View from the G15: Community investment is core to the social housing mission

Many residents continue to face significant financial pressures alongside barriers linked to health, skills and access to opportunity. Our community investment helps address these challenges directly, supporting people where necessary through hardship while creating pathways into work, better health and greater stability.

The scale of our support is set out in this year’s G15 Community Investment Impact Report. In 2024-25, we collectively invested over £33m in communities, generating £74.2m in social value. We supported around 12,500 people into employment and helped over 83,000 people access health and well-being services. In total, we helped 346,708 people take part in community projects, supported by over 15,000 volunteers.

“Those who live in our communities are best placed to shape the solutions that will make the greatest difference, and our role is to help make that happen”

This is significant work and demonstrates how important strong partnerships can be. We work closely with councils, the NHS, employers, funders and grassroots organisations to deliver support that is practical, joined up and rooted in place.

We are first and foremost social landlords delivering homes and services, but we’re also part of the wider social infrastructure that helps hold communities together.

We are, and have always been, advocates and supporters of people, joining with them to tackle poverty and create opportunity. We know that those who live in our communities are best placed to shape the solutions that will make the greatest difference, and our role is to help make that happen and create the conditions in which people can thrive.

You can see that in practice across G15. On Peabody’s Priory Green Estate in Islington, Cook for Good is tackling food insecurity, social isolation and barriers to work through a surplus food pantry, community kitchen and enterprise training. Hyde also do wide-ranging work in the borough to tackle food insecurity, social isolation and poor mental health.

Riverside’s Helping Hand Fund provided direct financial support to hundreds of residents last year, from energy vouchers to essential household items, helping people through moments of acute pressure and preventing issues from escalating.

“Across London, community spaces, youth services and local initiatives continue to provide the foundations for stronger neighbourhoods”

We’re creating valuable job opportunities, with Clarion’s green skills pathway supporting residents into jobs linked to the transition to net zero. This is helping individuals access new careers while addressing labour shortages in the sector. For many, this is an immediate route towards long-term security and progression.

Partnerships with health organisations are making a difference too. Work with the NHS and organisations such as Macmillan is bringing services closer to communities, improving access to support and helping to address inequalities in health outcomes.

In specific boroughs, we’re issuing small grants to resident-led projects that are helping to reduce isolation and improve well-being. And across London, community spaces, youth services and local initiatives continue to provide the foundations for stronger neighbourhoods.

Whether it’s through safe places for young people, support for families or opportunities for residents to connect and build confidence, we’re making a positive difference in the capital’s communities.

I know community investment projects like these are a priority across the whole sector, and I’m proud of the difference UK housing colleagues make every day. For G15, this is my first community impact report as chair and I’m pleased to highlight our values and impact alongside the communities we serve.

Read the report here.

Ian McDermott, chair, G15 and chief executive, Peabody