We're pleased to say our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Summary Report 2024-25 is now available.
Please contact us if you would like this report in any other format, including large print or Braille.Welcome to our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report for 2024/25. This is our third year of producing this report and we know we’ve got a huge responsibility to deliver against these three themes aligned with our Corporate Strategy as a housing association. We’ve continued to make sure ESG principles are integrated through every step of building, managing and maintaining our homes for our customers and through our Group services. We are proud of the continuing progress we are making on our ESG journey, but we are also excited and keen to share information on our governance and social and environmental impact to our stakeholders. These sit at the heart of what we do as a social landlord, forming the basis of our Corporate Strategy 2025-30 and our strategic objectives of Customer, People and Shaping Our Future.
Our Customer Strategy also builds on the strategic objective of ‘Shaping Our Future’ by including objectives relating to Customer voice and value for money. It is essential that we remain transparent with our performance in the area of social value and how initiatives have directly impacted the wellbeing and quality of life for our customers.
Our Customer Engagement Strategy focuses on the need to build trust and rapport with our customers and also echoes that we will be transparent with our performance and how we are using resources. Capturing and listening to customer voice is therefore critical in guiding us on these themes. Our customers play a vital role in ensuring we’re driving improvements in the right places, and that our efforts truly benefit them and help create safe, comfortable places to live. That’s why we’re committed to keeping our customers engaged every step of the way.
We recognise the importance of being transparent about our ESG performance. The structure of this report follows the themes outlined in the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing, under the three broad environmental, social and governance headings. Each one has several criteria, which are individually addressed. The details of the report are summarised below.
Estuary Housing Association (Estuary or EHA), a not-for-profit registered provider of social housing based in Essex, owns and manages over 4,700 properties across Essex, the three outer East London Boroughs and the Suffolk Coastal District. The range of homes we provide, from rented to shared ownership and supported living services, deliver housing and support services to some of the most vulnerable members of society. We work with nineteen (19) Local Authorities and 92% of our homes/stock are in Essex.
We are passionate about making our homes more energy efficient and are committed to investing in our current properties in line with our purpose of providing housing our customers are proud to call home and this includes improving energy performance. We have adopted the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance 2020 and report our compliance against this annually.
We manifest social value to ensure the best outcomes for our customers. We’re committed to investing in initiatives that strengthen communities and aid individuals, through a belief that a positive social impact is created through these activities and events. We are keen to capture and accurately record social value going forward across all areas of the business. Our working group has continued to expand the areas which we have captured. The Association meets several times a year to monitor progress and discuss initiatives. Our target has continuously increased on an annual basis following on from previous success. The target was increased from £1m to £2m over the past 3 years and we are pleased to report that the Association’s operations generated a total of £4,105,766.57 in social value in 2024/25 (£3,850k in 2023/24), which is over double the target.
As we look to the future, we remain resolute in our commitment to ESG principles; committed to reducing the environmental impact of our business activities and determined to further embed ESG into our operations, creating a thriving workplace and delivering lasting value for our tenants and the wider communities we serve. Mitigation plans are crucial, requiring stress testing and robust strategies. Attention to stock decency, tenant safety, and service delivery is paramount, with the need for accurate data and compliance with regulatory standards. We will adapt to evolving regulations and manage risks to maintain service delivery. Despite the challenges ahead, Estuary is confident that with the continued support of our stakeholders, we can overcome them and achieve our vision of creating sustainable communities.
We recognise there is a lot more to do if we are to reach our sustainability aspirations; however, we are committed to being transparent about the progress we are making. While we acknowledge that our Sustainability Strategy is still in the development phase, we are dedicated to regularly reporting our progress to our stakeholders.
The delivery of our Asset Management Strategy will continue to prioritise investment in our existing homes, focusing on maintaining and enhancing their quality and sustainability.
We are mindful of the environmental impact of building new homes, as well as the challenges involved in improving the energy efficiency of our current housing stock. We are also committed to ensuring that our services are delivered in an environmentally responsible manner, with efforts to reduce our carbon footprint wherever possible.
Estuary’s purpose is “to provide housing our customers are proud to call home.” The work Estuary Housing Association does delivers significant social impact. We change lives for the better every day.
