We hold the following accreditations and awards.
As an organisation, we are committed to ending homelessness, domestic abuse, stigma around mental health, anti-social behaviour, and support for carers and people with dementia.
Accreditations
Investors in People is the standard for people management. The standard defines what it takes to lead, support and manage people for sustainable results.
IIP conducted an assessment of the Group in 2023 as part of a three-year review, and we are pleased to say that we were successful in achieving the prestigious silver ‘we invest in people' standard.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to supporting employees who have a disability or become disabled during the course of their employment. We display the ‘Disability Confident - Employer’ symbol, demonstrating that we meet the standard to encourage and make adjustments for applicants with disabilities.
As a Level 2 accredited Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to the following:
- Interviewing disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy, considering them based on their abilities
- Making every effort when employees become disabled to make sure they stay in employment
- Taking action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to ensure that this commitment works.
Customer Service Excellence was developed to offer companies and organisations a practical tool for driving customer-focused change.
The foundation of this tool is the Customer Service Excellence standard, which tests in great depth those areas that research has indicated are a priority for customers, with a particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and employee attitude.
There is also emphasis placed on developing customer insight, understanding the user’s experience and robust measurement of service satisfaction.
Customer Service Excellence® is designed to operate on three distinct levels:
- As a driver of continuous improvement. By allowing organisations to self-assess their capability in relation to customer-focused service delivery, identifying areas and methods for improvement;
- As a skills development tool. By allowing individuals and teams within the organisation to explore and acquire new skills in the area of customer focus and customer engagement, thus building their capacity for delivering improved services;
- As an independent validation of achievement. By allowing organisations to seek formal accreditation to the Customer Service Excellence® standard, demonstrate their competence, identify key areas for improvement and celebrate their success.
Progress Housing Group has received a Compliance Plus Customer Service Excellence accreditation.
Progress Housing Group is proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer.
This commitment ensures that all employees are paid at least the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation according to the basic cost of living in the UK. This includes individuals who work on a regular basis at our premises for subcontractors, such as cleaners or security employees.
Living Wage employers report improved morale, lower turnover of employees, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and improved customer service. The Living Wage mark recognises and celebrates this leadership. To find out more about accreditation and the Living Wage mark, please click here.
Gas Safe Register is run by Capita Gas Registration and Ancillary Services Limited, a division of Capita Group Plc. It is the official gas registration body for Great Britain (GB) and Isle of Man, appointed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for Great Britain and HSWI for Isle of Man.
Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as the gas registration body in GB on 1 April 2009. The HSE carried out a review of gas safety in 2006, which, after consultation with the gas industry, engineers and the public, led to the decision to change to a new gas registration scheme.
The sole focus of the register is on improving and maintaining gas safety to the highest standards.
NICEIC is the UK electrical contracting industry’s independent voluntary body, which regulates the training and work of electrical enterprises in the UK.
The NICEIC is one of only a few providers given government approval to offer Competent Person Schemes to oversee electrical work within the electrical industry.
Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS)
CHAS (The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) was created by experienced health and safety professionals in 1997 to improve health and safety standards across the UK.
In partnership with the Association of London Government (ALG), CHAS was a key developer of the core criteria held in the Approved Code of Practice, which supported the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (now recognised as CDM 2015) and is a founder member of SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement).
As one of the founders of third-party accreditation, they are not only a trusted advisor on health and safety compliance; they are an authority. They set industry benchmarks, provide assurance and reassurance, and offer best-in-class services that are easy to use and cost-effective.
This health and safety legislation was created to achieve the following aims:
- To simplify health and safety contractor assessment by standardising requirements
- To allow companies to avoid undergoing health and safety assessments for every job.
CHAS has more than 900 public and private sector client organisations and 70,000 contractors registered on the CHAS database.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
Established in 1956, the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards offer organisations a prime opportunity to benchmark safety performance year on year and ensure consistent performance between sites.
They also provide an effective route to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to raising health and safety standards.
In 2023, the Group achieved its fifth consecutive gold award and our first Gold Medal Award from RoSPA for health and safety.
The Gold Medal is awarded to organisations that have received the RoSPA Gold Award for between five and nine consecutive years.
The Telecare Services Association (TSA) is the representative body for the technology-enabled care (TEC) industry in the UK.
TEC Quality is the accreditation that means we meet the highest level of the TSA's Quality Standards Framework (QSF) - these are a set of outcome-based standards developed to provide quality assurance.
