Following our recent merger, we are introducing our new Housing Plus Group branding to customer surveys.

In the coming weeks, you may receive a survey by text message or email asking for your feedback on our services. These surveys will now be branded with Housing Plus Group, instead of the previous 糖心传媒 or Wrekin Housing Group branding some customers may be familiar with.

This is part of our move to a single, unified identity across the Group. While the branding may look slightly different, the purpose of the survey remains the same – to help us understand your experience and improve the services we provide.

Everything else remains unchanged. You鈥檒l continue to receive the same services from the same teams who know your homes and communities.

How to know your survey is genuine

We understand that receiving new-looking messages can feel unfamiliar.

Remember:

• Surveys will only be sent following a recent interaction, such as a repair or service visit
• Messages will not ask for sensitive personal or financial information
• The branding will include Housing Plus Group
• You can always contact us to check its authenticity if you are unsure

If you have any doubts about a message you receive, please get in touch with us before responding.

Your feedback is important to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

Following our recent merger, we are bringing together our services under a new Housing Plus Group brand.

A man who听was choosing between听keeping up with听his bills or听paying for听food听and heating听has urged other people听facing money worries to ask for support.听

Tony听Rogers, from Shrewsbury,听said his problems started to escalate when he was forced to give up work due to ill health. He was then hit with a bedroom tax shortfall which left him struggling to keep up with essential bills.听

Priotising paying his rent and council tax,听the 66-year-old听would听often听go without food and heating to avoid falling into arrears.听This caused his mental health to suffer and听impacted听his existing medical conditions.听

Tony said: 鈥淚t was when I had to give up work that things started to escalate. As time went on the money started to dry up听and the bedroom tax really punished me.听

鈥淚t was a decision between paying bills or heating and eating. Which one do you do? I opted to pay my bills听and council tax听as I听didn鈥檛听want to go into debt听and heating听and eating听fell by the wayside.鈥�听

A turning point for Tony came when he rang the Samaritans in a moment of despair and they told him about听Housing Plus Group鈥檚 money advice team, which offers free financial support for tenants.听

Tony was听advised to pop听into the group鈥檚 nearby community hub, in听Castlefields, where he met听one of the team鈥檚 employment and money advisors, Edge听Abboh.听

Edge said: 鈥淭ony听is a traditional and proud man who听didn鈥檛听want to fall into arrears. He popped into the hub to ask about our听advice听and I spent time building that rapport听with him, he was worried about taking up too much of my听time听but I explained听that’s听what听we鈥檙e听here for.鈥�听

Edge carried out a full assessment of Tony鈥檚 financial circumstances to听identify听areas where his income could be improved and his outgoings reduced.听

Edge was able to reinstate Tony鈥檚 Housing Benefit, to make sure his rent would be covered, as well as applying for Attendance Allowance听to support听Tony鈥檚听additional听needs. He also听helped him to complete听online applications for his State Pension and Pension Credit.听

Tony said: 鈥淚t was听an eye opener听for me. Edge was so knowledgeable about what I was entitled to.听

鈥淚鈥檇听never even thought about Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance and within four to five weeks of seeing him I had everything through and it was amazing.鈥�听

The team was able to help maximise Tony鈥檚 income so that he is no longer forced to sacrifice essentials such as food and heating听to听be able to听pay听his bills.听

Tony said: 鈥淚 wish听I鈥檇听gotten help sooner. I was听going through terrible stress, almost afraid to go out for years.听听

鈥淚n the end I just had to do something.鈥�听

Now more than 12 months after Tony first popped into the听Castlefields听Community Hub, his mental health has improved听hugely听and听he has peace of mind knowing he has the security, stability, and confidence to manage his circumstances more effectively.听

Tony said: 鈥淎s soon as my money comes听through听I go and spend 拢15 a week on electric and gas, something听I鈥檝e听never been able to do before.听

鈥淚t鈥檚听taken a lot of stress off my shoulders and听I鈥檓听able to sleep better at night.鈥�听

Tony is now urging anyone else worried about money to ask for help.听

He added: 鈥淚f听you鈥檙e听struggling to keep up with your rent or your bills, approach your landlord or supplier first. It soon builds up and they may be able to work with you.鈥�听

Edge says he has seen a dramatic change in Tony.听

He said: 鈥淚 dread to think what would have happened if Tony听didn鈥檛听come in to see us.听

鈥淗e still pops into the听hub听and you can see听that all听the tension and pressure听has听been听released off his shoulders. He seems a lot more stress free.鈥�听

If you are a Housing Plus Group customer struggling to gain employment, unsure what benefits you could be entitled to or finding it hard to manage your money, the Employment and Money Advice Service is here to help.听听

Customers can contact the team by calling 0800 048 8955, completing the听referral form听or by dropping into one of the听community hubs.

