Introduction
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)".
Since the charitable company qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic Report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
2025/2026 has been a year of development, learning and consolidation for the organisation. The year began with Trustees signing off the 3 Year Organisational Business Plan and accompanying Income Generation Strategy, which align with the organisation's mission;
‘To be a leading provider of housing and support services that empower individuals, promote social inclusion, and foster a strong, supportive community across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’.
This mission is core to the ongoing ambition of Norton to ensure that suitable housing and support are available for those with a long-term mental health diagnosis and for Homeless Women in need of temporary accommodation with or without children.
A significant heavy burden impacting the organisation's future position and capacity is the impending notice on properties currently managed by Norton on behalf of another Housing Association. The first 12-month vacancy notice was received in March 2025. This affected a 7-bed property housing women and children. The loss of these properties has been anticipated by Norton based on previous communications with that Housing Association, and therefore the search for alternative accommodation had already begun and was made a key priority under the organisation's Strategic Priority Area 1 – Securing Our Future.
The year has also seen new forms of engagement with both residents and staff, which have encouraged greater communications, informed new ways of working and supported well-being and personal development through creativity, new partnerships and training opportunities. This has been reflected in our ability to regain our Investors in People Status in September 2025.
Strategic Objectives 2024/25 - Review of Progress/Achievements
Throughout the latter part of 2024/2025 the Chief Executive worked directly with staff, residents and trustees to gain insight and information that would support the formulation of Norton's new Organisational Business Plan. Through many discussions and a Trustee Away Day, the Chief Exec was able to develop a High Value Driver Framework to support the process of honing the plan around 4 Strategic Priority Areas, each with clear and measurable objectives, KPIs and metrics.
Strategic Objectives 2025/26
During 2025/26 agreed strategic objectives were:
Priority Area 1: Securing Our Future - Ensuring long-term sustainability through consolidation, resource optimisation, financial stability, and by expanding our impact.
Throughout this financial year, close financial management has been key. Consistent oversight and quality governance supported by new reporting methods have enabled targets to be monitored, met and exceeded, ensuring financial security and a return to agreed reserve levels.
The most significant burden of potential property losses through the intention of another Housing Association to give notice on properties that Norton manages on their behalf has been a particularly live issue, with notice being served on a 7-bed property. A framework for critically appraising alternative/new properties has been created, and a great deal of effort has gone into viewing and sourcing suitable alternatives. The Chief Exec has also developed relationships with several property investors and is working with investors who have shown good investment in their properties, genuine empathy for Norton’s Service Users, and commitment to our values. Critically, the procurement of a new 7-bed property was achieved, and the movement of residents from two properties to utilise current and new stock was managed successfully in March 2026 by the Housing Team, with support from all members of the Norton team to ensure the least amount of disruption and anxiety for residents.
Void levels have been a challenge throughout the year; however, this is a sector-wide concern, and efforts have been made to expand visibility and develop partnerships to increase referrals. The ability to meet targets set for the Support Service has also been impacted and compounded by fluctuating staff levels due to natural turnover and maternity leave.
The beginning of 2025 saw the start of a new part-time Partnerships and Communications Executive role with the organisation. This role has made a positive contribution to income generation within the year, including £10K from a major home improvements retailer, which funded the relocation of cellar laundry facilities to a much more suitable and accessible space within one of the Women’s Scheme properties. They have also secured support and volunteering from a number of other well-known local and national organisations, which included providing planting, garden development, Easter Eggs and Christmas Gifts for residents, and contributions to the official Frost Court Opening.
Priority Area 2: Enhancing Our Services – Refining and developing our current service offers to promote independence, resilience, and resident satisfaction.
Within the year, the Chief Exec prepared an Organisational Asset Maintenance Plan, which was signed off by trustees at the beginning of 2026, to ensure all supported housing properties and associated assets owned and managed by Norton Housing and Support are maintained to a high standard of safety, compliance, and quality. The plan provides a structured and strategic approach to planned and reactive maintenance, capital investment, and environmental obligations, ensuring long-term viability for the properties and quality of life and tenancy for our residents.
Alongside this, the Head of Housing and Resident Services has developed an Asset Management Register, which has been shared with trustees. The Register is a comprehensive working document that compiles all aspects of asset management to ensure clarity of timescales and budgets and allows the Organisational Management Team (OMT) and Trustees to have clear and up-to-date data on the condition of current stock and how the team is delivering on the Consumer Standards Regulations.