The accreditation ensures users receive a high standard of service that has been audited for quality, safety and innovation.
The TEC Quality accreditation is only given after inspections and audits are fully completed - this is done by a team of external, independent auditors trained to ISO 19011 standards.
The TSA have almost 300 members, primarily from local authorities, registered social landlords and private sector suppliers and recognises that TSA-accredited members provide support to the majority of the 1.7 million service users who benefit from technology-enabled care services in the UK.
Annually, the TSA undertake member inspections against the criteria established within the QSF, and every three years accredited members undergo a rigorous full audit inspection to ensure that compliance is maintained.
Each year, Progress Lifeline continue to successfully retain the TEC Quality (TSA Quality Standards Framework QSF) certification. Our audits are every February, and our compliance with the audit ensures that we are able to maintain the very highest standards in the provision of technology-enabled care across all of our service modules:
- TEC monitoring
- Assessment of and installation of TEC
- Response services.
We work to the high standards and targets set by the TEC Services Association (TSA), with whom we have been an accredited member since 2006.
Awards
Affordable Housing Awards - Finalist
Campaign of the year for the 'My Life in Progress' annual report campaign.
Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards - Finalist
Diversity and Inclusion Programme category for the Group's second Project SEARCH cohort.
Inside Housing's Housing Heroes Awards - Finalist
Group tenant and Chair of Wade Hall Community Association, Joan was a finalist in the Tenant of the Year category.
Inside Housing's Women in Housing Awards - Finalist
Group charity Partner, Key Unlocking Futures Chair Lynne was a finalist in the Board/Committee Member of the Year category.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Award and Gold Medal for Health and Safety
Inside Housing's Housing Development Awards - Finalist
RWP's Annear Place Scheme was a finalist in the Best Supported Housing Development category - rural/suburban.
Inside Housing Affordable Housing Awards - Finalist
Progress Housing Group 2021/22 Annual Report is a finalist in the Campaign of the Year category.
Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards - Winner
The Diversity and Inclusion Programme category was won by Project SEARCH, our internship programme for young autistic people.
ITEC Awards 2022 - Winner and Finalist
Our Progress Lifeline Emergency Home Response Service was named the winner for the Working in Partnership category.
Progress Lifeline Emergency Home Responder Lorraine was a finalist in the TEC Hero category.
Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards - Finalist
Progress Lifeline was named a finalist in the Collaboration/ Integration category.
Lancashire Business View Red Rose Awards - Finalist
The Group was named as a finalist in the Customer Services category.
UK Housing Awards - Finalists
RWP was named a finalist in the Best Supported Housing Landlord category.
Our Progress Futures service was also a finalist in the Best Resident Employment and Training Scheme category.
Lancashire Apprenticeship Awards - Finalist
Our second Project SEARCH cohort was a finalist in the Diversity and Inclusion Programme category.
RoSPA Gold Award for health and safety
We received a Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Health and Safety Award. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practice.
Shortlisted as finalists in:
- Our Progress Lifeline Emergency Home Response Service for ‘Working in Partnership’ and our Support Services and Allocations Team for ‘Excellence in Customer Service’.
Housing Digital Top 30 Digital Housing Providers
Ranked 26th for our digital innovation and roadmap.
Shortlisted as finalists in the categories:
- Robert Porter in the Inspirational Leader of the Year category and the
- Progress Futures Team in the Team of the Year Award.
Inside Housing's UK Housing Awards
Our Progress Futures Team were finalists in the Resident Employment and Training category.
Lancashire Business View Red Rose Awards
Our Support Services and Allocations Team were finalists in the Customer Service category.
Shortlisted as finalists in the categories:
- Best Resident Involvement Scheme
- Resident Employment/Training Initiative of the Year.
North West Employee Engagement Group (NWEEG) Awards
After being shortlisted in five categories:
- Progress Housing Group in the Corporate Fundraiser and Kindest award categories. Lorraine, a mobile responder for Progress Lifeline for the Kindest award category, Progress Lifeline's Emergency Home Response Service in the Top Team category and Sian from our Supported Living Team for the Awesome Apprentice award category.
We won two awards:
- Lorraine Duong, Progress Lifeline Emergency Home Responder, took home the Kindness Award after being nominated for her work supporting Progress Lifeline customers in their homes.
- The Group also took home the Corporate Fundraiser award in recognition of our community investment, sponsorship and charity work supporting our communities.
