Â鶹Éç has secured £6.4 million from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), bringing significant investment into Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to support the delivery of 205 new social rent homes.Ìý

Working closely with Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, Â鶹Éç successfully secured funding through the WMCA’s Social Housing Accelerator Fund. The fund supports housing providers to increase access to social housing and help meet the growing demand from people in need of secure, affordable homes.Ìý

The grant will support four developments in Shrewsbury,ÌýWellingtonÌýandÌýGobowen, including 76 apartments for people aged 55 and over at William Farr House in Shrewsbury. Together, these developments will provide high-quality, affordable homes for local people.Ìý

Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive at Â鶹Éç, said: “Securing £6.4 million of West Midlands Combined Authority funding is a major boost for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin and demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Mayor Richard Parker and the WMCA.Ìý

“This investment will enable us to deliver 205 much-needed social rent homes and ensure more local people can access safe, secure and affordable housing.Ìý

“We’re committed to attracting investment that benefits our communities, and this funding will have a lasting impact on people and places across the region.”Ìý

The funding supports Â鶹Éç’s ambition to tackle the housing crisis across the region. Over the next five years, the organisation plans to deliver 3,500 new affordable homes across Shropshire, Telford &ÌýWrekinÌýand Staffordshire, creating more housing choice and places people are proud to call home.

Â鶹Éç has been named one of the Top 50 Biggest Builders in the country in an annual survey published by Inside Housing, climbing nine places to 23rd.Ìý

Providing homes and services to around 70,000 people across 33,000 homes in Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford & Wrekin, Â鶹Éç was recognised in the annual ranking of housing associations based on the number of homes delivered in 2025-26.ÌýÌý

During the year, Â鶹Éç helped hundreds of individuals and families find an affordable, high-quality place to call home, including those in urgent housing need and people taking their first step onto the housing ladder.Ìý

The organisation spent £148.6 million in 2025-26 on building new homes and improving existing ones. Completing a total of 709 homes, including 488 for affordable or social rent, 49 low-cost ownership homes and 57 for market sale. Developments included Barnes Court, in Wellington, offering 66 self-contained apartments and 10 bungalows for people aged 55 and over.Ìý

The ranking reflects Â鶹Éç’s ongoing commitment to tackling the housing crisis locally, with plans to build 3,500 new affordable homes over the next five years. This includes a mix of social and affordable housing, low-cost home ownership and initiatives such as rent-to-buy.Ìý

In Rugeley, work has started to transform a former power station site to deliver almost 400 affordable homes. Thirty-eight new homes for social rent and shared ownership are also being built off Cedars Drive in Shrewsbury, along with 31 homes inÌýGobowenÌýand 15 fully wheelchair accessible homes in Telford.ÌýÌý

Wayne Gethings, Chief Executive at Â鶹Éç, said: “We’reÌýreally pleased to be a nationally recognised provider of homes for people who desperately need them across our communities. To have jumped nine places to number 23 is a fantastic reflection of the hard work and dedication of our development team to creating places people are proud to call home. It also highlights the strength of our partnerships with local authorities,ÌýdevelopersÌýand Homes England.Ìý

“We are proud to be a significant regional housing provider with a truly local focus. By working exclusively in Shropshire,ÌýStaffordshireÌýand Telford & Wrekin, we combine the reach and impact of a large organisation with a place-based understanding of the communities we support.â€�Ìý

Following our recent merger, we are introducing our new Â鶹Éç branding to customer surveys.

In the coming weeks, you may receive a survey by text message or email asking for your feedback on our services. These surveys will now be branded with Â鶹Éç, instead of the previous Â鶹Éç or Wrekin Housing Group branding some customers may be familiar with.

This is part of our move to a single, unified identity across the Group. While the branding may look slightly different, the purpose of the survey remains the same – to help us understand your experience and improve the services we provide.

Everything else remains unchanged. You’ll continue to receive the same services from the same teams who know your homes and communities.

How to know your survey is genuine

We understand that receiving new-looking messages can feel unfamiliar.

Remember:

• Surveys will only be sent following a recent interaction, such as a repair or service visit
• Messages will not ask for sensitive personal or financial information
• The branding will include Â鶹Éç
• You can always contact us to check its authenticity if you are unsure

If you have any doubts about a message you receive, please get in touch with us before responding.

Your feedback is important to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

Following our recent merger, we are bringing together our services under a new Â鶹Éç brand.