This year has also seen a marked improvement in Resident Satisfaction with an 8% increase in satisfaction levels as recorded within the Tenant Satisfaction Measures. Throughout the year, several new Enrichment Activities have been presented and well received by Residents and Service Users, which have also been incorporated within the delivery of new support structure through Activity-Based Group Support sessions that increase social engagement, new skills development, healthy eating, exercise, creativity and mindfulness for our supported housing residents.
A further achievement within this year has been the reaccreditation of Investors In People Status, marking 13 consecutive years of commitment to developing and supporting our people since first achieving accreditation in 2012. It was noted by the assessor that despite a period of significant change — including the retirement of the former Chief Executive after 37 years and the completion of a major building project — the organisation continues to demonstrate strong leadership, resilience, and a deeply values-driven culture.
Key highlights shared were that the new Chief Executive and restructured OMT had created stability, clarity, and enthusiasm, working effectively with Trustees and embodying the organisation’s values of partnership, integrity, respect, inclusivity, empowerment, and person-centred care. Most importantly, 100% of staff rated Norton as a “good” or “great” place to work, with 74% choosing “great” or better and consistently described a supportive, inclusive, and empowering workplace.
Priority Area 3: Enabling Our People - Empowering residents and staff through personal development, training, and advocacy initiatives to foster a supportive environment.
The ‘In this Together’ Resident Forum has continued to meet quarterly to discuss key service delivery trends, opportunities and concerns and to gain critical feedback that can help inform the delivery and development of services. For the first time, all (Mental Health) Supported Housing residents were offered the opportunity of an ‘Away Day’ to Abbey Grange for a day of mental wellbeing activities and an ‘Ask the Trustees’ session, which was attended by a mix of 18 residents from our Support HMO and Supported Independent Flat, 4 trustees and 6 staff members and was incredibly well received across the board. It is anticipated that this will become an annual event.
Regular outings have returned this year to encourage social engagement and reduce isolation for residents. This has included a holiday to Centre Parcs for some residents and several days out throughout the year, including a trip to the seaside and, of course, the annual Christmas party, which was another great success.
To support staff and team development, a clear matrix of training needs was developed and delivered, including training in Trauma-Informed Practice, Team Formulation, Health and Safety, Awaabs Law, and Safeguarding. This has been delivered through a mixture of online, face-to-face, internal peer-to-peer training and external training agents. Key members of the team also received donated professional training by a local leading digital agency on increasing the visibility of the organisation’s website online.
Additionally, two senior team members have also embarked on and are working hard towards achieving professional development qualifications within their fields, specifically related to HR and Finance.
Clinical Supervision has been reintroduced this year to provide Support Service Team Members with group supervision to support their own mental well-being. Providing a safe and non-judgmental opportunity to share, learn and decompress. This has been provided by an external Clinical Psychologist on behalf of Norton and takes place every 6 six weeks and has been very well received by the staff team, with 100% positive feedback.
This year, we also held an All Staff Away Day, which was an opportunity for all staff to be away from delivering their day-to-day jobs and spend the day in a relaxed and non-formal environment. The day provided opportunities for connection, creativity, collective learning, and contribution towards the Strategic Priorities set within the organisational business plan. The day was well received, and it was agreed that quarterly All Staff meetings would be introduced to enable that continued connection and learning. These meetings have taken place with topical themes. The Chief Exec has ensured each meeting has been engaging and reflective, providing learning and co-production opportunities, and has followed up with a short Team Meeting Round-Up Newsletter to provide reminders, share further information and encourage continued engagement.
Priority Area 4: Building Our Profile - Increasing visibility and community engagement to attract funding, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for vulnerable groups
The focus for the past year has been to enhance the organisations Social Media presence and content, combined with a review and update of the website. This has resulted in an upward trend in interactions and followers throughout the year, which is a positive step towards increasing Norton’s visibility to raise awareness of the charity's aims and work, which aims to be a springboard for public advocacy, volunteering and fundraising.
The Partnerships & Communications Executive has also created a suite of promotional assets that have brought the brand and its communications up to date and enabled a more vibrant and clear presence during networking opportunities and events that have been attended throughout the year. This has included an Annual Impact Report, which also celebrated Norton’s 40th Anniversary year and shared the journey of Norton and real impactful stories from Service Users. These assets have been well received and enabled a good opportunity to share the breadth, stability, resilience and longevity of the organisation's work in Leicester and Leicestershire over the past 40 years.
