News

Recently, there’s been talk on social media and other channels about empty homes, new builds, and who gets offered housing. These are important issues, and we know people care about them.

We’ve updated three sections of our website to answer some of the questions we’ve seen come up the most – breaking down what’s true, what isn’t, and how decisions are made. Read on for the links.

Bolton's Age Friendly Strategy 2025-2028 is all about making Bolton a fantastic place to grow older. It's a commitment to building a vibrant, supportive, and inclusive community where everyone feels safe, supported, connected, and empowered. Thank you to all involved.

Keep reading to find out why it’s important, what’s inside, and how to access the full version.

For more information on this property, please tap here: www.boltonathome.org.uk/properties-for-sale.

If you'd like to learn more about why we sell some of our properties, and how we're working to reduce the overall number of empty homes we have, tap here: www.boltonathome.org.uk/empty-properties.

You might not know about Cuckooing. It's where organised criminals take over the home of a vulnerable adult for criminal activity. 

They might use the property to deal, store, or take drugs, to engage with sex work, as a place for criminals to live, or to financially abuse the tenant.

Read on for a quick guide on how to spot the signs of Cuckooing and report it if you suspect someone is a victim.

We send our printed Quarter Turn magazine to 4,000 customers living in our sheltered and extra care schemes, those receiving Careline and living in our general let and over 70s in our general let.

Read on to download a digital copy of the latest issue. Please note that the survey mentioned in this issue has now closed.

Cuckooing is where organised criminals take over the home of a vulnerable adult for criminal activity. It could involve using the property to deal, store, or take drugs, to engage with sex work, as a place for criminals to live, or to financially abuse the tenant.

Your safety matters. Read on to learn how to spot the signs and report Cuckooing if you suspect it.

We’re highlighting an upcoming opportunity for our tenants to join the Four Million Homes programme relaunch webinar on 5 June 2025 from 3pm to 4pm. This programme is about supporting positive change in social housing, giving residents training, guidance, and information about their rights and how to stand up for them. Read on for details.

We’ve introduced a new Vulnerable Customer Strategy to better support customers who may face extra challenges in their daily lives. This strategy focuses on improving how we listen, respond, and offer the right support to help people keep their homes and live independently. Read on for details.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 (12 to 18 May), we’re shining a spotlight on men’s mental health via our Bolton Manbassadors project.

The project transforms everyday locations — barbers, gyms, pubs, and cafes — into local mental health ambassadors, bringing support to the places men already go to. This innovative programme has created comfortable locations where men can speak openly about their mental health.

Read on to learn more and for details if you're keen to be involved.

CVs, clothes mending, and nail art – it’s all happening at our Bolton UCAN Centre. Just in case you or someone you care about could benefit, read on for a list of free upcoming activities at our Bolton UCAN Centre (located in The Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton).

Cuckooing is where organised criminals take over the home of a vulnerable adult for criminal activity. It could involve using the property to deal, store, or take drugs, to engage with sex work, as a place for criminals to live, or to financially abuse the tenant.

It’s so important to know what to look out for and how to report Cuckooing if you think you or someone else could be a victim (especially if they’re unaware of the issues at play). Read on to learn how to spot the signs and report Cuckooing if you suspect it.

Seen these photos from 80th VE Day events at Jubilee House (Bolton Town Centre), Eldon St. (Tonge Moor), Maxton House (Farnworth), and Flockton Court (Horwich)?

Read on to check them out.

Read on to watch clips from Noel’s interview with Bolton FM where she talks about how our properties are allocated, our new build programme, why we sell some properties, our rebrand to Be One Homes, antisocial behaviour, and more.

Each clip is just a minute or two long.

When facing tough times, like a couple in their sixties who recently had no clothes beyond what they were wearing, local partnerships can make a significant difference. With the help of Age UK Bolton, our UCAN centre in Bolton Town Centre, home to the Working Wardrobe, provided essential clothing to help restore their comfort and dignity. Read on for details and to learn more about our services.

First in our series of quick home safety tips: know your exit and stay safe.

Please take a moment to find your nearest fire exit, as being prepared can make all the difference. 

And remember: always keep pathways and exits clear of obstacles.

For more home and building safety advice, tap: www.boltonathome.org.uk/building-safety to visit our Home and Building Safety Hub.

Last year, we announced our plans to change our name from Bolton at Home to Be One Homes.

Our new name, Be One Homes, will legally change in April 2026. However, you will start seeing our Be One Repairs logo on our servicing and repairs vans from July 2025.

