Date published: 04 March 2025
When Jephson and Raglan came together to form Stonewater in 2015, both organisations had a deep footprint in rural housing.
10 years later, that commitment is as part of our DNA as ever. Of the 40,000 homes we own and manage, around 20% of those are in rural areas.
That is a significant dedication to ensuring these communities endure for future generations by providing affordable, safe, and warm homes for those who need them most.
I was delighted to sit down with Housing Today to reflect on Stonewater’s journey over the last decade and how rural housing has been central to our mission.
The sector has been unanimous in welcoming of Labour’s commitment to housing since taking office in July 2024.
The overhaul of parliament means we now have many rural constituencies led by Labour MPs, which should mean more interest in addressing the barriers to delivering more housing for rural residents.
As a leading provider of affordable housing the UK, our goal is to continually raise awareness of the impact more funding has only communities.
It not only gives people from all backgrounds the opportunity to live in rural areas, but helps keep them vibrant and dynamic places to live.
One example I gave to Housing Today was how more homes help local services such as schools. The headcount stays up, meaning they are more likely to remain open.
It is just one of many ways I have seen affordable housing fundamentally change people’s lives in rural communities.
But we will not rest on our laurels. That’s why our charitable arm, the Longleigh Foundation, is conducting research that will highlight the social and economic benefits of rural housing to identify the ways the government can address the rural housing crisis.
And rural housing is one of many ways Stonewater is using the experiences of our journey to inform our future.
We are constantly looking at ways we can lead the sector in providing a better experience for our customers.
From testing different models in the face of increased repair demands to investing in our existing homes as part of our sustainability goals, we’re constantly working to address the challenges of the current economic situation affecting both our customers and our sector.
To find out more about Stonewater’s work over the last 10 years, and our commitments for the future, read the full interview with Housing Today here.