Shortlisted as finalists in the categories:
- The Progress Involvement team in the Team of the Year category and
- The Progress Futures Team in the Excellence in Engagement in Support and Care category.
RoSPA Gold Award for health and safety
We received a Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Health and Safety Award. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practice.
National Centre for Diversity Grand Awards - Finalist
In a joint entry with Together Housing Group and Housing Diversity Network, we were shortlisted as finalists in the Most Innovative EDI Initiative of the Year category at the National Centre for Diversity Grand Awards for the Achieving and Harnessing Board Diversity project.
South Ribble Community Awards - Winner
Progress Futures and Progress Involvement Teams - 'Business in the Community' - Winner
Red Rose Awards - Finalist
- Progress Connect - finalist customer service
- Progress Connect - finalist in-house training
RoSPA Gold Award for health and safety
We received a Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Health and Safety Award. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practice.
Lancashire Business View Red Rose Awards - Finalist
Progress Lifeline was shortlisted in the 2019 Red Rose Awards for the Health and Care Business category.
24Diversity in Housing Awards - Winner (Highly Commended)
The Achieving and Harnessing Board Diversity Scheme, which is being pioneered by the Group and Together Housing Group in partnership with Housing Diversity Network, has been announced as a finalist in the Best Diversity Scheme category of the Diversity in Housing awards.
Housing Heroes Awards - Winner (Highly Commended)
The Achieving and Harnessing Board Diversity Scheme by Progress Housing Group and Together Housing Group, in partnership with Housing Diversity Network, has also been announced as a finalist in the Best Diversity Scheme category of the Diversity in Housing awards.
North West Employee Engagement Group (NWEEG) Awards - Winner
- The Progress Lifeline Control Centre - Winner in the Top Team category
- Karen Gahagan, Under-Occupancy Officer - Finalist in the Be Extraordinary category
- Rebecca Metcalf, Supported Living Housing Manager - Finalist in the Most Magnetic Manager category.
24Housing Awards - Finalist
- Supported living - Finalist in the Care & Support Provider of the Year category
- Lisa Dawson, Supported Living Housing Manager - Finalist - Housing Professional of the Year award.
TSA ITEC Awards - Winner
- Loraine Simpson, Progress Lifeline - Winner Individual TEC Leadership Award - Operational Leader
- The Emergency Home Responder and assistive lifting partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service - winner in the Integrated TEC services category.
Tenant Participation Advisory Service (Tpas) Awards
Award for Excellence in Engagement in Supported Housing.
GovNewsDirect Paperless Awards
Shortlisted - best small-scale digital application/ project category for its introduction of a digital solution for the Progress Lifeline Emergency Home Responders service.
Northern Housing Awards
Shortlisted - resident support/advice programme of the year - joint Critical Support Service with Key Unlocking Futures.
Women in Housing Awards
Shortlisted - two awards for the 2018 Women in Housing Awards:
Progress Futures Team - Best Apprenticeship Scheme category
Debbie Atherton - Finance Professional of the Year Award.
Individual TEC Leadership award, International Technology Enabled Care annual awards 2018
Loraine Simpson, Head of Technology Enabled Care Support Services (TECSS) - finalist.
Laing Buisson Awards
Public-private partnership award - joint submission between Progress Lifeline, Lancashire County Council and Tunstall - winner
Tpas Awards
Shortlisted - Supported housing tenant, Clare Cowell - Tenant of the Year category
Shortlisted - PHG Scrutiny Pool - Excellence in Scrutiny category.
Institute of Directors 2017
Michelle Stevenson, Executive Director of Legal and Governance - finalist in the Institute of Directors’ 2017 North West Director of the Year awards.
North West Chartered Institute of Housing Awards 2017
Linda Alcock, Head of Operations at Progress Housing Group - Exceptional Contribution by a CIH Member Award - 2017 North West Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Awards.
National Housing Heroes Awards
Linda Alcock, Head of Operations at Progress Housing Group, runner up - Exceptional Contribution by a CIH member category.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
‘Gold’ standard award in the prestigious annual scheme run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
South Ribble Community Awards
Shortlisted - Sheila Carter, an engaged tenant and active volunteer - Volunteer of the Year.
3rd Sector Care Awards 2016 - Finalist
Community Engagement category for a healthy food and wellbeing garden project for tenants with long-term mental health needs.