The Chief Exec has also attended various sector-focused strategic meetings and partnerships, alongside local Networking Opportunities to ensure Norton is at the forefront of strategic City & County developments and consultations. Alongside this, Business Networking events attended by the Chief Exec and P&C Exec have helped to build Norton’s profile, and the charity has formed new partnerships that have resulted in volunteering and donations that have supported resident wellbeing and engagement opportunities, relationships that will continue to be nurtured and developed
Pay Policy for Senior Staff
The board of directors, who are the charity’s trustees, consider themselves and the management team to comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing, controlling, running and operating it on a day-to-day basis. All directors give of their time freely, and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors’ expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in the notes to the accounts. The pay of senior staff is reviewed annually (as is the case with all other managerial, administrative and support staff).
Quality Assurance
Norton Housing and Support is determined to ensure the provision of a high-quality service and is committed to ongoing quality improvement. A quality assurance strategy is in place.
Norton Housing and Support endorse the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Mental Health Charter and Homelessness Charter, and has worked hard to develop its Residents Involvement Strategy. Following the organisation’s adoption of the National Housing Federation’s Tenants’ Charter, a new Residents’ Panel, In This Together, was established to more formally involve residents in scrutiny, planning and decision-making processes. Since its inception in late 2021, the Group has met sixteen times with a variety of different residents having been involved. A core group of around 7 residents regularly attend.
Norton Housing and Support achieved reaccreditation of its Investors in People status in 2025. In the report, the Assessor noted that Norton Housing and Support continues to excel as a people-focused organisation, operating beyond the baseline Standard despite recent challenges. The assessment highlights a motivated workforce, strong leadership, and a deep sense of belonging.
Over the past year, all new staff have received reformulated inductions and training that have aimed to provide a consistent, informative and welcoming environment that enables them to fulfil their roles from the get-go and all staff have received training relevant to their roles, which has included First Aid, Safeguarding, Trauma Informed Practice, Health and Safety and Awaab’s Law.
The organisation is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its staff who represent our greatest asset. To support this all the Support Service Staff have been provided with Group Clinical Supervision every 6 weeks and the Housing Team have also begun receiving the same at the beginning of 2026.
The Chief Exec has maintained the ongoing support of the independent HR Advisor, who provides support with more complex staffing concerns; this has ensured a safe and supported process and adherence to the correct operational procedures and policies. OMT and Trustees have also played a critical role in reviewing and updating the organisation's Policy Suite to ensure that they align with the current work environment and legislation. We have also reviewed the procurement of the current basic health plan for staff to ensure that it continues to offer the right range of benefits for all staff.
Public Benefit Statement
The Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit by the Charity Commission in carrying out their roles.
All the activities carried out by Norton Housing and Support are in line with our charity's primary objectives, which support our organisational mission – ‘To enhance the lives of our service users through person-centred support services, advocacy, and sustainable housing solutions, ensuring every person has the opportunity to thrive’.
The direct beneficiaries of our Independent Living Support (ILS) accommodation-based service are vulnerable adults with ongoing mental health needs, and/or a learning disability, living in Leicester, and their carers. Our residents receive personalised support to enable them to develop their daily living skills, better manage their mental health, increase social inclusion and maintain a safe, secure and decent home.
As care and support is person centred, residents are able to progress at their own pace. Individual residents play a full role in agreeing the support package they require in order to meet their needs, realise their potential and achieve their aspirations. Norton Housing and Support already monitored outcomes for residents, but in 2016/17 an externally evaluated and accredited SROI initiative enabled us to better demonstrate our effectiveness in supporting residents to achieve agreed outcomes. The report also demonstrated that for every £1 spent, Norton Housing and Support achieves between £8 and £12 in social value (at 2016/17 prices).
Norton Housing and Support enables residents to maximise their independence, and many have felt able to move on to more independent living, generally in their own supported flat. We assist those residents wanting to move on and, in some cases, continue to offer support. To facilitate this, Norton Housing and Support developed its own supported flats schemes, which enable residents to move to their own tenancy, whilst continuing to receive intensive housing management support. Our new Frost Court scheme has enabled the organisation to broaden its reach and provide supported accommodation services to those in the Blaby district.
Our Personal Assistant Service enables us to provide a service to both existing residents moving to their own flats, as well as people living in the community.