Prices that most of us pay for gas and electricity will fall by 6.7% on average from the start of April.

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 debt and energy manager Dan Bebbington talks us through the details.

This is the first time since last summer that energy bills will have fallen, and will result in a saving of 拢117 annually 鈥� around 拢10 per month 鈥� for those using a typical amount of gas and electricity.

Energy regulator Ofgem yesterday confirmed that the energy price cap 鈥� the maximum amount most people can be charged per unit of gas and electricity on a standard tariff 鈥� will reduce by 6.7% for the average household. In real terms, this works out as an annual bill reduction of 拢117 to 拢1,641.

It comes following the Government鈥檚 previous Autumn Budget, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced changes to cut certain energy-related levies off consumer bills and instead, into general taxation.

Although this announcement brings some welcome breathing space for many of us, it is important to remember that your discount will depend on the size and type of your household, and its energy usage.

To understand how your bill will change, you鈥檒l need to look at new standing charges and unit prices, for electricity and gas 鈥� and compare this to your typical usage. There are online calculators that can work this out for you.

In addition to the reduction in energy bills from April, standing charges are also set to fall, with the Government announcing earlier this month that it would cut the cost of standing charges by moving costs associated with the Warm Home Discount and on to energy unit rates instead.

Standing charges 鈥� which is a fixed daily amount that you pay on your energy bill, even if you don鈥檛 use any 鈥� currently stand at around 拢328 of the average annual energy bill. From April, this will fall slightly to 拢315.

It is also worth noting that you can save 14% compared to the current price cap by fixing 鈥� and fixing gives you certainty over what you鈥檒l be paying, rather than waiting to see what the price cap does each quarter.

However, with that said 鈥� most fixes are expected to fall by a similar amount to the price cap from April, as the energy savings announced in the Autumn Budget are expected to be passed on to fixes too, meaning the current level of savings you will see are likely to be around the same (or even a little higher) come April.

You can visit moneysavingexpert.com for up-to-date information, as well as comparison sites such as GoCompare and Uswitch are also useful for finding deals that best work for you.

If you are concerned about your energy bills or usage, speak to your energy supplier or a charity such as Marches Energy Agency, LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partners) and National Energy Action.

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 customers can also contact our dedicated Energy Advisor, in partnership with the Cadent Foundation, for advice and support.

On Tuesday, between 8:45am and 11:15am, we鈥檒l be making a few temporary adjustments to our customer services so we can focus on improving how we support you.

During this short time:

• Our phone lines will be redirected, but we鈥檒l still be here for emergency and essential repairs.
• Our receptions will be closed, reopening as normal from 11:15am.

All other services will be back to normal straight after.

Thank you for your understanding – and for bearing with us while we make sure we continue to deliver the best service possible.

Housing Plus Group has helped support a baby bank as it moves into its new headquarters in Shrewsbury.听

Little Stars works to ensure babies and children across Shropshire have access to the essentials they need at every stage of childhood such as nappies, equipment,听clothing听and school items.听听

Due to increasing demand, it has now moved into its own dedicated building on Battlefield Enterprise Park to allow it to upscale its operations and to continue providing this much-needed service for families.听

To help cover setup costs and make the new building comfortable for staff and volunteers, Housing Plus Group donated 拢2,000 to the charity.听

Founder and chief executive of Little Stars, Leanne Simcoe, said: 鈥淭hat support meant I was able to invest in the essential health and safety work needed in our new premises. We were also able to听purchase听items for the staff kitchen, buy fleeces to keep our volunteers warm in the warehouse, and fund marketing materials so people can find us easily and know where we are.听

“It was great to have that pressure lifted because it was core funding for us.鈥�听

The new premises will be used as an office and storage warehouse, and Leanne is looking for volunteers who would like to help organise the new space.听

