Organisation overview
Your Place (formerly Caritas Anchor House) is charity based in the London Borough of Newham. It provides accommodation and life skills support for single homeless adults, helping people build confidence and move towards independent lives.
Why social investment
Your Place used social investment twice to deliver on strategic aims to develop new specialist housing when grants alone could not cover the full cost. Social investment allowed the organisation to bridge funding gaps, unlock capital grants and move projects forward.
In 2020, Your Place secured social investment from Homeless Link to meet its provider contribution for a Greater London Authority capital grant. The funding also covered costs not eligible for Local Authority grants and supported the recruitment of a support worker.
The first social investment combined
- a £120,000 loan (8% interest, with six months interest only and 36 months of capital and interest repayments
- a £30,000 grant
This blended finance enabled Your Place to develop “Hope Street”, a new housing service for people rehoused from Covid hotels. The organisation refurbished an empty warehouse into modular accommodation for 15 residents.
Following the success of Hope Street, Your Place secured further social investment in 2024 through the Thrive Together Fund to deliver Harbour Project which opened in May 2025. This involved refurbishing 25 self-contained flats with shared facilities, supported by,
- a £112,500 loan
- a £37,500 grant
Why it worked
Your Place’s accommodation services operate at 90–95% occupancy and generate a surplus. Rental income covered loan repayments as planned.
With a strong asset base and a track record of securing grants, social investment complemented existing fundraising rather than replacing it. The organisation phased its funding approach, combining social investment with Local Authority grants, fundraising appeals and pro bono support.
The mix of grant funding and repayable finance gave the Trustees the confidence to take a loan and manage the associated risks.
Outcomes and impact
Social investment helped Your Place to:
- create new accommodation and support 20 residents at Hope Street
- unlock significant Local Authority grant funding through match funding
- build trustee confidence and internal capability to use social investment again
- demonstrate financial resilience and ability to diversify income to grant funders
- repurpose assets to deliver new services with clear social impact
Looking ahead
Your Place plans to continue refurbishing and expanding move‑on accommodation. Social investment will remain a core part of its long‑term funding strategy.
“Be open to the journey. The learning curve is steep, but it’s transformative. Social investment can be a catalyst for growth and resilience.” Amanda Dubarry, CEO, Your Place
Key learning for other organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness
- Be clear about how you will repay the loan
- Start early. Social investment processes can take time. Build in buffers to manage external and internal delays
- Treat social investors as long‑term partners. Impact matters as much as repayment
What is Blended Finance
The Homeless Link Social Investment Fund was a blended finance model.
Blended finance is a package of funding that is a mixture of investment that needs to be repaid (a loan with interest) and a grant that doesn’t need to be repaid