We have adopted the Sector Sustainability Reporting Standard and cover the elements of the Standard. This is the most transparent way to report our performance with regard to ESG.
We hope you enjoy exploring our ESG report this year. We know there is still more to be done, and work is well underway to drive even more positive change across our business so we can make a valuable contribution to society and the environment.
To work with us, comment on this report or to give us your views on any environmental, social or governance matters, please email info@estuary.co.uk
Distribution of EPC ratings of existing homes (those completed before the last financial year).
Below is the table of EPC ratings. Number of General Needs properties per band, include ‘No Data’ row at the bottom of the table for dwellings completed before 1st April 2024. We have a target to ensure all of our homes have EPCs at level C or better by 2030.
| EPC Band | 2023/24 Count | 2023/24 % |
|---|---|---|
| A | 8 | 0.2% |
| B | 603 | 12.8% |
| C | 1,564 | 33.3% |
| D | 1,133 | 24.1% |
| E | 146 | 3.1% |
| F | 7 | 0.1% |
| G | 0 | 0.0% |
| No data | 1,242 | 26.4% |
| Total | 4,703 |
We are considering ways by which we can share this information with our customers under the performance page on our website.
Distribution of EPC ratings of new homes (those completed in the last financial year).
There were no General Needs properties built in the year.
EPC information is provided as a part of handover pack. New build properties are built to a minimum of EPC Rated B standard.
Does the housing provider have a Net Zero target and strategy?
If so, what is it and when does the housing provider intend to be Net Zero by?
We do not have a Net Zero Strategy, however, in line with our Corporate Strategy, we have a strategic priority to invest in our existing homes by developing a robust approach to sustainability and net zero across our existing homes by 2030.
What retrofit activities has the housing provider undertaken in the last 12 months in relation to its housing stock? How do these activities align with, and contribute towards, performance against the housing provider’s Net Zero strategy and target?
In 2024-25, activities undertaken to improve energy efficiency of our homes included:
The current EPC information for the housing stock is also detailed in our response to C1 above.
A priority within our Corporate Strategy is to invest in our existing homes and to provide high quality repair and maintenance. The energy efficient actions we undertook in the last 12 months align with our strategic priorities and our Corporate Strategy.
Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Green House Gas emissions;
Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Green House Gas emissions per home.
If unable to report emissions data, please state when the housing provider is expected to be able to do so.
EHA have not been able to report this information until the current financial year (2025-26).
EHA worked with a Sustainability Consultant during 2024-25 to compile a Sustainability Strategy. The Strategy is currently progressing through the formal governance approval process.
EHA’s Baseline position for the emissions are as follows: —
Scope |
Category |
Properties Counted |
Estimated Emissions |
Percentage of Total |
Scope 1 |
Communal Heating (Gas) | 20 | 123.82 | 1.5% |
Scope 2 |
Communal Electricity | 61 | 246.57 | 3.1% |
Scope 2 |
Office Electricity | 2 | 2.56 | 0.1% |
Scope 3 |
Tenant Electricity Use (SAP-based) | 4070 | 7676.7 | 95.3% |
Total |
All Reported Sources | 4153 | 8051.65 | 100% |
How has the housing provider mapped and assessed the climate risks to its homes and supply chain, such as increased flood, drought and overheating risks?
EHA are now working with and using Cotality’s Parity Projects software to support energy efficiency and retrofit initiatives, all the assets are mapped and properties are RAG rated against available flood risk data.
Cotality’s Parity Projects also enable EHA to identify at a property level the homes which, based upon the energy data held against those properties, are at risk of overheating. All properties also have a RAG rating against this criterion.
Does the housing provider have a strategy to enhance green space and promote biodiversity on or near homes?
If yes, please describe with reference to targets in this area.
If no, are you planning on producing one in the next 12 months?
Estuary does not have a strategy to enhance green space and promote biodiversity. This forms part of the new Sustainability Strategy, which is currently progressing through the approval process.
During 2024/25, we have carried out 6 projects aimed at improving and protecting biodiversity within our communities, specifically the Woodgrange Drive Estate (WDE), Bexhill Drive, Britannia Court, St Johns Wood and Potiphar Place.
Our projects have ranged from planting new trees on the WDE, Community campaigns aimed at reducing pollutants through litter picking and protecting local wildlife and allowing some low traffic areas to grow naturally and introducing wildflower areas.
