Croydon's oldest charity, founded in 1447, now owns St Saviour's Court in Purley: 53 homes for older people next to Reedham station, bought on 1 October.

Croydon’s oldest charity has almost doubled the number of homes it runs. Croydon Almshouses bought St Saviour’s Court in Purley on 1 October, and the block’s residents are now part of the charity (Croydon Almshouses).

The charity says it made the purchase “to house more Croydon residents”. It has not published the price.

What St Saviour’s Court is

The block was built in 2006 by United St Saviour’s Charity, a Southwark almshouse charity, after it closed its almshouse in West Norwood. Some West Norwood residents moved to Purley when it opened (United St Saviour’s Charity).

United St Saviour’s describes it as:

  • 53 one and two bedroom homes over four floors
  • a two-minute walk from Reedham station
  • served by lifts to every floor, with storage for mobility scooters
  • equipped with a games room, a hairdressing room and a lounge

That description comes from the Southwark charity’s own page for the block.

Croydon’s oldest charity

Croydon Almshouses dates from 1447. That year Elis David, a London mercer, bought land in central Croydon and built four almshouses for people in need (Croydon Almshouses). The original site, now Ramsey Court in Church Street by Croydon Minster, belongs to the council.

The charity’s main home today is Elis David Almshouses on Duppas Hill Terrace in Waddon. It was opened in 1975 and has 57 almshouses. With St Saviour’s Court, the charity now runs 110 homes across two sites.

The handover had been planned for months. Residents of both sites marked St Saviour’s Court’s 20th anniversary together on 24 July (Croydon Almshouses). St Saviour’s residents also joined the charity’s summer barbecue at Waddon.

“Teams from both organisations have been working closely to ensure a smooth transition for residents,” said Hayley James, the charity’s chief executive, in August.

Where the money is coming from

In March the charity said it would sell some of its investment properties, including houses it lets on Helder Street in South Croydon (Croydon Almshouses). It said they “no longer delivered a sufficient return on investment to justify their retention”. It also changed how it manages its endowment, which it said would free up money for its charitable work.

The charity has not said whether those sales paid for St Saviour’s Court.

What it means for you

An almshouse is a home run by a charity for people in need, rather than by a council or a private landlord. Croydon Almshouses now offers a choice of two sites: Waddon and Purley (Croydon Almshouses).

To be eligible you must:

  • be 60 or over
  • have a permanent right to live in the UK
  • have a connection to Croydon
  • be of limited means, which the charity says typically means savings of £10,000 or less
  • have a housing need
  • be able to live independently

The first step is to register your interest with the charity’s wellbeing team. Applicants then visit one of the two sites, fill in a form and have a home visit before any offer.

If you are helping an older relative with housing, our guide to Croydon council tax bands covers the discounts for people living alone.