Since 2018, Norton Housing and Support has also provided supported accommodation for women at risk of homelessness, with or without their children. The service enables women to move on to their own tenancy. Due to high demand, in 2022 the number of places were increased from 7 to 14 through the provision of an additional property.
Norton Housing and Support strives to ensure fair and equal access to its services and receives referrals from a range of organisations. Referrals for our mental health support services are received via health and social services professionals, local voluntary and community sector organisations and from homelessness services. Self-referrals are also accepted. We work closely and effectively with involved health and social care professionals to ensure a well-co-ordinated and integrated package of care and support is available to each resident.
With the development of new services for women at risk of homelessness, close working relationships have been developed with local Housing Options and homelessness services, who regularly either signpost women to the scheme, or refer them directly.
Norton Housing and Support reviews its charges on an annual basis and strives to ensure they are fair and provide value for money. The vast majority of residents are eligible for benefits, with Housing Benefit and Personal Independent Payments covering service and support charges. The weekly ineligible charge, which individual residents are responsible for paying, is generally met by Personal Independence Payments, Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit.
Strategic Objectives 2026/27
During 2026/27 our agreed strategic objectives remain the same in accordance with our 3 year business plan. These have KPI’s and Metrics against them which are monitored every quarter. All staff members have their own independent Objectives and Deliverables assigned to them, which are associated with one of the Organisational Goals that are in turn aligned with the Strategic Priorities provided below:
1) Securing Our Future - Ensuring long-term sustainability through consolidation, resource optimisation, financial stability, and by expanding our impact.
a. Key Objectives;
i. Ensure Quality financial management & financial sustainability of all services
ii. Provide consistent & high-quality support & PA services
iii. Consolidate and grow our accommodation offerings
iv. Diversification of income streams
2) Enhancing Our Services – Refining and developing our current service offers to promote independence, resilience, and resident satisfaction.
a. Key Objectives;
i. Ensure high quality of all homes managed and owned by NH&S
ii. Invest in technology and communication tools
iii. Enhance feedback methods & broaden the diversity of skills and input
iv. Develop Enrichment Activities and Drop-in Services
v. Ensure accessibility of policies and procedures
3) Enabling Our People - Empowering residents and staff through personal development, training, and advocacy initiatives to foster a supportive environment.
a. Key Objectives;
i. Enhance skills, wellbeing and experiences of all our people
ii. Support service user advocacy
iii. Broaden partnerships for interdependence
iv. Celebrate personal successes
4) Building Our Profile - Increasing visibility and community engagement to attract funding, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for vulnerable groups
a. Key Objectives;
i. Establish a fundraising profile
ii. Grow an advocacy network & supporter community
iii. Build Business Supporter Network
iv. Influence local strategy and policy
v. Celebrate charity successes
By focusing on these areas, we aim to strengthen our community presence, enhance our service delivery, empower our staff and service users, and ensure long-term financial sustainability and a resilient future for the organisation and those we work for and with.
Summary of Activities
Norton Housing and Support became a registered social housing provider in 2011, starting with three renovated flats offering intensive housing support. The charity has since expanded, most notably with Frost Court in Blaby — named after former Chair and co-founder Dr Stephen Frost — which opened in autumn 2024 despite delays caused by a takeover of the construction company. This brought the total to 25 flats and extended the charity's reach into an area of growing need.
The charity supports adults with mental health needs, learning disabilities, or other disadvantages by providing quality accommodation and tailored support. It currently provides Supported Housing for 59 adults across 8 properties in Leicester, Oadby, Wigston, and Blaby, with 34 receiving direct, individually tailored support. A dedicated Housing Officer supports the women's service (14 places, two properties), while Personal Assistants provide similar personalised support across group homes and independent tenancies.
Since 2022, Norton has also run twice-weekly Mental Health Drop-Ins (taken over from You in Mind), open to both residents and the wider public.
Mental Health Supported Accommodation Service
During the year, the service received a steady flow of referrals, though the majority did not progress to accommodation, reflecting the specialist and often complex needs the service supports. A small number of residents moved on from the Supported Group Homes or Independent Flats during the year, either to more suitable accommodation or because their needs had changed.
Personal Assistant Service
The Personal Assistant Service received a small number of referrals during the year and continued to work with 13 individuals, adjusting support hours where needed to reflect changing circumstances.
