ClwydAlyn retains 'A' credit rating from S&P Global
The review, part of an annual credit check, was published on June 3, 2025, and stated: "We expect North Wales-based social housing provider ClwydAlyn Housing Ltd.'s financial metrics to remain steady."
The not-for-profit organisation's stable finances are based on a long-term plan to build more homes across North and Mid Wales, providing affordable housing for families and individuals.
Sandy Murray, executive director of resources at ClwydAlyn, said: "Confirmation of our 'A' credit rating reflects our ability to meet our long-term financial commitments.
"We're pleased that S&P Global has recognised our ongoing strengths and strategic direction.
"And, as we enter into a new five-year period, we are as focused as ever on delivering safe, warm, affordable homes to the communities we work alongside."
ClwydAlyn employs more than 800 staff and offers a variety of tenancy options for those in need of affordable housing.
S&P Global provides data-driven insights, research, and analysis to assess the creditworthiness of organisations.
The rating reflects the 'stable financial footing' upon which the organisation plans to increase its housing stock.
More information is available on the S&P Global website.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
How Kevlar could save Scotland's crumbling concete homes
The ReGrid system, which has been developed by Windsor-based firm Structural Repairs, is a lightweight reinforcing mesh which consists of 'high-strength' carbon fibres interwoven with Kevlar threads. It can be directly applied to surfaces affected by reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC), the brittle building material linked to several collapses in recent years. RAAC campaigner Wilson Chowdhry. According to the company, installation would take around two days for a standard RAAC-affected home, and would not require residents to be relocated. It has already been used to repair RAAC-affected properties owned by National Rail. Chowdhry told The Herald: 'We urge the Scottish Government and the UK Government to commission an urgent feasibility study into this product, and for local authorities nationwide to engage directly with Structural Repairs Ltd to fully understand the scope and potential of this innovative RAAC solution. 'Time is running out for RAAC homeowners, who face mounting pressure from local authorities intent on pressing ahead with costly and highly disruptive remediation or demolition schemes — creating deep uncertainty and distress for affected families.' In March 2025, Aberdeen City Council approved plans to demolish and rebuild more than 500 RAAC-blighted properties in the city's Balganask neighbourhood. The project, which would result in the demolition of 366 council owned properties and 138 private homes, could cost as much as £150m. Meanwhile, in Clackmannanshire, three blocks of flats in the town of Tillicoultry have been empty since residents were evacuated in October 2023. Chowdhry has approached both local authorities with the ReGrid proposal. He told The Herald that the plan could prove to be a 'game changer' for homeowners facing the threat of eviction from their homes. People were evacuated from dozens of flats in Tillicoultry. (Image: Scott Barron) The veteran campaigner said: 'The ReGrid system offers a credible, non-intrusive, and far more affordable alternative to full roof replacements. 'Because ReGrid is only a fraction of the cost of conventional approaches, a national funding programme from the Scottish Government or UK Government becomes a realistic and achievable proposition — bringing hope to thousands of families who currently see no affordable path forward. 'We call on decision-makers to pause existing schemes, properly investigate this technology, and immediately begin a study of ReGrid — because every week of delay leaves more families trapped in limbo.' Homeowners affected by RAAC have previously told The Herald of the mental anguish caused by the crisis. Lynn Winstanley, who lives in Balnagask, said earlier this year: 'It's been very stressful for everyone. We weren't planning on selling our home, we would have picked a better economic state. 'People can't afford to take a loss on their homes. It's so difficult for everyone, especially those with young kids." Now, campaigners hope that the ReGrid solution could provide homeowners with a second chance at staying in their properties. Read more: 'No respect from day one': Where do the RAAC-hit residents of Balnagask go from here? 'We hold the cards': residents hit out at 'measly' council RAAC payments Calls for public inquiry to reveal origins of RAAC concrete crisis In a letter to Aberdeen City Council, Chowdry wrote: 'I would like to draw your attention to a potential solution that could significantly enhance Aberdeen City Council's approach to RAAC remediation. 'This approach could serve both council-owned and privately-owned RAAC homes in Aberdeen more quickly, cost-effectively, and with far less disruption than current replacement-roof proposals. It may also ease the financial and logistical pressures facing adjoining private homeowners who are presently tied into council-led repair programmes. 'If agreeable, I can arrange an introduction with the developers, who have offered to carry out a site survey, structural scan, and pull test on my daughter Hannah's RAAC-affected home in Aberdeen as a pilot demonstration. 'Such a test case could provide valuable evidence in evaluating its suitability for use within the city." Roger Line, Structural Repair CEO, told The Herald: "We believe that with the right engineering expertise and proven reinforcement technology, many RAAC-affected structures can be made safe, serviceable, and sustainable for decades to come." A spokesperson for Clackmannanshire Council said: 'Following consultation with the affected residents, the Council recently agreed to move forward with a plan for roof repairs at the three blocks of flats in Tillicoultry evacuated due to RAAC. 'Council officers are continuing to engage with everyone affected by the RAAC evacuations and we are committed to doing all we can to support residents through this ongoing process. 'We have also reached out to Aberdeen City Council to find out more about the proposed use of this material.' Aberdeen City Council has been approached for comment.
