revealed its best qualities
Dare we suggest that on the night of the Northern Housing Awards, the overall winner turned out to be the event’s charity partner – the Manchester Foundation Trust (MFT) Charity.
The charity raises funds for – among others – the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, one of the largest and busiest of its kind in the country. It works to ensure that children and young people receive the very best treatment in the very best facilities.
Well, it is certainly a worthy cause – all the Northern Housing Awards charity partners are – but there’s surely something especially poignant about ensuring children get the best possible care.
Thanks to the staggering generosity of guests, a whopping £13,500 was raised to support the charity’s aims; by far the most since the event launched in 2018.
So, hats off to the guests representing their organisations and industry last week; they made a personal demonstration of social purpose. Much obliged!
The money was raised through a mix of donations, and a charity raffle. Prizes for the latter were two hospitality tickets to the England v South Africa IT20; an abseil experience for two at the Hyatt in Manchester; a two-night Luxury Getaway Experience Gift Box for two; and a Meta Quest 3S All-In-One Mixed Reality Headset. An auction to win a further prize of a holiday package served to boost the overall donations raised.
As ever, the Northern Housing Awards serves to recognise the individuals, organisations and their partners who are striving to make a difference. It’s about shining a light on what is being done, and applauding the sector’s achievements.
Not everyone takes home a prize, of course; there’s no competition in that, but the event showcases those who are leading by example, and demonstrating the very best of what the sector has to offer.
Over the years, the Northern Housing Awards has been growing from strength to strength. This year’s event was no exception. Indeed, 2025 has proved a record occasion, with over 700 guests it was the largest thus far, and it received the highest ever number of entries.
The quality of nominations also proved outstanding; the judges certainly had their work cut out deliberating over the winning entries.
Taking place at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, there were 25 categories to announce on the night, but host Justin Moorhouse ran a tight ship.
As a highly successful comedian, he also did a stint of stand-up for the audience, leaving them in stitches, before getting down to the serious business of the night.
After show entertainment was provided by Level Up, one of Manchester’s top party bands. With an amazing female singer, the band brought the guests to the dance floor, where they let their hair down to a foot-tapping ensemble of tunes.
Lastly, before we turn to the night’s winners, let’s give a note of thanks to the event’s sponsors: TCW, Altair, Casey Group, Constructive Thinking, Devonshires, Fortem, Jewson, Re:Gen Group, Seddon, and Stanley Land & Homes.
Thanks also to everyone who submitted nominations and otherwise took part in the event – you make it all possible.
And now, over to the winners…
The winners of the Northern Housing Awards 2025
Best Resident Safety Initiative
Winner: ProCare Limited
Comment: The judges said that The Fit for Our Future initiative has delivered measurable improvements in resident safety, dignity, and independence through the proactive integration of discreet, multi-functional home adaptations. A good example of solving safety issues using innovation and resident engagement.
Excellence In Company Culture & Employee Development
Sponsored by RE:GEN North West
Winner: Community Gateway Association Ltd
Comment: The judges all agreed that Community Gateway is a positive inclusive workplace and that it was a strong entry with some great data outcomes, there was also good attention to stigma, improvement to services and feedback from staff and tenants.
Supported/Sheltered Housing Scheme Of The Year
Winner: Great Places Housing Group
Comment: Our judges thought that Docherty House demonstrated exceptional impact through its unique and inclusive harm reduction model, directly benefiting residents struggling with homelessness and alcohol misuse. All judges thought that with 100% of customers moving on to sustain their tenancies for good, this really was a worthy winner.
Regeneration Scheme Of The Year
Winner: Livv Housing Group
Comment: The judges commented this was a great mix of contemporary development and restoration of a listed building, delivering a thoughtful estate developed around the wide needs of the community, especially older residents.
Best Retrofit Initiative Or Project
Sponsored by Constructive Thinking
Winner: Fortem
Comment: The Fortem and Sanctuary Housing retrofit programme at Shiregreen demonstrates an exemplary model of how social housing upgrades can deliver real-world benefits. The judges agreed the outcomes were clear with a great mission around not just upgrading homes but also improving lives, which shone through in this nomination.
Best Resident Support/Wellbeing Initiative
Sponsored by The Casey Group
Winner: Alpha House Calderdale
Comment: Our judges agreed Alpha House delivered a strong service with a difficult client group. The positive approach to the ‘extreme’ end of prison leavers, with sustained support in mental health really made this entry stand out and achieved terrific results!
Best Initiative For Tackling Homelessness
Sponsored by Stanley Land and Homes
Winner: Light for Life Sefton Ltd
Comment: The Judges liked this initiative due to its structured approach and clear positive interventions for support. None of the clients have been evicted, which is testament to their effectiveness in this category, and their innovation in tackling the problems surrounding homelessness.
Best Use Of Technology By A Social Landlord
Winner: Vico Homes
Comment: The judges thought this entry demonstrated a fascinating use of technology from a social angle, reaching communities for mutual benefit. One judge said that Vico Homes focused on digital transformation and this contributed to a more efficient, accessible, and environmentally responsible housing model, which was impressive.
Best Repairs And Maintenance Service
Sponsored by TCW
Winner: Thirteen Housing Group
Comment: Our judges thought this entry showed a clear focus on improved performance and satisfaction figures. By adopting an area-based working model and introducing a dedicated demand team, they’ve significantly enhanced response times and service consistency. One judge summed it up by saying it was a really good submission, with a great approach to innovation.