Summary of Personal Assistant activities undertaken to support individuals:
• Maintaining the home
• Developing learning, vocational or social skills/positive interactions
• Managing money
• Developing domestic / life skills
• Establishing social contacts and activities
• Maintaining personal safety and security
• Monitoring of health and wellbeing
• Emotional support, practical advice and liaison
Supported Flats
The Supported Flats service maintained a strong occupancy rate of 96% throughout the year, reflecting continued high demand and effective housing management.
Women’s Scheme
Demand for the Women's Scheme remained strong throughout the year, with referrals rising slightly and more being accepted than in the previous year. As with the wider sector, the number of referrals declined or being withdrawn also increased, reflecting the complexity of needs presented and the limited capacity of the two-property scheme.
Value for Money Metrics
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) requires all Registered Providers with fewer than 1,000 units to report against its Value for Money (VFM) metrics within their statutory accounts. The table below outlines Norton's performance against these metrics.
As a small, specialised provider, Norton's results vary from the sector norm in some areas. For example, the Headline Social Housing Cost per unit sits towards the higher end, reflecting the intensive support costs and social value associated with all of Norton's homes being supported housing.
Metric |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
2025/26 | Sector (2025) |
Reinvestment % (in existing homes and new homes) | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5.4% |
New supply delivered % | 0% | 0% | 43% | 0% | 0.6% |
Gearing % | -31.9% | 36.0% | 24.7% | 14.2% | 0.3% |
Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, Major Repairs, Included (EBIDTA MRI) Interest Cover % | 349% | 11% | 80% | 142% | 232% |
Headline Social Housing Cost Per Unit £ | £9,990 | £13,221 | £11,830 | £14,190 | £15,276 |
Operating Margin % Social housing lettings only | 12.2% 8.4% | -0.4% -4.1% | 3.4% 1.9% | 6.5% 4.4% | 6.8% 10.2% |
Return on Capital Employed % | 3.4% | -1.0% | 0.5% | 4.7% | 3.4% |
The reinvestment % has been 0% for the last 4 years because the buildings are all relatively new and so do not require reinvestment at this stage.
Fundraising
Fundraising has become an increasingly important area of focus for the charity since the appointment of the part-time Partnerships and Communications Executive. Working just three days a week, the role has helped raise Norton's profile, engage local businesses in supporting events, and secure a successful grant application to a major home improvements retailer.
In total, the charity received £12,945 in cash donations, grants and gifts in kind during the year.
Cash donations came from a range of local supporters, most notably a £10,000 grant from a Foundation to fund improved laundry facilities within the Women's Scheme, alongside contributions from a former Trustee, and a community fundraising initiative, which together supported the Resident Away Day and Christmas activities.
We received donations from a number of local and national businesses, who provided vouchers and gifts in kind throughout the year, supporting resident activities, the Frost Court Open Day, and Christmas celebrations.
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details on the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.
2025/26 was another demanding year for the organisation. Notice was received during the year on one of the properties Norton manages on behalf of another provider; suitable alternative accommodation was secured for the affected residents with minimal additional resource, thanks to the commitment of the wider team. That provider has indicated that notice may be served on further properties Norton manages. The leadership team has and continues to source other suitable properties to mitigate that potential loss
Rising costs of living and the introduction of new Consumer Standards are likely to bring further economic and operational challenges, and the organisation continues to focus on reducing waste and diversifying income to help mitigate these risks.
Having considered these factors and the risks they present, and taking into account the robust financial oversight provided through the Finance and Resources Committee, the Trustees are satisfied that the charity remains a going concern.
The Trustees consider that the state of affairs of the charity at the date of the balance sheet is satisfactory and that the present level of funding on a fund-by-fund basis is adequate to support the continuation of the homes, flats and support services.
The accounts show unrestricted reserves of £1,972,567, after taking into account the charity's property assets of £3,701,550 net of the associated property loans of £1,619,751. Unrestricted reserves include designated funds of £96,571. The likely timing of expenditure in relation to the designated funds, as detailed within note 21 in the accounts, is anticipated to be within the next 12 months.
As part of their analysis and review of risk management, the Trustees have reviewed the Reserves Policy and taken advice from their professional advisers. In recent years, the aim has been to keep reserves at a level sufficient to fund six months of unrestricted expenditure. This has been felt to be appropriate in light of income and expenditure levels.