Does the housing provider have a strategy to identify, manage and reduce pollutants that could cause material harm?
If so, how does the housing provider target and measure performance?
While we do not have a standalone pollutant management strategy, environmental risk reduction is embedded in our estate and neighbourhood management activities. Fly-tipping is the main pollutant risk which we address through regular inspections, responsive removal, and partnership working with local authorities. Data is regularly reviewed to identify hotspots and drive improvements within local neighbourhoods.
We take the environmental impacts of waste, reuse and recycling into account when procuring goods and services. We also expect our suppliers to have robust waste management policies in place and to participate in enhanced reporting.
Awareness of fly-tipping has increased, community interest is growing, and there is a visible shift in how customers view their role in improving local environments. We are beginning to see the early impacts of our fly-tipping campaign.
We will continue to develop these requirements as part of our new Sustainability Strategy, which is currently progressing through the approval process
Does the housing provider have a strategy to use or increase the use of responsibly sourced materials for all building and repairs works?
If so, how does the housing provider target and measure performance?
Provision for responsible sourcing of materials is included within procurement documentation for individual repairs and maintenance contracts. Sustainability monitoring and performance is included as part of the Contract Management framework.
Does the Housing Provider have a strategy for waste management incorporating building materials?
If so, how does the Housing Provider target and measure performance?
We currently do not have a strategy for waste management.
We will continue to develop these requirements as part of the Sustainability Strategy which is currently progressing through the approval process.
Current issues for focus include:
We take the environmental impacts of waste, reuse and recycling into account when procuring goods and services. We also expect our suppliers to have robust waste management policies in place and to participate in enhanced reporting. Contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors will also be checked for relevant clauses.
Does the housing provider have a strategy for water management?
If so, how does the housing provider target and measure performance?
We currently do not have a Water Management Policy.
We are looking at developing these requirements as part of our new Sustainability Strategy, which is currently progressing through the approval process.
Some of the things we want to focus on include:
We will also check contracts in place with development and maintenance partner contractors for relevant clauses.
For properties that are subject to the rent regulation regime, report against one or more
Affordability Metric:
Our average general needs rent is £137.00 and average LHA rate is £235.08. Both are weighted averages, taking into account the number of properties in each category, so our rent as a percentage of the Local Housing Allowance is 58.3%
Share, and number, of existing homes (owned and/or managed) completed before the last financial year allocated to:
Of the 4,703 total properties we owned and managed before 1st April 2024, the breakdown was as follows:
The remaining 132 units are leasehold (2.8%)
The definitions are as per the Statistical Data Return (SDR).
Share, and number, of new homes (owned and/or managed) that were completed in the last financial year, allocated to:
In 2024/25 we invested in 0 new social homes and 0 new low-cost home ownership (LCHO) shared ownership homes (SO).
Although our investment in new homes is low, we have been concentrating on maintaining current homes to ensure they deliver at a high standard.
How is the housing provider trying to reduce the effect of high energy costs on its residents?
Our Asset Management Strategy includes investment in the energy efficiency of our homes. We have put in place targets to ensure all of our homes meet the requirements for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) at C rating by 2030. As at the end of 2024/25, circa 60% of our homes met EPCC. There is provision for this in our long term financial plans.
EHA has a new and specific allocated budget for Energy Improvement works for the 2025/26 financial year. These works when completed will help to reduce energy costs for the properties receiving these works. We have helped customers who are struggling financially and have experienced unexpected expenditure via our One Estuary Fund. The fund has been increased to £25,000 for the year.
We have a Benefits Coach and a Tenancy Coach who support and provide helpful advice to our customers. The Coaches support customers to apply to the Essential Living Fund (ELF) some of which has been reserved for fuel cost.
The Coaches also support customers by making referrals to other external support providers such as; LEAP who provide guidance specific to customers energy needs, Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) who provide tailored solutions including help with switching energy supplier, signing up to Priority Services Register & accessing funding, Money Helper to access savings, discounts & social tariff, National Energy Action who offer advice to support fuel poor households, Energy suppliers to access grants, Warm Home discount scheme advise and referral to Energy Saving Trust and Warm Hubs.