Leanne added: 鈥淚n terms of volunteering,听we鈥檝e听just moved into our new premises, so our focus is on sorting the stock we already have and organising it into categories such as spring and summer.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚听about being more granular with the sorting so we can work more efficiently. Once everything is organised,听we鈥檒l听know exactly what we need and can reach out to the community for those donated items.鈥�听

Housing Plus group鈥檚 Money Matters team works closely with Little Stars to help support tenants who may be struggling to afford essentials for their children.听

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 Social Value and Inclusion Manager, Sam Hine, said: 鈥淥ur Money Matters team is already linked with Little Stars, and when I met Leanne and she talked me through their aspirations and the move into the new building, it just felt like an obvious choice to support them.听听

鈥淭hey鈥檙e听making a real difference for people who live in our homes, so supporting their work made perfect sense. We hope our support will make a meaningful difference to anyone in need and help ease the pressure for those who may be struggling.鈥�听

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,听Shropshire听and Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:听听听听

Anyone who would like to volunteer at Little Stars can email听enquiries@littlestarscharity.org.听You can also visit the听听to find out more or access support.听

Housing Plus Group has funded 500听reusable water bottles for patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.听

The grant funding followed an application from Lingen Davies Cancer Support and will help patients to stay hydrated and make their treatment journey a little bit easier.听

Staying hydrated is crucial during radiotherapy, particularly if patients are receiving treatment to the pelvis, as it can improve the accuracy of treatment and help minimise the severity of some side effects. Before starting radiotherapy, people are asked to follow a special diet and to drink plenty of water before each treatment.听听

The reusable water bottles support patients to drink the correct amount of fluid for their treatment and听monitor听their intake, as well as reducing single-use plastic cups and bottles.听

Sophie Crockford, Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser for Lingen Davies Cancer Support, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to have received funding from Housing Plus Group to provide water bottles for those undergoing radiotherapy treatment. By working closely with NHS staff and patients, we know that something as simple as staying hydrated can help make individual’s cancer treatment journey a little easier. We are proud to offer the water bottles and so grateful to Housing Plus Group for their generous support.”听

Housing Plus Group is also one of 11 organisations who sponsored Telford MP Shaun Davies鈥� annual Christmas card for 2025. It was supporting Lingen Davies Cancer Support鈥檚 拢5 million Sunflower Appeal to grow cancer care across the region. The appeal will fund听a brand-new cancer centre at Princess Royal Hospital, doubling chemotherapy capacity and bringing vital treatment closer to home for Telford patients.听

Kevin Davies, Head of Neighbourhoods at Housing Plus Group, said: 鈥淲e are delighted that we can support such a fantastic scheme, which not only improves the patient experience but also increases sustainability.听

鈥淲e were also really pleased to be one of the sponsors of Shaun Davies鈥� Christmas Card and hope it helped to spread the word and encourage donations to the Sunflower Appeal this Christmas.鈥澨�听

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,听Shropshire听and Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:听听听听听

You can also find out more about Lingen Davies Cancer Support鈥檚 Sunflower Appeal and how to support the campaign by visiting:听听

While many families will be unwrapping presents and enjoying festive meals, dedicated workers from Housing Plus Group will be spending their Christmas Day making sure others are cared for, safe and supported.

From carers and nurses to chefs, plumbers and electricians, these colleagues are putting their own celebrations aside to ensure residents and customers have the best possible Christmas.

At William Street in Stoke-on-Trent, support worker Nichola Walker will be pulling out all the stops to ensure residents enjoy their Christmas. Instead of spending time with her family, Nichola will be helping residents with basic needs 鈥� including meal preparation, administering medications and being a friendly face to talk to.

Nichola said:

鈥淲orking in our residential schemes over Christmas is just like when you’re at home, we just make it really homely. It鈥檚 quite rewarding, especially when they don’t go and spend the day with their families. We’re like their families and they rely on us to make it special for them. It means a lot to them to know we’re there, and to see their little faces when they open their presents, it’s just lovely.鈥�

In Church Stretton, care assistant Agnes Makotose will be assisting residents at The Sandford nursing home with their personal care and making sure their needs are met.

