Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses: Modern homes for single men in Rugby

Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses provides affordable homes for older single men in Rugby. The charity is in the process of renovating its properties, including making significant energy-efficiency improvements, with the help of a Charity Bank loan. 

Social Problem 

Most of the UK’s housing stock is old and not energy efficient, so it’s perhaps not surprising that homes are currently responsible for one fifth of the UK’s total carbon emissions. Retrofitting older homes to bring them up to modern standards is possible, but it’s expensive.  

Organisation 

Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses provides much-needed affordable homes for older single men in Rugby. The charity has been the victim of fraud, leading to the properties falling into a state of disrepair. New trustees wanted to bring the properties up-to-date and build four new homes. However, while they were able to get sizeable grants towards the cost of the new builds, there was little financial support available for the renovation work.  

Loan 

Charity Bank agreed to loan Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses £540,000. £90,000 of this is an Energy Improvements Loan, which means that the loan arrangement fee will be refunded. With the help of the loans, the charity is modernising its 11 almshouses, including fitting them with solar panels, new kitchens, wet rooms, central heating, double glazing and better insulation. It’s also building four new energy-efficient homes, two of which have been specifically designed for wheelchair users.   

Impact  

The loan repayments will be covered by the weekly maintenance contribution (which is paid by almshouse residents instead of rent), and the charity will have enough income left over to secure its long-term future.  

Feedback from residents has been very positive. Jerry Roodhouse, a trustee of Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses, says, “The guys are really happy as the homes are much better. While the weekly maintenance contribution has increased, it’s still affordable and energy bills will drop significantly.”  

“There’s a bit of give and take from Charity Bank; they listen to what your needs are, and then try to adapt to that. They actually came to us and said, ‘We’re rolling out this green deal. We think you should go for it as it’ll reduce your loan.’ Not many banks would do that.” 

Jerry Roodhouse, a trustee of Lawrence Sheriff Almshouses