How does the housing provider provide security of tenure for residents?
Of the 3,705 general needs and market rent tenancies, 3,480 are either permanent or longer than 3 years, which is 93.9%.
We are currently phasing out Fixed term tenancies to provide greater security to our customers and expect this to be complete by the end of 2029. Going forward any existing fixed term tenancies will move to assured upon their expiry.
Describe the condition of the housing provider's portfolio, with reference to:
As at 31st March 2025, below were the figures in respect of the key compliance areas:
With regards to the electrical safety checks, 18 homes had EICRs which exceeded our preferred 5-year cycle as at the end of March 2025. These are however within the mandatory 10-year cycle and can therefore be considered compliant within current regulation. Over the reporting period before that, we had serviced 143 properties, so we are now into the nub of gaining access to the last few homes. We continue to actively pursue access into these remaining properties, with several having additional letters sent out to them and cold call door knocking.
What % of homes meet the national housing quality standard?
Of those which fail, what is the housing provider doing to address these failings?
100%. As at 31st March 2025, all our homes met the housing quality Standard.
How do you manage and mitigate the risk of damp and mould for your residents?
We have implemented several key measures, including conducting staff training to enhance awareness and expertise in handling damp and mould issues. We actively contact properties with a history of damp and mould concerns and we have also developed guidance and advice for residents, which is now available on a dedicated page on our website: Condensation, Damp and Mould
What are the results of the housing provider's most recent tenant satisfaction survey?
How has the housing provider acted on these results?
Our overall customer satisfaction at the end of the year 2024/25 was 64%, a 2% increase from 62% the previous year, slightly lower than our target of 67% We are currently undertaking customer profiling telephone calls, which we are hopeful will help to improve this result in future surveys.
Customer Satisfaction is monitored in a number of ways both through Transactional Surveys and also Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM’s), which are based on perception.
We carry out quarterly Surveys through an independent provider to ensure impartiality.
We also measure Satisfaction through Benchmarking, Staff Engagement, Complaints and other various feedback.
Details of our TSM performance is shared on our website to maintain full transparency.
What arrangements are in place to enable residents to hold management to account for the provision of services?
The Customer Experience Committee (CEC) has oversight of customer services and focuses on resident priorities to ensure compliance with Consumer Regulation and the Charter for Social Housing. CEC meets quarterly to check our performance, benchmark against our peers and discuss resident matters.
The Resident Voice and Influence Panel (RVIP) is the independent, resident-led group who are supported to hold Estuary to account through performance monitoring, scrutiny and challenge to ensure continuous improvement. Two members from the panel also represent formally at CEC. Terms of reference and details of the Group’s work are publicised on social media and our website to raise awareness of their work and also encourage others to get involved.
Our Customer Engagement Strategy is available on our website in a number of formats including video. This clearly shares our approach to engagement and our aspirations within this area of the business.
We attained the Tpas accreditation in November 2024.
Our KPI’s and TSM are clearly shared on our website and as part of our Annual Customer Export to ensure transparency of performance.
We have a clear and accessible complaints process and actively promote this in a variety of ways to encourage feedback.
Our customers can communicate to us in a variety of ways and we log and monitor communication from customers to ensure they receive a response to their enquiry.
We have also developed 4 Standards to manage expectation for both staff and customers on Anti-Social Behaviour, Customer Service, Repairs and Estate Services. These measures are a further way in which our performance can be measured and we can be held to account by our customers.
We commissioned an independent third party consultant to undertake a review of how the organisation can most effectively ensure a meaningful customer voice is represented at Board level.
Earlier in the year, we commissioned an independent third party consultant to undertake a review of how the organisation can most effectively ensure a meaningful customer voice is represented at Board level.
In the last 12 months, in how many complaints has the national Ombudsman determined that maladministration took place?
How have these complaints (or others) resulted in change of practice within the housing provider?
During 2024/25 we saw an 18% increase in comparison to the previous year.
We received 13 completed investigation responses from the Housing Ombudsman during 2024/25. This is an increase by two in the previous year, 2023/24. Below is the breakdown of findings from these cases: (please note number of cases received in 2023/24 in brackets)
Maladministration outcomes related to handling of repairs, complaints handling, handling of damp and mould and handling of leaks. Service failure outcomes related to complaints handling, handling of repairs, handling of engagement with vulnerable resident and handling of leaks. Reasonable Redress outcomes related to handling of repairs and handling of staff conduct.