In this short video, Katie (from our Health and Safety Team) talks about the importance of Fire Doors and provides a five-step guide on how you can check they’re safe (call us on 01204 328000 if you think there’s something wrong with a Fire Door). 

Katie also talks about how we’ll inspect your Fire Doors regularly – and why it’s crucial you grant us access into your home for these checks to take place.

Unsure on how you’d check Fire Doors are safe? Stay safe by giving our short video a watch.

There's a chance that the safety and quality of your water could have been affected by the growth of bacteria (such as Legionella) if you’ve been away from home for a bit - for example, if you've been on holiday, or in hospital. This could also be the case if you have showers or taps in your home that aren't used regularly.

Inhaling small water droplets containing Legionella bacteria can lead to a lung infection called Legionnaires' disease - but there are quick steps you can take to keep your water clean and reduce the chances of Legionella being present in your water. Read on to watch our short video.

A historic public space in Bolton Town Centre, Cheadle Square, has been officially reopened following a £40m housing-led regeneration project. Representatives from us, Bolton Council, and Step Places marked the completion of the new ‘pocket park’ within Cheadle Square, which was revitalised as part of the Neighbourhood Moor Lane development.

We launched our Farnworth Focus project during Summer 2024. Based at Hesketh House (where we deliver a 'one stop shop' Community Hub/Pop-Up UCAN Centre), it brings together targeted support from various Bolton at Home and partner services - a bit like our previous project on the Great Holme estate in Great Lever.

Read on to watch a short video where Paula (our Community Engagement Team Manager) talks more about the project.

How quickly would you be able to spot the signs of a faulty gas appliance in your home? And did you know that we’ll still need to carry out a gas inspection even if you’ve a gas supply meter but no gas appliances..?

Read on to watch our short animation (3 mins) where we’ll talk you through some quick but important things you should know with regards to gas safety in your home.

Did you know the government might have set up a savings account for your child when they were younger? Some families are unaware that there could be money waiting to be claimed, ranging from £250 to £2,000 or more.

If your child is under 18, check if they have a Child Trust Fund (CTF). If they're 18 or older, they can claim their money now. Read on for details.

Read on for a quick update on changes we’ve made to our urban care and neighbourhood (UCAN) services. As always, you can visit www.boltonathome.org.uk/ucan for the latest opening times.

Can you guess how many bags of litter our staff, primary school pupils, local businesses, residents, and councillors managed to fill during nine community litter picking events in Farnworth and Deane (as part of the Great British Spring Clean and Big School Clean Up from 21 March to 6 April 2025)? 

Read on to see photos, find out who was involved, and to see how many bags our staff and volunteers managed to collect.

Starting 1 April, changes affecting 497 households across 14 sites with CCTV and door entry systems connected to our Concierge Service began. These updates, communicated to residents over the past few months, aim to maintain smooth, secure services while ensuring affordability and cost efficiency. Read on for details.

Own (or plan on buying) an e-bike, e-scooter, mobility scooter, or similar battery-powered device? 

Read on for a short video (3 mins) that explains our policy for safely storing and charging battery-powered devices like these.

To view the properties and auction details, please visit: www.boltonathome.org.uk/properties-for-sale.

If you'd like to learn more about why we sell some of our properties, and how we're working to reduce the overall number of empty homes we have, please tap here: www.boltonathome.org.uk/empty-properties.

While Campbell House in Farnworth, Bolton, closed as an extra care housing scheme, there are positive plans for its future. Local charity Backup will use the building for short-term accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness. Backup's proven expertise in managing similar projects means the building will be in good hands, providing much-needed support to young people in our community.

Read on for more details about this positive change and the outstanding work Backup does.

In 2020 we set an important milestone of developing 1,400 new homes by 2026, and we’re on course to hit this target.

We set this goal because we’re committed to increasing the supply of affordable quality housing. This will help to ease waiting lists and provide more family homes. Developing new homes also benefits our current and future customers by increasing the housing options available.

Next in our series of quick home safety tips: smoke alarms. Remember: they can only save lives if they're working, so test them regularly.

Taking a moment to test your smoke alarm can provide immense peace of mind – and it could be crucial in protecting you and/or your family in an emergency.

You should check your smoke alarm at least once a month by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds.

For more home and building safety advice, tap: www.boltonathome.org.uk/building-safety to visit our Home and Building Safety Hub.