Apply now for up to £500 through the Unlocking Success Bursary

The Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) has launched this year’s Unlocking Success Bursary, with awards available to support people living in social housing to access education and training.

This year’s Bursary offers a mix of support, including grants for specific items such as laptops or travel passes, alongside £500 cash bursaries. Funding can be used to cover a range of costs linked to learning, including course fees, travel, equipment, childcare and everyday living expenses.

Since launching in 2019, the Unlocking Success Bursary has supported over 160 people living in social housing, providing more than £65,000 in funding to help them pursue education, training and new opportunities.

NHC Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said: “We know that costs like travel, equipment, course fees or childcare can often be a barrier to taking the next step in training, starting a business or further education. That’s why we’re proud to launch our Unlocking Success Bursary for 2026, offering awards of up to £500 to help remove those practical barriers and support social housing tenants across the North of England. The Bursary is designed to support people with ambition, skills and ideas who just need a bit of extra help to move forward.”

Applications are now open and will close on Friday, 10 July.

The process is quick and straightforward; NHC member social housing providers, including believe housing, can nominate an individual aged 16 or over who lives in a home they own or manage. The nominee then submits a short written statement or video explaining how the funding would support their ambitions.

To find out more and apply, visit the Unlocking Success Bursary webpage or contact believe housing’s Employability Team by calling 0300 1311 999 or emailing Employability@believehousing.co.uk.

The Northern Housing Consortium is a not-for-profit membership organisation whose members own or manage nine out of ten socially rented homes in the North, with procurement services supporting over 400 members nationally. The Unlocking Success Bursary is funded through the Northern Housing Consortium Charitable Trust.