Loans

Formed in 1968 in response to the appeal to mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations declaration on Human Rights to address the need for good quality accommodation at affordable rents. The original aim was to provide accommodation for families, of which there was little supply at the time as shown by the following quote from the minutes of that year “Only by exceptional good luck that a family with one child can get rented accommodation in Harrogate. For a family with two children, it is well-nigh impossible and for a family with three or more children it takes a miracle.”

Originally through philanthropy but subsequently through loans and grants the Association now manages just over 300 homes, the majority of which are for families, with a secured development pipeline of a further 127 as of 28 February 2026. The Association is firmly committed to, and only operates, in Harrogate, an area of high market rents, so continues to remain aligned to its origins.

The Association and GBSH have been working together since 2017. The GBSH funding has enabled the Association to provide a significant number of new, much needed, family homes.

New Gorbals Housing Association is one of GB Social Housing’s Scottish clients that was founded in 1989 to develop high quality, affordable homes. Over the course of the twentieth century, the Gorbals area has been well known for high rates of poverty, being the first point of refuge for many international immigrants arriving in Glasgow.

The region has undergone multiple periods of change, as unfortunately, new redevelopments built later in the twentieth century were short lived and not satisfactory to sustain high standards of urban living. New Gorbals Housing Association was established to regenerate the physical, economic, and social environment of the area. The organisation has now built just under 3,000 homes, 1,500 of which are new build properties, that exist alongside community development and support. GBSH was pleased to provide a loan facility in early 2022 to fund their ongoing development programme to build more social housing. 

Housing for Women champions female empowerment by providing and promoting affordable homes for women and gender-specific support services. Founded in 1934, Housing for Women began as an employment bureau, providing informed help and advice to unemployed women looking for work in the 1930s Depression. For over 40 years Housing for Women has been supporting women and children in London escaping domestic violence and abuse, empowering women to overcome trauma, rebuild their lives free from fear, and regain their independence. The association has been a client of GBSH since 2019.

GB Social Housing maintains a balanced and diversified portfolio by also providing loans to larger housing associations. Both Settle and Paradigm were included in the 2038 bond programme. Individually, each housing association was substantial in size, with Paradigm Housing Group managing nearly 17,000 homes and Settle managing over 10,000 homes. These housing associations have now merged to form SettleParadigm, creating the largest housing association in the Buckinghamshire region. GBSH will continue to provide two loans on a separate and independent basis. By joining together, Paradigm and Settle will benefit from economies of scale while also improving services for residents, delivering more affordable homes, and investing further in local communities.