We received one severe maladministration case relating to damp and mould works carried out in 2023. Since this case, the following changes and plans for future improvements in this area have been made:
Guidance and advice for residents also remains available on a dedicated section on our website: Condensation, Damp and Mould
We continue to engage with residents through our ‘learning from complaints’ subgroup. This group reviews complaint themes and trends. Our dedicated lessons learnt page is on our website: https://estuary.co.uk/learning-points
What are the key support services that the housing provider offers to its residents?
How successful are these services in improving outcomes?
We provide a range of support services to our customers. Our Benefit and Tenancy Coaches provide specialist help and advice to support and sustain tenancies.
With Benefit Coach support, £437,033.68 additional income was generated for our customers. This has included support to apply for Universal Credit, Council Tax reduction, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Carers Allowance and Pension Credits.
Officers have also supported customers to claim £283,540.30 in additional rent payments via Housing Benefit and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) which has helped sustain their tenancies.
We assisted 73 customers via our One Estuary Fund during 2023/2024 and a further 18 customers in December 2023 by providing shopping vouchers to assist with additional Xmas expenditure. We work closely with food banks and food clubs who provide good quality food at a reduced price in order to reduce food waste. We issued 98 food vouchers.
Our Tenancy Coach helps manage our complex cases more closely and provides extensive timely support. During 23/24 the Tenancy Coach supported 39 customers with a variety of needs including accessing mental health services, support for drug & alcohol dependency, registering with GP/local health services, hoarding, domestic abuse victim/survivors & perpetrators.
We completed 140 lettings to assist current customers and local authority customers into appropriate housing. Of these 29 were transfers for our current customers, 18 being for our highest priority customer for management moves (which includes DA) or due to urgent medical reasons.
We have worked with our contracting partner to provide handyman services to our Care & Support customers. We have also negotiated contributions to local charities and groups which may provide support for our customers.
During the reporting year we also achieved £4,105,766.57 in Social Value. This is over £0.25m increase on the previous year.
Below is a breakdown of areas in respect of Social Value:
Our Social Value total has increased year on year over the past three years, showing continuous improvement.
Year |
Value (£) |
| 2022/23 | 2,407,563.31 |
| 2023/24 | 3,850,397.73 |
| 2024/25 | 4,105,766.57 |
We also capture details of projects and initiatives which do not have a financial calculation where the impact is measured via monitoring and recognised improvement. We are able to demonstrate the difference to our customers lives in receiving our support to access social groups, exercise, be free from debt & able to save, alleviated from ASB and having increased confidence.
Describe the housing provider's community investment activities, and how the housing provider is contributing to positive neighbourhood outcomes for the communities in which its homes are located.
Provide examples or case studies of where the housing provider has been engaged in placemaking or placeshaping activities.
We have worked with our partners at Southend Council to provide a nursery facility and Family Centre from our main office which is located on our largest estate.
The Family Centre is a community resource providing parental support services from pregnancy. A total of 37% of the Nursery attendees live in an Estuary property and one child attends as their parent works for us. This is a direct benefit to our customers and also our people.
We invest in our communities by identifying opportunities to add value to existing activities and look to develop new initiatives with key partners, that will empower and benefit local people.
We took the roadshows to four locations during the year to specifically talk to customers regarding our repairs services and anti-social behaviour, to help shape our Service Standards. We want to do more to improve our relationship with our customers by building trust and rapport and provide customers with opportunities to co-regulate and deliver impact.
Is the Housing Provider registered with a regulator of social housing?
Estuary Housing Association is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. Our registration number is L3535.
What is the housing provider's most recent regulatory grading/status?
The most recent governance and viability regulatory grading for Estuary is G2/V2. We are committed to making any necessary improvements to return us to G1 at the earliest opportunity.
Which Code of Governance does the Housing Provider follow, if any?
Estuary follows the National Housing Federation’s Code of Governance published in 2020.
Is the housing provider a Not-For-Profit?
If not, who is the largest shareholder, what is their % of economic ownership and what % of voting rights do they control?
Yes, Estuary is a not-for-profit housing provider.