Further review incorporating organisational risk analysis concluded that Norton Housing and Support must continue to strive to diversify its income streams and expand services to increase its financial stability and longer-term security. This must, however, balance the need to maintain a level of reserves appropriate to the risks of operating in the current financial climate and in the new contracting environment.
Financial review
During the year the charity received income of £1,252,295 from Housing Benefit, Independent Living Support and ineligible charges. Expenditure on all salaries, premises costs, administration and governance costs etc amounted to £1,237,726. When combined with investment, voluntary and other income of this resulted in net incoming resources of £218,853.
Investments Policy and Objectives
The Trustees closely monitor how Norton Housing and Support invests its funds and review investment options. However, following an externally facilitated review of those options, the Board prioritised the need to maintain the liquidity required to fund future capital developments. At present, money is held in bank accounts and is therefore readily accessible. During the coming year, Trustees will continue researching alternative investment options and will assess their suitability before any are taken forward.
Risk Management
As part of the Business Planning process, the Organisational Risk Assessment and Risk Map are reviewed annually by the Operational Management Team and Trustees, with key risks assessed for likelihood and potential impact. Control measures and contingency plans are reviewed and updated to ensure they remain effective, and the Chief Executive treats this as a high priority, updating the Organisational Risk Register each year.
The Business Continuity Plan was reviewed and updated in 2025 and continues to be tested by the Operational Management Team every six months, with results reported to the Management Committee.
Securing the organisation's long-term financial stability remains the key issue facing Trustees. The agreed strategy is to expand and diversify services and income streams, consolidating provision in Leicester City while growing further into Leicestershire, and balancing the need to maintain adequate reserves against the case for using some reserves to kick-start new developments.
The end of the Leicester City Council ILS contract on 31 March 2023 brought significant change to the structure of resident support services. Although challenging, the transition has settled well, and the Chief Executive continues to review the structure and delivery regularly to ensure it meets the standards Norton expects for its staff and residents.
A continuing challenge has been understanding the plans for the stock Norton manages on behalf of another Housing Association. Notice was given on one property at the start of the year, but no further timeline or detail has been provided on the potential disposal of the remaining properties; further discussions with are planned for the coming year.
Constitution
Norton House, as it was then known, was established in 1984 as a charity and company limited by guarantee. The charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association, incorporated on 11 December 1984 and updated in 2014 and again in 2018 to reflect its expanding remit to support other disadvantaged groups.
In the event of the charity being wound up, members' liability is limited to £10.
The charity's primary objective is to provide accommodation and/or support to people with ongoing mental health needs, a learning disability, or from other disadvantaged groups. As of 31 March 2026, Norton Housing and Support provided:
• 34 places across five supported group homes for people with ongoing mental health needs and/or a learning disability, four owned another Housing Association and one by Norton
• 25 supported one-bedroom flats across three properties, all owned by Norton
• A Personal Assistant service for people in Norton homes or their own tenancy
• 14 places across two schemes for homeless women, including those with children
• Twice-weekly Mental Health Drop-Ins for residents and the wider public
Norton became a registered provider of Social Housing and Landlord in 2011.
The Management Committee, whose core members are the Trustees, is the charity's governing body; the Chief Executive attends all its meetings.
Resident involvement is central to Norton's approach, from co-produced support planning through to a range of feedback mechanisms and resident input into service planning and delivery. The Residents' Forum, In This Together, formally involves residents in scrutinising performance and shaping future plans. Further development to increase Service User-Led development and scrutiny is planned for the forthcoming two years.
Day-to-day running of the organisation is delegated to the Chief Executive, who has extensive experience in management, planning and business development within the charity and housing sector and has been in post since February 2024.
The Management Committee meets every six weeks to consider organisational, financial and strategic matters, with ad hoc meetings held as needed to allow fuller consideration of specific issues before reporting back. Two Sub Groups — Finance and Resources, and Mental and Physical Wellbeing — meet six-weekly, around two weeks ahead of each Management Committee meeting, feeding recommendations back for discussion and approval.
Trustees continue to prioritise good governance, working towards adoption of the National Housing Federation's Code of Governance (2020), which organisations may follow wholly or in part according to their size and complexity. Several agreed actions are complete or in progress, though some guidance — particularly on Trustee tenure and succession planning — is difficult for a smaller housing association to meet in full. The Board has therefore agreed that, in the best interests of the organisation, there will be no fixed limit on Trustee tenure, allowing a mix of longer-serving and newer Trustees to continue contributing their range of skills and experience; Trustees who have served six years will undergo an appraisal before seeking re-election. Where NHF recommendations on tenure cannot currently be met, the organisation continues to comply with its own constitution and with the Charity Commission Governance Code, which it fully endorses.
