Decision

Onward Group Limited (4649) - Regulatory Judgement: 14 October 2026

Updated 14 October 2026

Applies to England

Our Judgement

	Grade/Judgement	Change	Date of assessment
Consumer	C1 Our judgement is that overall the landlord is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards. The landlord has demonstrated that it identifies when issues occur and puts plans in place to remedy and minimise recurrence.	First grading	October 2026
Governance	G1 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements.	Assessed and unchanged	October 2026
Viability	V2 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our viability requirements. It has the financial capacity to deal with a reasonable range of adverse scenarios but needs to manage material risks to ensure continued compliance.	Assessed and unchanged	October 2026

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for Onward Group Limited (Onward) following an inspection completed in October 2026.

This regulatory judgement confirms a consumer grade of C1, a governance grade of G1 and a financial viability grade of V2.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the governance and financial viability grades for Onward were last updated in December 2025 following a stability check to confirm a G1 grade for governance and a V2 grade for financial viability. This is the first time we have issued a consumer grade in relation to this landlord.

Summary of the decision

From the assurance gained during the inspection, based on the evidence provided by Onward, we have concluded that overall Onward is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a C1 grade for Onward.

Our judgement is that Onward meets our governance requirements. Onward has provided evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of its governance arrangements and that it continues to effectively manage the risks of its activities, allowing it to deliver its strategic objectives. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a G1 grade for Onward.

Our judgement is that Onward meets our financial viability requirements and  has capacity to manage a reasonable range of adverse scenarios. However, there are financial risks which need to be managed, including risks associated with Onward’s development and disposal programmes as well as a continued reliance on efficiency savings. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a V2 grade for Onward.

How we reached our judgement

We carried out an inspection of Onward to assess how well it is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and meeting our governance and financial viability requirements, as part of our planned regulatory inspection programme. During the inspection, we considered all four of the consumer standards: Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Safety and Quality Standard, Tenancy Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

During the inspection we observed a board meeting and a tenant scrutiny panel, spoke with tenants, held meetings with Onward including its non-executive directors, interviewed staff, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by Onward.

Our regulatory judgement is based on a review of all the relevant information we obtained during the inspection as well as analysis of information supplied by Onward in its regulatory returns and other regulatory engagement activity.

Summary of findings  

Consumer – C1 – October 2026

During the inspection, we gained assurance that Onward meets the outcomes of the Safety and Quality Standard, through compliance with statutory health and safety requirements, comprehensive board reporting and regular third-party assurance. We saw evidence that Onward holds up-to-date information on the condition of its homes through its programme of physical surveys and uses this to inform decisions about repairs and maintenance.

Onward also demonstrated that it is providing an effective repairs service, with the majority of repairs completed within target timescales and close monitoring of any repairs that fall outside of these timescales. Onward has brought its repairs service in-house and made changes to the service to deliver improved outcomes for tenants.

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we gained assurance that Onward is providing an effective service to tackle anti-social behaviour, working with appropriate organisations to both deter and address anti-social behaviour. This service has also been subject to scrutiny by tenants, with Onward in the process of adopting the recommendations made. We also saw evidence that Onward provides an effective complaints service, with a focus on both responding within target timescales and learning lessons from complaints to improve the service provided to tenants.

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard we gained assurance that Onward treats tenants fairly and with respect. We saw evidence that Onward has put in place a framework for engagement that provides effective scrutiny and influence by tenants, with work ongoing to further strengthen this area. We also saw evidence that Onward provides a range of relevant and accessible information to tenants, including about its performance.

We saw evidence that Onward allocates its homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way, in line with the required outcomes in the Tenancy Standard. Measures are in place to ensure the terms of tenancy are appropriate and meet the needs of tenants and support tenancy sustainment. These include a range of methods to promote tenancy sustainability and help tenants access financial support. Onward evidenced it has a range of ways to deter and tackle tenancy fraud.

Governance – G1 – October 2026

Based on the evidence reviewed during our inspection, we gained assurance that Onward’s governance arrangements enable it to effectively manage its risks, adequately control the organisation and deliver its objectives.

Onward’s board has a clear corporate plan and strategies, and during the inspection we saw evidence that these are regularly reviewed to ensure that Onward is delivering against its organisational purpose.

Onward provided evidence that roles, responsibilities and accountabilities are defined and effective. Strategic direction led by the board and reporting arrangements ensure effective oversight of operational and financial performance. The board and executive demonstrated the skills and capacity to deliver the corporate objectives and there is a skills framework in place to ensure that the correct balance of skills is maintained. 

We saw evidence of continued improvement through regular effectiveness reviews and in-depth external governance reviews. Recommendations from those reviews are being considered and addressed at board level.

Onward demonstrated that there is an appropriate risk management and control framework in place that aligns to its strategic risks. We saw evidence that this is overseen by the board and that risks are being managed effectively.

We saw evidence of board ownership of stress testing and mitigations, and how these are used to inform decisions, supplementing the wider control framework. Reporting to board provides sufficient detail to ensure effective oversight. 

Viability – V2 – October 2026

Based on the evidence gained through the inspection, we have concluded that Onward meets our financial viability requirements and its business plan remains consistent with a V2 grade.

Onward has evidenced that it has an adequately funded business plan, with sufficient security in place to support its financial plans. Onward’s board has effective oversight of covenant financial position. Onward is forecast to remain compliant with its financial covenants.

Onward has the financial capacity to manage adverse scenarios. Material risks remain, as the business plan assumes significant levels of development and disposals to improve financial performance. There are also substantial ongoing investment requirements relating to homes, building safety, energy efficiency improvement works and wider regulatory compliance. Onward’s stress testing indicates that the organisation can manage a reasonable range of adverse scenarios when planned mitigations are enacted.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

Onward operates across the north-west of England in 29 local authorities. It owns and manages around 30,000 homes, with the largest proportion of these located in Liverpool. The most recent corporate plan covers the period 2022-2030, with the ambition of delivering 5,000 new homes across that period.

Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2026 was £210m.

Our role and regulatory approach

We regulate for a viable, efficient, and well governed social housing sector able to deliver quality homes and services for current and future tenants.  

We regulate at the landlord level to drive improvement in how landlords operate. By landlord we mean a registered provider of social housing. These can either be local authorities, or private registered providers (other organisations registered with us such as non-profit housing associations, co-operatives, or profit-making organisations). 

We set standards which state outcomes that landlords must deliver. The outcomes of our standards include both the required outcomes and specific expectations we set. Where we find there are significant failures in landlords which we consider to be material to the landlord’s delivery of those outcomes, we hold them to account. Ultimately this provides protection for tenants’ homes and services and achieves better outcomes for current and future tenants. It also contributes to a sustainable sector which can attract strong investment. 

We have a different role for regulating local authorities than for other landlords. This is because we have a narrower role for local authorities and the Governance and Financial Viability Standard, and Value for Money Standard do not apply. Further detail on which standards apply to different landlords can be found on our standards page. 

We assess the performance of landlords through inspections and by reviewing data that landlords are required to submit to us. In Depth Assessments (IDAs) were one of our previous assessment processes, which are now replaced by our inspections programme from 1 April 2024. We also respond where there is an issue or a potential issue that may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards. We publish regulatory judgements that describe our view of landlords’ performance with our standards. We also publish grades for landlords with more than 1,000 social housing homes. 

The Housing Ombudsman deals with individual complaints. When individual complaints are referred to us, we investigate if we consider that the issue may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards.  

For more information about our approach to regulation, please see Regulating the Standards.

Further information

• Regulating the standards
• Regulatory standards for landlords

Related documents

• Decent Homes Standard