A man whoÌýwas choosing betweenÌýkeeping up withÌýhis bills orÌýpaying forÌýfoodÌýand heatingÌýhas urged other peopleÌýfacing money worries to ask for support.Ìý

TonyÌýRogers, from Shrewsbury,Ìýsaid his problems started to escalate when he was forced to give up work due to ill health. He was then hit with a bedroom tax shortfall which left him struggling to keep up with essential bills.Ìý

Priotising paying his rent and council tax,Ìýthe 66-year-oldÌýwouldÌýoftenÌýgo without food and heating to avoid falling into arrears.ÌýThis caused his mental health to suffer andÌýimpactedÌýhis existing medical conditions.Ìý

Tony said: “It was when I had to give up work that things started to escalate. As time went on the money started to dry upÌýand the bedroom tax really punished me.Ìý

“It was a decision between paying bills or heating and eating. Which one do you do? I opted to pay my billsÌýand council taxÌýas IÌýdidn’tÌýwant to go into debtÌýand heatingÌýand eatingÌýfell by the wayside.â€�Ìý

A turning point for Tony came when he rang the Samaritans in a moment of despair and they told him aboutÌýÂ鶹Éç’s money advice team, which offers free financial support for tenants.Ìý

Tony wasÌýadvised to popÌýinto the group’s nearby community hub, inÌýCastlefields, where he metÌýone of the team’s employment and money advisors, EdgeÌýAbboh.Ìý

Edge said: “TonyÌýis a traditional and proud man whoÌýdidn’tÌýwant to fall into arrears. He popped into the hub to ask about ourÌýadviceÌýand I spent time building that rapportÌýwith him, he was worried about taking up too much of myÌýtimeÌýbut I explainedÌýthat’sÌýwhatÌýwe’reÌýhere for.â€�Ìý

Edge carried out a full assessment of Tony’s financial circumstances toÌýidentifyÌýareas where his income could be improved and his outgoings reduced.Ìý

Edge was able to reinstate Tony’s Housing Benefit, to make sure his rent would be covered, as well as applying for Attendance AllowanceÌýto supportÌýTony’sÌýadditionalÌýneeds. He alsoÌýhelped him to completeÌýonline applications for his State Pension and Pension Credit.Ìý

Tony said: “It wasÌýan eye openerÌýfor me. Edge was so knowledgeable about what I was entitled to.Ìý

“I’dÌýnever even thought about Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance and within four to five weeks of seeing him I had everything through and it was amazing.â€�Ìý

The team was able to help maximise Tony’s income so that he is no longer forced to sacrifice essentials such as food and heatingÌýtoÌýbe able toÌýpayÌýhis bills.Ìý

Tony said: “I wishÌýI’dÌýgotten help sooner. I wasÌýgoing through terrible stress, almost afraid to go out for years.ÌýÌý

“In the end I just had to do something.â€�Ìý

Now more than 12 months after Tony first popped into theÌýCastlefieldsÌýCommunity Hub, his mental health has improvedÌýhugelyÌýandÌýhe has peace of mind knowing he has the security, stability, and confidence to manage his circumstances more effectively.Ìý

Tony said: “As soon as my money comesÌýthroughÌýI go and spend £15 a week on electric and gas, somethingÌýI’veÌýnever been able to do before.Ìý

“It’sÌýtaken a lot of stress off my shoulders andÌýI’mÌýable to sleep better at night.â€�Ìý

Tony is now urging anyone else worried about money to ask for help.Ìý

He added: “IfÌýyou’reÌýstruggling to keep up with your rent or your bills, approach your landlord or supplier first. It soon builds up and they may be able to work with you.â€�Ìý

Edge says he has seen a dramatic change in Tony.Ìý

He said: “I dread to think what would have happened if TonyÌýdidn’tÌýcome in to see us.Ìý

“He still pops into theÌýhubÌýand you can seeÌýthat allÌýthe tension and pressureÌýhasÌýbeenÌýreleased off his shoulders. He seems a lot more stress free.â€�Ìý

If you are a Â鶹Éç customer struggling to gain employment, unsure what benefits you could be entitled to or finding it hard to manage your money, the Employment and Money Advice Service is here to help.ÌýÌý

Customers can contact the team by calling 0800 048 8955, completing theÌýreferral formÌýor by dropping into one of theÌýcommunity hubs.

Prices that most of us pay for gas and electricity will fall by 6.7% on average from the start of April.

Â鶹Éç’s debt and energy manager Dan Bebbington talks us through the details.

This is the first time since last summer that energy bills will have fallen, and will result in a saving of £117 annually – around £10 per month – for those using a typical amount of gas and electricity.

Energy regulator Ofgem yesterday confirmed that the energy price cap – the maximum amount most people can be charged per unit of gas and electricity on a standard tariff – will reduce by 6.7% for the average household. In real terms, this works out as an annual bill reduction of £117 to £1,641.