During the year, the organisation has also reviewed its practice against the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code and updated policies accordingly.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
A recruitment exercise continued as part of succession planning, to identify candidates who would strengthen the Board's range of skills. This was successful in 2025/26, with Suzanne Ralphson joining the Board in June 2025 and Andrew Robinson in July 2025; further appointments are hoped for during 2026/27.
Trustees keep an active interest in the organisation and stay informed of the changing external environment, mainly through regular Management Committee meetings, supplemented by in-house training and external events and conferences. A Trustee induction programme is in place for new members, and a revised group appraisal process has recently been introduced following a review of the previous system.
The Trustees' skills and experience can be summarised as follows:
One Trustee worked for many years as a Consultant Psychiatrist, in Rehabilitation, General Psychiatry, the Forensic Service and the Assertive Outreach Service.
One has a background in Social Work and worked extensively in the field of mental health for over 20 years, including as a Senior Practice Therapist in the Common Mental Health Problem Service in Leicester, which provides psychological therapies in Primary Care.
Another also has a social work background having worked in the social care sector for over 35 years as a social worker, team manager and service manager for adult and older persons’ mental health services, and on secondment to the NHS, as a mental health commissioning manager.
One is a qualified Occupational Therapist who has worked in the field of general and forensic mental health for over 35 years. During her career she has managed Therapy Services and worked as a Project Manager on major capital development schemes.
One is the Director of a locally based marketing agency, the twice-voted best agency in Leicestershire in consecutive years, with a small property portfolio.
One is a housing management and policy professional with 36 years of experience, whose career has particularly focused on supported housing and tackling homelessness.
One is a housing professional for 13 years working in a large Housing Association across the East Midlands with experience in income collection, tenancy enforcement, budgets, contracts, commercial interests and oversees residential tenancy sustainment across a national care and support team.
One is a transformation and projects professional with over 20 years of experience in leading complex digital, organisational and strategic change in the not for profit sector
One is a qualified as a CIMA accountant having worked as a Finance Director in several businesses and most recently was the owner and Managing Director of a large firm of heating maintenance engineers.
Compliance with Governance and Financial Viability Standard
The trustees have undertaken an assessment of compliance with the Governance and Financial Viability Standard issued by the Regulator of Social Housing. No issues of non-compliance were noted during the financial year or since the year-end.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Norton Housing And Support Ltd for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Norton Housing And Support Ltd (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2026 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), the Statement of Recommended Practice for Registered Social Housing Providers 2018 (SORP) and the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.
We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework. Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:
Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual, suspected and alleged fraud;
Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
Assessing the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the entity through enquiry and inspection;
Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.
The chariable company's results relate wholly to continuing activities. The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.
Norton Housing And Support Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 107 Newport Street, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 9FU, United Kingdom.
The nature of the entity's operations and principal activities are to provide accomodation and/or support for people with ongoing mental health issues, such as learning disability or from disadvantaged groups.
The entity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice of the United Kingdom, including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standards Applicable in the UK and Repiblic of Ireland", Companies Act 2006, the Housing SORP 2018 Update - Statement of Recommended Practice for Registered Social Housing Providers (the SORP) and the Accounting Direction for Private Registered Providers of Social Housing - 2022 (the Direction).
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charitable company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Turnover represents maintenance contributions and service charges received in the year (net of losses from voids), support costs and revenue from grants.
Monetary donations to the charitable company are credited to the accounts on a receipt's basis except where the amount and entitlement is identifiable in advance where they are brought in as debtors. Gifted assets are credited in the accounts at the net fair value of the assets and liabilities.
Costs are recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Costs are classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of a total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use.
Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charitable company and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charitable company and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Charitable activities and governance costs are costs incurred relating to the governance of the charitable company apportioned to the charitable activities.
Major components of housing properties are identified and treated as seperate assets and are depreciated on a straight line basis over their expected economic useful lives at the following rates:
Freehold land is not depreciated.
Tangible fixed assets costing £500 or more are capitalised.
A review for impairment of a fixed asset is carried out if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of any fixed asset may not be recoverable. Shortfalls between the carrying value of fixed assets and their recoverable amounts are recognised as impairments. Impairment losses are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities incorporation Income and Expenditure Account.