Best Affordable Housing Development (Up To £5M)
Sponsored by Altair
Winner: Rotherham Borough Council with East Herringthorpe ‘No Gas’ Scheme
Comment: The judges said East Herringthorpe had a great impact for such a modest investment, and the range of house sizes and types was impressive with a clear sustainable element to make this scheme stand out from the rest of the projects under five million pounds.
Best Affordable Housing Development (£5M – £15M)
Sponsored by Altair
Winner: Broadacres Housing Association with Rawthey Meadows in Cumbria
Comment: The Judges agreed this was a careful design for the surroundings and its intended residents. Many also commented it was a clear example of a partnership working together well to deliver the best outcome for people in need, in the local area.
Best Affordable Housing Development (Over £15M)
Sponsored by Altair
Winner: Incommunities with Woodland Bank in Bradford
Comment: The judges made a point of saying all the projects in this category were worthy winners, and it was a close call, but Woodland Bank stood out due to the thoughtfully designed development, which proved popular with potential residents in a high demand area.
Best Digital Transformation
Winner: Livin Housing Limited
Comment: Our judges thought Livin Housing provided an impressive example of a truly transformational project. The hard work is quantified, the engagement is measured and the output is clear. Great work Livin!
Best Approach To Decarbonisation
Sponsored by Jewson Partnership Solutions
Winner: Energy Innovation Agency
Comment: The judges commented that this was a good collaboration to accelerate carbon reduction and a great idea, which had impressive figures, and was a good example of a truly innovative partnership approach.
Professional Services Partner Of The Year
Winner: Vantage Business Solutions
Comment: The judges thought that Vantage had some really good testimonials in the submission and they provided a good understanding of the challenges they are facing on behalf of their client partners. Vantage also provide landlords with practical solutions to improve efficiency, enhance tenant satisfaction, and optimise service delivery well.
Technology Partner Of The Year
Winner: Plentific
Comment: The judges said that Plentific’s AI-driven property management platform is a game-changing digital transformation for the housing sector, enabling automated repairs, real-time work order tracking, and smarter decision-making for landlords. Their collaboration with major housing providers such as Anchor, Guinness Partnership, and Stockport Homes demonstrates their commitment to improving efficiency and resident experience.
Home Builder Of The Year
Winner: Great Places Housing Group
Comment: The judges said that Great Places championed a Modern Method of Construction and involved the communities they build for, engaging the potential residents from the outset. One judge also went further to say that this is an example of a developer pushing itself to think and build differently for the benefit of diverse communities.
Highly commended: John Southworth Homes
Contractor Of The Year
Winner: The Casey Group
Comment: The judges said there was a real focus with Casey on social value, training and building safety. It was clear that Casey is undoubtedly a sound organisation with some solid projects under its belt. One judge said Casey is a force for good in the construction industry and blends operational excellence with measurable social and environmental impact. A truly first class submission.
SME Of The Year
Winner: A Slater & Son
Comment: The judges noted that there was a clear focus on damp and mould and A Slater and Son had some really positive resident feedback. One judge commented that it was a heart-warming entry, and a family-run dedicated company that had impressively improved performance metrics, notably eliminating overdue repairs and achieving 100% resident satisfaction.
Supply-Chain Partner Of The Year
Winner: Jewson Partnership Solutions
Comment: The judges commented that Jewson showed excellent use of partnership to drive quality and cost benefits for members, and used technology well in their industry, creating clear benefits for their customers. This was agreed by all to be a very impressive submission.
Northern Housing Partnership Of The Year
Winner: Housing Employment Network North East (HENNE)
Comment: The judges commended the HENNE partnership as an outstanding example of a housing collaboration delivering real, measurable impact on employability and economic resilience. HENNE has created a scalable, sustainable employment support model. Their programmes provide tailored pathways into work, ensuring social housing tenants have access to life-changing opportunities.
Best Customer Experience
Winner: RE:GEN North West & Golden Lane Housing
Comment: The judges said that RE:GEN demonstrates all the award criteria in a small scheme of only 36 tenants, which made the submission a small but mighty example of a tailored service to a specialist housing client group with 100% of tenants giving a very satisfied response to the survey, and RE:GEN will use the learnings found for future work.
Landlord Of The Year
Sponsored by Seddon Partnerships
Winner: Manningham Housing Association
Comment: Our judges said that they thought Manningham provided an eclectic range of services to tenants that is unparalleled in the sector. They said that this was a very strong submission with innovation and research in amongst great customer experience, all qualities that are highly respected in any landlord organisation.
Tenant Of The Year
Sponsored by Fortem
Winner: Tausif Mohammed, with Manningham Housing Association
Comment: The judges said Tausif is absolutely inspiring! He has a massive impact on a wide range of people in his community, and his efforts deserve to be recognised. Tausif was described by one judge as an excellent community activist and role model for young people, and one of our judges even asked us to publicly pass on their thanks to him.
Northern Housing Team Of The Year
Sponsored by Devonshires
Winner: The Customer Finance Team at Stockport Homes Group
Comment: The judges were impressed by Stockport Homes’ excellent business performance, and within the Customer Finance Team they highlighted their outstanding results for their tenant-sector leading income collection initiative. Their team’s use of innovative technology around rents and arrears is very impressive, utilising AI and machine learning – well done!
Highly commended: The Electrical Team at Believe Housing
Highly commended: The Income Management Team at Vico Homes
Find out more about the Northern Housing Awards here
Read next: Double win for MHA at Northern Housing Awards
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