Explain how the Housing Provider’s board manages organisational risks
Estuary’s Board manages ESG risks by ensuring that they have governance oversight over these risks, the risks are integrated within policies and by monitoring these through reports they receive, including annual ESG reports.
Yes, ESG risks are incorporated within relevant areas in the Association’s risk register. The various ESG categories are set out as follows:
|
Risk Name / ID |
Risk Category / Description |
ENVIRONMENTAL |
|
|
Asset Management (RR-03)
|
Not achieving good asset performance/ meeting sustainability targets (includes having adequate data to respond to any future government requirements around property condition and sustainability e.g. net zero carbon)
|
|
Contractor failure (RR-05)
|
Construction market failure leads to contractor insolvency/poor performance
|
|
Low customer satisfaction driven by poor service delivery (RR-06)
|
Not providing quality services that lead to an improvement in resident satisfaction
|
|
Financial viability and treasury management
(RR-08 & RR-10)
|
Financial Resilience — Breach of loan covenants/ failure to maintain financial viability
|
|
Growth (RR-11)
|
Ability to grow the business sustainably (incl. stock rationalisation) in line with 'Shaping the Future' objectives.
|
|
Construction Quality (RR-47)
|
Significant financial, reputational and/or safety issues arising from currently unknown construction defects.
|
SOCIAL |
|
|
People & Culture (RR-02) |
Not embedding the One Estuary culture; inability to recruit and retain the right People that are motivated, professional and dedicated to our values. |
|
Major Health and Safety Incident (RR-07)
|
Appropriately respond to a major health and safety disaster (including serious health conditions resulting from damp and mould) or safeguarding incident which has implications for Estuary’s properties, customers and/or employees. |
GOVERNANCE |
|
|
Governance & Regulation (RR-01 & RR-09) |
|
|
Governance and Regulation (RR-04) |
Significant changes in the external environment adversely affecting Estuary – Appropriately responding to changes in government policy or the external / economic environment and meeting all regulatory and legal requirements. |
Our approach to overall risk management is detailed in our Risk Management Policy approved by the Board. Risk appetite is reviewed annually or following a material event. Risks are identified through regular top-down and bottom-up reviews. Our approach is cascaded through the organisation and is embedded in our culture, assurance framework and performance reporting. Senior management regularly monitor a variety of operational risks which feed into our strategic risk register.
Has the housing provider been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months (data protection breaches, bribery, money laundering, HSE breaches etc.) - that resulted in enforcement or other equivalent action?
No, Estuary has not been subject to any adverse regulatory findings in the last 12 months. Currently Estuary has a compliant G2 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing. We have carried out extensive reviews of our governance over the last 3 years in order to support us in attaining a G1 rating.
How does the housing provider ensure it gets input from a diverse range of people, into the governance processes?
Does the housing provider consider resident voice at the board and senior management level?
Does the housing provider have policies that incorporate Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) into the recruitment and selection of board members and senior management?
As at 31st March 2025 the Board comprised of nine non-executive members and two executive members, the Chief Executive and the Chief Financial Officer. The demographics of the Board as at 31st March 2025 were as follows:
| Female members | 7 (64%) |
| Male members | 4 (36%) |
| BAME | 9% |
| Average age | 58 |
| Average tenure | 2.6 years |
Diversity of Board is a key element which is considered as part of regular evaluations of Board skills and experience and annual effectiveness reviews, as reflected in our Board Effectiveness Framework. This feeds into Board succession planning and recruitment.
EHA has an Equality and Diversity Policy and also has an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Strategy Action Plan, which is regularly reviewed to ensure that it remains robust and fit for purpose and aligns with the Association’s Corporate Strategy.
The Board has also received training on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
What % of the housing provider's Board have turned over in the last two years?
What % of the housing provider's Senior Management Team have turned over in the last two years?
55% of the Board have turned over in the last two years. As at 31st March 2025, there were 11 members of the Board – nine non-executive members and two executive members, the Chief Executive and the Chief Financial Officer.
There has been no turnover of the Executive Team in the last two years. At the end of 2024-25, there were 5 members of the Executive Team, with 1 Director joining in the 2022-23 financial year.
Number of board members on the housing provider's Audit Committee with recent and relevant financial experience.