North West in Bloom Awards - Winners
Residents of five supported living schemes in Accrington, Darwen and Preston won the following awards for their community gardens for residents with learning disabilities and mental health needs:
- Level 1 Establishing: Vicarage Court, Darwen
- Level 2 Improving: Birch Hall, Darwen and Plantation Cottage, Accrington
- Level 3 Developing: Walton’s Parade, Preston
- Level 4 Thriving: Pendle View, Accrington.
Institute of Directors’ 2016 North West Director of the Year Awards - Shortlisted
Michelle Stevenson, Legal Executive Director.
Procurement for Housing and B&Q Social Value Fund Competition 2015 - Second place
The Group was awarded the second prize of £3,000 for its Progress Futures project.
Northern Regional TPAS Awards 2016 - Winner
Excellence Employment, Skills & Training Award category for the Group’s Progress Futures project.
National TPAS Awards 2016 - Shortlisted
Excellence Employment, Skills & Training Award category for the Group’s Progress Futures project.
Northern Silver Screen Awards - Winner
Young Inspiring Tenant Award - Lauren Buchanon.
Northern Silver Screen Awards - Shortlisted
Building Healthy Communities category for the Walton’s Parade project in Preston that involved supported living scheme tenants building a community garden and vegetable patch.
Preston Soup - Winner
The Group’s Walton’s Parade garden project won the first crowd-funding Preston Soup event.
Women in Housing 2016, November 2016 - Winner
Young Achiever award – Claire Goodworth, Progress Opportunities Officer
Women in Housing 2016, November 2016 - Shortlisted
Most Effective Project in Improving the Lives of Women or Communities - Clare House Women’s Refuge.
Most Effective Board Member award - Janet Hale, Chair of Progress Housing Group.
24Housing Awards 2016, October 2016 - Shortlisted
Best Apprenticeship Scheme - Progress Futures
Chief Executive of the Year - Jacqui De-Rose, Chief Executive of Progress Housing Group.
Housing Professional of the Year
Gill Harrison, Under Occupancy Officer at Progress Housing Group.
North West in Bloom Awards - Winner
The residents of Birch Hall supported living scheme in Darwen won the level four Thriving category for their community garden for residents with learning disabilities and mental health needs.
TPAS Awards 2015 - Shortlisted
Excellence in Digital Engagement - Digital Futures.
The TPAS awards showcase the compelling and inspirational success stories of tenants, landlords and contractors working together. We celebrate the people, ideas and organisations that shape the tenant involvement work of tomorrow.
South Ribble Community Awards 2015 - Shortlisted
Volunteer of the Year - Tenant Digital Champion, Paul Fieldsend
2015 Northern LABC Awards - Shortlisted
Porritt Place in St Annes and Atlas Court in Leyland were shortlisted for the ‘Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development’ award.
Inside Housing’s Top 50 Affordable Housing Developments 2014 - St George Place in Kirkham
Our 12 energy-efficient apartments for affordable rent were named in April 2014 as one of the top 50 affordable housing developments in the UK by Inside Housing.
3rd Sector Care Awards 2014 - Innovative Quality Outcomes Award - Winner
North West In-House Legal Awards 2014 - In-House Deal of the Year - Finalist
TPAS Awards 2014 - Young Tenant of the Year - Shortlisted
Two nominations were shortlisted in the Northern finals.
Red Rose Awards 2014 - Property Business of the Year, Not-for-profit Business of the Year, and Large Business of the Year - Finalists
Finalist in the three categories.
Independent Specialist Care Awards 2014 - Supported Living - Winner
UK Housing Awards 2013 - Specialist Landlord of the Year Award - Finalist
UK Housing Awards 2013 - Innovation of the Year Award - Finalist
TPAS Awards 2013 - Excellence in working together -
Northern winner and National Finalist
Honours 2013 - British Empire Medal
Awarded to Freda Smith, Board Member and tenant.
24 Housing's Young Leaders Award 2013
Awarded to Danny Craine, Service Development Manager.
Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group 2012 - The Resident Award
Winner - Sarah (surname withheld).
UK Housing Awards 2011- Regenerating communities - Finalist
The Heyhouses estate, Lytham.
What we are proud of awards 2011 - Best contribution to the local community - Finalist
Witness Support service.
What we are proud of awards 2011 - Value for money - Finalist
Annual property safety checks.
North West Constructing Excellence Awards 2011 - The sustainability - Our legacy - Winner
The Heyhouses estate, Lytham.
Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group 2011 - The Tim Winters Award - Winner
Linda Alcock, Head of Tenancy Enforcement.