Reflecting on another year for English Rural, I am proud of the steady progress we have made against a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty and rising expectations across our sector. A greater degree of political stability has helped, but our focus has remained where it always should be: providing and managing affordable homes for local people in rural communities and speaking up for rural housing nationally.
This year we took an important step by welcoming resident representation onto our Board, embedding the resident voice at the very heart of our decision-making. We continued to grow, completing 27 new affordable homes, the majority for social rent, making them more affordable for residents, with a further pipeline of over 100 in progress, supported by grant funding from Homes England and strong local partnerships.
Sound governance remains central to everything we do. During 2025/26, the Regulator of Social Housing began its inspection of English Rural, with the resulting gradings published after the year end. We were pleased to retain our highest governance rating of G1, see our financial viability rating upgraded from V2 to V1, and receive a C2 consumer grading in our first consumer assessment. We also introduced Board remuneration to help us attract and keep the right skills and experience.
I was delighted that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal renewed her Patronage for a further three years, and that our new Communications and Sustainability strategies are helping us extend our reach and reduce our environmental impact. Looking ahead, I remain confident that English Rural is well placed to deliver lasting, positive impact for rural communities across England.
I extend my sincere thanks to my fellow Board Members, our dedicated staff team, partners, stakeholders, and, above all, our residents, whose insight and support continue to inspire and drive us forward.
Everything we do comes back to our residents and the rural communities we serve. Welcoming resident representation onto our Board this year built on our existing commitment to listening to residents and brought that perspective even closer to our decision-making
Chair, English Rural