It comes following the Government’s previous Autumn Budget, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced changes to cut certain energy-related levies off consumer bills and instead, into general taxation.

Although this announcement brings some welcome breathing space for many of us, it is important to remember that your discount will depend on the size and type of your household, and its energy usage.

To understand how your bill will change, you’ll need to look at new standing charges and unit prices, for electricity and gas – and compare this to your typical usage. There are online calculators that can work this out for you.

In addition to the reduction in energy bills from April, standing charges are also set to fall, with the Government announcing earlier this month that it would cut the cost of standing charges by moving costs associated with the Warm Home Discount and on to energy unit rates instead.

Standing charges – which is a fixed daily amount that you pay on your energy bill, even if you don’t use any – currently stand at around £328 of the average annual energy bill. From April, this will fall slightly to £315.

It is also worth noting that you can save 14% compared to the current price cap by fixing – and fixing gives you certainty over what you’ll be paying, rather than waiting to see what the price cap does each quarter.

However, with that said – most fixes are expected to fall by a similar amount to the price cap from April, as the energy savings announced in the Autumn Budget are expected to be passed on to fixes too, meaning the current level of savings you will see are likely to be around the same (or even a little higher) come April.

You can visit moneysavingexpert.com for up-to-date information, as well as comparison sites such as GoCompare and Uswitch are also useful for finding deals that best work for you.

If you are concerned about your energy bills or usage, speak to your energy supplier or a charity such as Marches Energy Agency, LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partners) and National Energy Action.

Â鶹Éç’s customers can also contact our dedicated Energy Advisor, in partnership with the Cadent Foundation, for advice and support.

On Tuesday, between 8:45am and 11:15am, we’ll be making a few temporary adjustments to our customer services so we can focus on improving how we support you.

During this short time:

• Our phone lines will be redirected, but we’ll still be here for emergency and essential repairs.
• Our receptions will be closed, reopening as normal from 11:15am.

All other services will be back to normal straight after.

Thank you for your understanding – and for bearing with us while we make sure we continue to deliver the best service possible.

Â鶹Éç has helped support a baby bank as it moves into its new headquarters in Shrewsbury.Ìý

Little Stars works to ensure babies and children across Shropshire have access to the essentials they need at every stage of childhood such as nappies, equipment,ÌýclothingÌýand school items.ÌýÌý

Due to increasing demand, it has now moved into its own dedicated building on Battlefield Enterprise Park to allow it to upscale its operations and to continue providing this much-needed service for families.Ìý

To help cover setup costs and make the new building comfortable for staff and volunteers, Â鶹Éç donated £2,000 to the charity.Ìý

Founder and chief executive of Little Stars, Leanne Simcoe, said: “That support meant I was able to invest in the essential health and safety work needed in our new premises. We were also able toÌýpurchaseÌýitems for the staff kitchen, buy fleeces to keep our volunteers warm in the warehouse, and fund marketing materials so people can find us easily and know where we are.Ìý

“It was great to have that pressure lifted because it was core funding for us.â€�Ìý

The new premises will be used as an office and storage warehouse, and Leanne is looking for volunteers who would like to help organise the new space.Ìý

Leanne added: “In terms of volunteering,Ìýwe’veÌýjust moved into our new premises, so our focus is on sorting the stock we already have and organising it into categories such as spring and summer.ÌýÌý

“It’sÌýabout being more granular with the sorting so we can work more efficiently. Once everything is organised,Ìýwe’llÌýknow exactly what we need and can reach out to the community for those donated items.â€�Ìý

Housing Plus group’s Money Matters team works closely with Little Stars to help support tenants who may be struggling to afford essentials for their children.Ìý

Â鶹Éç’s Social Value and Inclusion Manager, Sam Hine, said: “Our Money Matters team is already linked with Little Stars, and when I met Leanne and she talked me through their aspirations and the move into the new building, it just felt like an obvious choice to support them.ÌýÌý

“They’reÌýmaking a real difference for people who live in our homes, so supporting their work made perfect sense. We hope our support will make a meaningful difference to anyone in need and help ease the pressure for those who may be struggling.â€�Ìý

Â鶹Éç’s My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,ÌýShropshireÌýand Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:ÌýÌýÌýÌý

Anyone who would like to volunteer at Little Stars can emailÌýenquiries@littlestarscharity.org.ÌýYou can also visit theÌýÌýto find out more or access support.Ìý

Â鶹Éç has funded 500Ìýreusable water bottles for patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.Ìý

The grant funding followed an application from Lingen Davies Cancer Support and will help patients to stay hydrated and make their treatment journey a little bit easier.Ìý