Housing Properties and other tangible fixed assets are carried at cost, net of depreciation and any provision for impairment. Depreciation is not charged on freehold land. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The company has charitable status and therefore is not subject to Corporation Tax on surpluses derived from charitable activities.
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amount payable by the charitable company to the fund in respect of the year.
Government grants
Government grants relating to tangible fixed assets are treated as deferred income and released to the Statement of Financial Activities incorporation Income and Expenditure Account over the expected useful lives of the assets concerned. Grants received from non-government sources are recognised using the performance model. A grant which does not impose specified future performance conditions is recognised as revenue when the grant proceeds are received or receivable. A grant that imposes specified future performance-related conditions on the association is recognised only when these conditions are met. A grant received before the revenue recognition criteria are satisfied is recognised as deferred income.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The charitable company is required to allocate it's expenditure between social housing activities and activities other than social housing. There is a degree of judgement that must be applied in determining the basis of apportionment for indirect costs, which may change over time and is dependent on the nature of the costs incurred.
Management reviews the estimated useful lives of depreciable assets at each reporting date. Uncertainties in these estimates may relate to the impact of technological change and/or to changes in government regulation that may require components of property to be replaced more frequently.
During the year, none of the trustees received any remuneration or benefits from the charity (2025: Nil).
During the year, no trustee expenses have been incurred (2025: Nil).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
During the year, no non-executive board members received any remuneration or other benefits (2025: None)
The Chief Executive is an ordinary member of the pension scheme and no enhanced or special terms apply. The charitable company does not make any further contribution to an individual pension arrangement for the Chief Executive.
In accordance with para 24 of the Accounting Directtion for Private Registered Providers of Social Housing - 2022, the term 'Director' in the disclosures above include the Chief Executive and any other person who is a member of the executive management team.
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Included in freehold property is freehold land at a cost of £15,000 (2025: £15,000) which is not depreciated.
Included in social housing properties is freehold land at a cost of £717,042 (2025: £717,042) which is not depreciated.
The bank borrowings are made up of five facilities.
The first facility was a bank loan due for repayment by 30 August 2036 and attracted interest at 2.9% above base rate. The bank loan was secured by a First legal charge over the charitable company's freehold premises at 128 Westcotes Drive. This loan was repaid in the period upon the sale of the property.
The second facility is a bank loan due for repayment by 19 October 2039 and currently attracts interest at 2.1% above base rate. The bank loan is secured by a First legal charge over the charitable company's freehold premises at 16 St James Road.
The third facility is a bank loan due for repayment by 19 October 2041 and currently attracts interest at 2.1% above base rate. The bank loan is secured by a First legal charge over the charitable company's freehold premises at 25 Church Street.
The fourth facility is a bank loan due for repayment by 19 January 2043 and currently attracts interest at 2.1% above base rate. The bank loan is secured by a First legal charge over the charitable company's freehold premises at 15 Ashleigh Road.
The fifth facility is a bank loan due for repayment by 19 October 2048 and currently attracts interest at 2.1% above base rate. The bank loan is secured by a First legal charge over the charitable company's freehold premises at Frost Court.
Financial assets measured at amortised cost comprise of other debtors.
Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost comprise of bank loans, trade creditors, other creditors and accruals excluding any elements of deferred income.
Norton Housing And Support Ltd is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The members of the charitable company are the Board of Trustees names on Page 1. In the event of the company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarentee is limited to £1 per member of the company.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
Restricted funds comprise £280 funding from Neighbourly Toys to purchase toys for the children living within our Women's Scheme; an outstanding £1,995 from the Calton Hayes Mental Health Charity for use via a drop in clinic and a B&Q Foundation grant for use on Avery House renovations with an outstanding £2,087.
Development Fund
The Development fund has been set aside to ensure delivery of our asset management plan, which was developed by our external consultant following a full stock condition survey in 2018. This will ensure our owned properties remain fit for purpose now and in the future.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the charity to the fund.
Contributions payable by the charity for the year amounted to £23,602 (2025: £17,622) with £4,532 (2025: £1,273) being included within creditors.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
Operating lease payments recognised as an expense in the period totalled £191,306 (2025: £185,600).
Amounts contracted for but not provided in the financial statements:
Within the financial year, the trustees agreed, approved and committed to the upgrade and rectification of the cellars of oe of the housing properties owned due to rising and penetrative damp.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2025 - none).