Our Audit and Risk Committee have four members from the Board, including members who have relevant financial experience and strong skills in finance management.
What % of the board are non-executive directors?
82% (9 out of 11) of our Board are non-executive directors as at 31 March 2025.
Has a succession plan been provided to the housing provider's board in the last 12 months?
Yes, a succession planning for both the Board members and key employees was provided to the Governance & Remuneration Committee in June and July 2024 respectively. The Committee was provided with an updated version skills matrices to the EHA Board and its Committees to inform, to provide assurance concerning Board and committee effectiveness and to aid with succession planning. The Committee also outlined and recommended to the Board for approval, the succession planning process for the Board and its Committees in respect of the re-appointment of Board members whose terms expired in 2024.
Our Code of Governance also requires that we have a formal succession plan and a Board development plan. We report compliance against our adopted Code annually.
For how many years has the housing provider’s current external audit partner been responsible for auditing the accounts?
We have had our current audit partner for 5 years.
When was the last independently-run, board-effectiveness review?
The last independently run Board effectiveness review was completed in November 2022. Our next review was planned for 2025; however, with ongoing considerations around merger, the review will be put on hold subject to the outcome of the merger.
How does the housing provider handle conflicts of interest at the board?
Board members are required to complete an annual disclosure of interests form and inform the Association of any changes to their interests during the year in line with the Code of Conduct for Board and Committee Members. Declarations of interest are presented at every Board and Committee meeting to ensure openness and transparency should a conflict arise. Board members are required at every meeting to raise any potential conflicts of interest for the business being discussed. Where a conflict is identified, there is a clear process and legal advice is sought, if required. Requirements are documented within the Board/ Committee Service Agreements and within supporting policies. Board members are also encouraged to resolve any issues or concerns that they may have at the earliest opportunity by discussing issues informally at an early stage to find a solution and/or applying its Board and Committee Dispute & Grievance Procedure.
Does the Housing Provider pay the Real Living Wage?
In the face of unprecedented economic challenges, including a significant rise in the national minimum wage in 2024, Estuary remains committed to fair compensation for our dedicated workforce. Due to constraints imposed by funding received from our local authority commissioners, we were unable to adjust base wages to align with the current Real Living Wage of £12 per hour for a portion of our staff. As a result, 47% of our employees (128 out of 272) are currently earning below this threshold.
Despite these challenges, Estuary continues to prioritise the wellbeing of our employees by offering a comprehensive package of benefits, and we continually review our pay structures to ensure we remain competitive and fair. In March 2025, Estuary’s Board approved the moving all staff who were on national minimum wage to the real living wage from 1st April 2025.
Our commitment to our people is unwavering, and we will continue to seek ways to reward the exceptional work they do, even in this challenging financial climate.
What is the housing provider's median gender pay gap?
As detailed in our 2024 pay gap report, Estuary’s median gender pay gap has reduced to 10.6%, marking a significant improvement for the third consecutive year—down from 22.4% in 2022 and 29.6% in 2021.
This consistent decrease underscores our dedication to closing the gender pay gap, a commitment we take seriously in the face of sector-specific challenges, particularly in the Care and Support and Built Environment sectors, where gender imbalances traditionally persist.
The notable reduction in our pay gap this year is largely attributed to the increased representation of women in our lower middle and upper middle quartile pay bands.
While we acknowledge that more work lies ahead, we are proud of the progress we have made and remain focused on fostering an equitable workplace where all employees are valued and rewarded fairly.
Furthermore, our gender pay gap report and its associated actions are aligned and incorporated into both our EDI Policy & Action Plan, further helping to ensure a culture of pay equity is embedded across the organisation.
What is the housing provider's CEO: median-worker pay ratio?
Our current CEO: median employee pay ratio is 4.36:1.
How is the housing provider ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is promoted across its staff?
Following on from the development of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Forum, we have created and supported several events and training dedicated to raising awareness, including sponsoring Southend Pride. We currently hold the bronze status for Inclusive Employers with an ambition to gain silver status. We have commissioned a number of training modules to be delivered in 2025. This has been branded our ‘Pathway to Inclusion’.
There is a large focus at present on EDI within the organisation. We now have a full time EDI manager who is initiating, reviewing and developing all areas of EDI for our policies, procedures, recruitment and absence management.