Staying hydrated is crucial during radiotherapy, particularly if patients are receiving treatment to the pelvis, as it can improve the accuracy of treatment and help minimise the severity of some side effects. Before starting radiotherapy, people are asked to follow a special diet and to drink plenty of water before each treatment.ÌýÌý

The reusable water bottles support patients to drink the correct amount of fluid for their treatment andÌýmonitorÌýtheir intake, as well as reducing single-use plastic cups and bottles.Ìý

Sophie Crockford, Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser for Lingen Davies Cancer Support, said: “We are delighted to have received funding from Â鶹Éç to provide water bottles for those undergoing radiotherapy treatment. By working closely with NHS staff and patients, we know that something as simple as staying hydrated can help make individual’s cancer treatment journey a little easier. We are proud to offer the water bottles and so grateful to Â鶹Éç for their generous support.”Ìý

Â鶹Éç is also one of 11 organisations who sponsored Telford MP Shaun Davies’ annual Christmas card for 2025. It was supporting Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s £5 million Sunflower Appeal to grow cancer care across the region. The appeal will fundÌýa brand-new cancer centre at Princess Royal Hospital, doubling chemotherapy capacity and bringing vital treatment closer to home for Telford patients.Ìý

Kevin Davies, Head of Neighbourhoods at Â鶹Éç, said: “We are delighted that we can support such a fantastic scheme, which not only improves the patient experience but also increases sustainability.Ìý

“We were also really pleased to be one of the sponsors of Shaun Davies’ Christmas Card and hope it helped to spread the word and encourage donations to the Sunflower Appeal this Christmas.â€�ÌýÌý

Â鶹Éç’s My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,ÌýShropshireÌýand Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

You can also find out more about Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s Sunflower Appeal and how to support the campaign by visiting:ÌýÌý

While many families will be unwrapping presents and enjoying festive meals, dedicated workers from Â鶹Éç will be spending their Christmas Day making sure others are cared for, safe and supported.

From carers and nurses to chefs, plumbers and electricians, these colleagues are putting their own celebrations aside to ensure residents and customers have the best possible Christmas.

At William Street in Stoke-on-Trent, support worker Nichola Walker will be pulling out all the stops to ensure residents enjoy their Christmas. Instead of spending time with her family, Nichola will be helping residents with basic needs – including meal preparation, administering medications and being a friendly face to talk to.

Nichola said:

“Working in our residential schemes over Christmas is just like when you’re at home, we just make it really homely. It’s quite rewarding, especially when they don’t go and spend the day with their families. We’re like their families and they rely on us to make it special for them. It means a lot to them to know we’re there, and to see their little faces when they open their presents, it’s just lovely.â€�

In Church Stretton, care assistant Agnes Makotose will be assisting residents at The Sandford nursing home with their personal care and making sure their needs are met.

Agnes said:

“Working in care is more than a career for me, especially here, you get to know each and every person; their needs, their likes and dislikes, it’s more like a second family. The residents appreciate you so much, even if they can’t say it verbally, you can tell by their facial expressions and body language.

“It’s important that the residents know that someone will be there for them, whether their family visits or not. Sometimes family members may not be able to come for Christmas, but they know we’ll be there for their loved ones.�

Chef manager Jamie Thompson will be up before dawn preparing Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for residents and their families at Withywood, an extra care schemes in Shrewsbury.

Jamie said:

“The prep starts on Christmas Eve, and I’ll be in the kitchen around 5am on Christmas Day. Working on Christmas Day is nothing new for me. I did it a lot in my previous job. Many of the residents may not be able to see their family over Christmas so we try to make it as special as we can for them. It’s hard being away from my family on Christmas Day, but we will celebrate with each other on Boxing Day.�

Christmas Day doesn’t mean a break for essential repairs. Senior Electrician Roger Gayes, from Leek, will once again volunteer to work on Christmas Day, ready to respond to urgent electrical issues that could pose safety risks. Last year, Roger was called out to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire hazard.

Roger explained:

“I got called out last year to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire risk. It was about 4pm, so I’d had my Christmas dinner and I was watching the new Wallace and Gromit film when I got the call out, but I was able to rewatch it when I got back.

“It makes me feel good helping someone out, even on a normal working day, but on Christmas Day people are really thankful. Many of our customers are elderly and don’t have family nearby, so we’re almost like a social service too.�

In Shropshire, Advanced Craft Plumber Ryan Jones will be on call for the first time on Christmas Day. Ryan and his team can be called upon for a range of urgent tasks, from plumbing to joinery, ensuring that any disruption to customers’ festive plans is kept to a minimum.

Ryan said:

“I’m a big one for spending time with family over Christmas, but I’ll be there to help people and make sure their Christmas isn’t spoiled by an emergency.