[Progress on planned mergers previously announced]

On 31st July, whg and Aspire Housing announced that their boards had agreed to move forward with their proposed merger, creating a new housing association with more than 32,000 homes.  The merger is expected to complete in November 2026, when the new organisation will become known as whg aspire.  The two boards had considered a full business case, due diligence findings and feedback from more than 11% of Aspire and whg customers before agreeing to proceed.  The new organisation will take a "best of both" approach, maintaining a strong local presence and continuing to give customers "a meaningful voice in decisions and shaping services".  The merger also seeks to create "a more financially resilient organisation, better able to respond to increasing costs, regulatory requirements and other long-term challenges facing the housing sector".