Agnes said:

鈥淲orking in care is more than a career for me, especially here, you get to know each and every person; their needs, their likes and dislikes, it鈥檚 more like a second family. The residents appreciate you so much, even if they can鈥檛 say it verbally, you can tell by their facial expressions and body language.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that the residents know that someone will be there for them, whether their family visits or not. Sometimes family members may not be able to come for Christmas, but they know we鈥檒l be there for their loved ones.鈥�

Chef manager Jamie Thompson will be up before dawn preparing Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for residents and their families at Withywood, an extra care schemes in Shrewsbury.

Jamie said:

鈥淭he prep starts on Christmas Eve, and I鈥檒l be in the kitchen around 5am on Christmas Day. Working on Christmas Day is nothing new for me. I did it a lot in my previous job. Many of the residents may not be able to see their family over Christmas so we try to make it as special as we can for them. It鈥檚 hard being away from my family on Christmas Day, but we will celebrate with each other on Boxing Day.鈥�

Christmas Day doesn鈥檛 mean a break for essential repairs. Senior Electrician Roger Gayes, from Leek, will once again volunteer to work on Christmas Day, ready to respond to urgent electrical issues that could pose safety risks. Last year, Roger was called out to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire hazard.

Roger explained:

鈥淚 got called out last year to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire risk. It was about 4pm, so I鈥檇 had my Christmas dinner and I was watching the new Wallace and Gromit film when I got the call out, but I was able to rewatch it when I got back.

鈥淚t makes me feel good helping someone out, even on a normal working day, but on Christmas Day people are really thankful. Many of our customers are elderly and don鈥檛 have family nearby, so we鈥檙e almost like a social service too.鈥�

In Shropshire, Advanced Craft Plumber Ryan Jones will be on call for the first time on Christmas Day. Ryan and his team can be called upon for a range of urgent tasks, from plumbing to joinery, ensuring that any disruption to customers鈥� festive plans is kept to a minimum.

Ryan said:

鈥淚鈥檓 a big one for spending time with family over Christmas, but I鈥檒l be there to help people and make sure their Christmas isn鈥檛 spoiled by an emergency.鈥�

We hope you all enjoy a safe and peaceful festive period.

Remember we鈥檙e always here if you need us. Our usual emergency services will operate throughout this period. You can contact us by calling 0800 048 8955 (24/7).

However, our offices will be closed from 5pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 until 8.30 on Friday 2 January 2026, with our community hubs reopening on Monday 5 January.

Chatticus, the 糖心传媒 chatbot, will be available on our website to help answer questions quickly and easily. However, our team will not be available to start a live chat with you, or respond to Facebook messages, while the offices are closed.
Our care services remain open during the whole festive period.

From everyone at 糖心传媒, we wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas.

Food banks across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford & Wrekin have received a substantial funding boost from Housing Plus Group.听

The social landlord has donated 拢6,000 across five different food banks, to help support them this festive season.听

The grants were given to House of Bread and Rising Brook Food Bank, in Stafford, Kingsway Foodbank, in Wombourne, Cannock and District Food Bank, in South Staffordshire and Food Bank Plus at St Barnabus Church in Shrewsbury.听

Kevin Davies, Head of Neighbourhoods at Housing Plus Group, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to have been able to help these food banks, who provide an essential service to people in our local communities.听听

鈥淔ood banks need our support at Christmas more than ever, and we hope our donations will help people who are struggling this festive season.鈥�听

The donations will help the food banks stock up on essentials that people need but sadly may not be able to afford.听听听

Stewart, who heads up the Kingsway Foodbank team, said: 鈥淜ingsway Foodbank has been听very grateful听for the support of Housing Plus Group over听a number of听years. It has helped us to deliver over 400 parcels across South Staffordshire to 84 families and individuals during 2025.鈥�听

Housing Plus Group also recently confirmed its ongoing partnership with Telford Crisis Support (TCS). TCS is an organisation it works closely with to ensure our tenants, who might be facing financially challenging times, can access the crisis services provided.听

Erin Aston, Telford Crisis Support Co-Ordinator, said: 鈥淲e at TCS are really pleased to receive the grant monies from Housing Plus Group and really appreciate its continued support.鈥�听

Deb Morrison, Financial Inclusion Manager at Housing Plus Group, added: 鈥淥ur Money Matters team work very closely with Telford Crisis Support, and they听provide听such a wide range of vital help and support to the households that we work with. Our ongoing support will help them continue their听great work听across our local communities.鈥�听

Housing Plus Group鈥檚 community fund, delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM), supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,听Shropshire听and Telford. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:听