We work closely with our Occupational Health partner, TP Health to ensure any reasonable adjustments are made regarding absence. All staff are treated fair and equitably on the occasions of both short/long term absence and support is offered in a range of formats.
In the past year, we have continued to develop our dedicated EDI, drawn from across the organisation and led by two HR managers. This group is instrumental in driving meaningful change and fostering a culture of inclusivity for everyone.
The group meets bi-monthly and focus on areas such as raising awareness, training, recruitment and ensuring we embed an inclusive culture across our teams. This group will also collaborate with teams to support any new legislative changes and is made up of EDI Champions who will share learning back into their teams.
As evidence of the Board’s vision to drive a culture of diversity and inclusivity across the organisation, an EDI Board Champion was appointed by the Board in the course of the year. The Board EDI Champion engages with and participates in some of the activities organised by the EDI group and provides relevant updates to the Board.
How does the housing provider support the physical and mental health of its staff?
The physical and mental wellbeing of our staff remains a top priority at Estuary.
In the past year, we have continued to develop our dedicated Wellbeing Champions group, drawn from across the organisation and led by two HR managers.
Support mechanisms we have in place include our external occupational health provider, 24/7 employee assistance line, and comprehensive health and wellness platforms.
Our support for our mental health agenda has continued to increase and we now have over 24 Mental health first aiders across our team. This has resulted in a larger number of members joining our Wellbeing Champion Forum.
We have partnered with external agencies such as the Menopause Café and Andy Mans Club to support staff with both their physical and mental health and these sessions have been well received. This will continue in 2025.
As part of our commitment to staff wellbeing, Estuary offers the Simply Health Level 3 Cash Plan to all permanent staff. This benefit has been hugely successful and well- received, with 232 actives policies currently in place. The scheme helps staff claim money back on everyday healthcare costs such as dental treatment, optical services (including prescription sunglasses), podiatric prescriptions and health assessments. Access to 24- hour GP and physiotherapy services has also proven highly valuable, particularly as NHS appointments become harder to secure. Feedback shows most users secure same day appointments with prescriptions issued where necessary.
The scheme is fully inclusive and user friendly, with employees consistently reporting high awareness of the benefit and commending the speed of reimbursement, typically within four working days. In the first quarter of 2025, over £7,500 in claims were made.
Our commitment to employee wellbeing is holistic, recognising that mental, physical, and emotional health are key to building a resilient and engaged team.
We aim to foster a happy and vibrant workplace, where a fulfilled workforce is empowered to deliver excellent customer service - helping our business continue to grow and thrive.
How does the housing provider support the professional development of its staff?
In the last year, we continued the remainder of our Management Development Programme (MDP) with all managers attending, from our Executive Team to our frontline team leaders. The programme has been delivered in partnership with the POD team and our external partner, Waddington Brown.
The programme has so far been attended by over 45 managers and feedback to date has been positive.
Team members are also required to complete mandatory training on areas such as Health and Safety and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure they are proficient and compliant with legislation.
How is social value creation considered when procuring goods and services?
What measures are in place to monitor the delivery of this Social Value?
We are committed to considering Social Value as part of tender evaluations in all contracts procured over £100k as a way to create additional value for our customers. This varies with the nature of the goods/services/works being procured.
The inclusion of the following questions is also mandatory for all tenders:
Have you breached:
Additional questions for works tenders include:
Have you breached:
All suppliers awarded contracts over £100k are asked to provide their EDI policies to ensure they align to Estuaries values.
We also take the opportunity as part of contract management activities to approach larger existing suppliers to consider how they can deliver social value for us.
How is sustainability considered when procuring goods and services?
What measures are in place to monitor the sustainability of your supply chain when procuring goods and services?
We will be able to measure against this criterion once we fully understand our CO2 emission output, as this will determine what to ask of our suppliers.
In accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015, we include sustainability and environmental criteria on a case by case basis as part of our tender evaluations.
There are requirements suppliers must meet in reporting on waste and fleet.
We want to work with suppliers who are using new innovations to improve more sustainable services. In light of this, we currently conduct basic due diligence in respect of our procurement. We therefore include the following questions in all works tenders:
Other questions tailored to the specific works, goods or services required include: