Alderson Disabled Ex-Service Men'S Homes Trust
Charity 216803
Overview
Summary
Alderson Disabled Ex-Service Men's Homes Trust appears to be a small, place-based housing charity with a highly specific legacy purpose: preserving affordable homes for disabled ex-service men connected to Birmingham. Its model is not primarily service delivery but targeted asset stewardship, using rental income to reduce rents. The governing rules also create a defined fallback role for poorer and older Birmingham residents, suggesting the Trust balances fidelity to its founding beneficiary group with a practical commitment to keeping its 16 homes occupied and socially useful.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bartley Green
Confidence: medium
A documented Alderson Trust partnership delivered 12 homes for ex-service personnel at Merritts Hill. The charity remains registered and its current activity states that it lets 16 trust houses. Taken together, this is reasonable evidence that Bartley Green is, or has been, the principal location of its housing operation, but the available current records do not explicitly confirm that the Merritts Hill homes remain in the Trust's portfolio.
- BM3 Architecture, Frankley Lane & Merritts Hill project sheet
States that BM3 designed a Merritts Hill scheme in partnership with the Alderson Trust, Birmingham City Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and Galliford Try; it comprised 12 homes for ex-service personnel. - Charity Commission record for charity 216803 / supplied organisation record
The registered charity's current stated activity is to let 16 dwelling houses, initially to disabled ex-service men with a Birmingham residence connection, with rents reduced using charity income.
Remaining uncertainties
- The available current Charity Commission information confirms that the Trust lets 16 houses but does not identify their addresses or ward locations.
- The Merritts Hill evidence documents the scheme and its partnership history, but does not explicitly confirm present-day ownership, management or occupancy by the Trust.
- The Trust's requirement that beneficiaries have lived in Birmingham for at least two years establishes a citywide eligibility area, not evidence that housing is delivered across the city.
- Administrative or correspondence information is not treated as evidence of a service site.
- No current evidence was found of active operational partnerships beyond the historic delivery partnership for the Merritts Hill development.
Additional evidence needed
- The latest trustees' annual report or accounts, identifying the Trust's current housing assets and their locations.
- Current property-management, tenancy or asset-register evidence confirming whether the Merritts Hill homes remain operated by the Trust.
- A current official statement from Birmingham City Council or the Trust confirming the housing scheme's locations and management arrangements.
Areas of work
- Accommodation/housing
- Disability
Who they help
- Other Defined Groups
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A housing asset held for a specific civic purpose
The Trust appears to operate through long-term stewardship of a fixed portfolio of 16 homes, rather than through a broad programme of support. Its distinctive contribution may be the retention of affordable housing for a narrowly defined group.
Why it matters
This clarifies that the organisation's role is likely shaped by its property assets and governing rules. Its capacity, reach and flexibility may therefore differ substantially from those of disability or veterans' support charities delivering services.
Show evidence
“To let the 16 trust houses to disabled ex-service men.”
Source:Charity Commission“The income of the charity is to be used for the reduction of the rents.”
Source:Charity Commission
A legacy beneficiary group with a built-in adaptation mechanism
The Trust's primary focus remains disabled ex-service men, but its rules anticipate that this group may not always fill the homes. It may therefore function as a bridge between veterans' housing provision and local poverty and ageing needs.
Why it matters
This suggests the organisation has an unusual dual role: protecting a historic commitment while retaining a route to respond to changing local demand. Whether that fallback is used could reveal an important shift in Birmingham's housing and veteran population needs.
Show evidence
“If there is an insufficiency of such persons, to poor persons, preference to be given to old age pensioners.”
Source:Charity Commission“The Trust may let to poor persons, giving preference to elderly persons, in the case of an insufficiency of ex-service men.”
Source:Charity Commission
Local connection is part of the eligibility model
The two-year Birmingham residence requirement indicates that the Trust is designed as a local civic resource rather than a general veterans' housing charity. Access appears linked to an established connection with the city.
Why it matters
This may make the Trust particularly relevant to local housing, veterans' and older people's networks, while also limiting its ability to support people arriving from elsewhere. The role of City Council-approved exceptions may be important in practice.
Show evidence
“Disabled ex-service men who have resided in the City of Birmingham for not less than two years consecutively.”
Source:Charity Commission“Except in special cases to be approved by the City Council.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Whether all 16 homes are occupied by disabled ex-service men, or whether the fallback eligibility is currently used.
- How rents are set, how substantial the rent reductions are, and whether the homes meet residents' accessibility needs.
- Whether the Trust works with Birmingham City Council, veterans' organisations or housing providers beyond the approval role stated in its objects.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent occupancy, waiting-list and beneficiary data, including use of the fallback eligibility criteria.
- Information on property condition, accessibility adaptations, rent levels and tenancy support.
- Evidence of referral pathways, partnerships and the practical role of Birmingham City Council.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To let 16 dwelling houses, in the first instance to disabled ex-service men who have resided in the City of Birmingham for not less than two years consecutively. The Trust may let to poor persons, giving preference to elderly persons, in the case of an insufficiency of ex-service men.
Charity objects
TO LET THE 16 TRUST HOUSES TO DISABLED EX-SERVICE MEN OR IF THERE IS AN INSUFFICIENCY OF SUCH PERSONS, TO POOR PERSONS, PREFERENCE TO BE GIVEN TO OLD AGE PENSIONERS, WHO HAVE RESIDED WITHIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM FOR NOT LESS THAN 2 YEARS CONSECUTIVELY, IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING (EXCEPT IN SPECIAL CASES TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL).THE INCOME OF THE CHARITY TO BE USED FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE RENTS.