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Best money apps to transform your finances and save you over £300 a year
While saving money may be hard, savvy savers are turning to technology to get the most out of their money and the best bargains according to Tynah Matembe, founder of Money Matix Apps can help you save money to help beat the cost of living crunch. Smart shoppers are going high tech, so forget clipping coupons from newspapers - the modern bargain hunter is armed with apps, alerts, and money-saving hacks right at their fingertips. Today's savvy shoppers aren't just watching the pennies - they're letting tech do the hard work, from clawing back cash to sniffing out sizzling discounts in seconds. There's a growing army of FREE apps out there that help you stack up vouchers, grab cashback, and slash your weekly spend like a pro. It comes after thousands of Brits to get shock letter from HMRC after drastic new tax rule comes into force. Just do a Google search and you will find them and then you can work out what's best for you. So whether you're doing the big food shop or eyeing up a must-have gadget, never buy anything without checking what deals are on offer first otherwise you could be missing out on some serious savings! Also check you existing banking app, most banks, especially the new challenger banks (Monza/ Zopa/ Chase etc) are offering cash back and or 'everyday spending offers' – but warning you need to activate these don't just expect them to automatically apply when you shop. So, get tapping, downloading, and scanning - because every quid counts, and these clever tools are helping shoppers stay one step ahead in the fight against rising bills. It's time to outsmart the crisis and put YOUR money back where it belongs - in your pocket! Don't forget to check out cashback sites like TopCashBack and Quidco, which offer money back on a range of purchases. TopCashBack members save on average £28.75 per month – so you could save £143.75 before Christmas which will help with the Christmas Shopping. Users in the community report earning well over £300 a year, even reaching £2,500+ over several years by using TopCashback consistently. It's all just about knowing which tech and websites work in your favour. One of the best-kept secrets in the cashback world right now is JamDoughnut – and trust me, it's deliciously good. Here's how it works: Buy a gift card through the app for places you already shop at (think Tesco, Asda, Boots, M&S, Just Eat – the list is LONG!) Use that gift card to pay for your shopping like normal at the till. Boom! You get instant cashback, often up to 10%, straight into your JamDoughnut account. For example, spend £100 at M&S using a JamDoughnut gift card – and you can get £5–£10 back just for using the app. Do that across your monthly spending, and you could rack up hundreds in cashback without changing a thing about your routine. It's money you would've spent anyway – only now you're earning it back. Next, always check for an online discount voucher before you shopf from sites like Honey, Groupon, Wowcher, and VoucherCodes can help you save more than you think – and those savings add up fast. Where Savings Typically Come From Supermarkets Loyalty apps and vouchers (e.g. Tesco Clubcard, Nectar) – up to £100/year Online Retail Promo codes and browser extensions – £100–£300/year Dining & Events Groupon, Tastecard, 2-for-1 offers – £100–£200/year Travel & Holidays Voucher codes and cashback – £100+ per trip
Times
a day ago
- Times
What happened when we let Times readers bet $10,000 on stocks
If you could go back in time to the day of the 2024 US election — armed with $10,000 and everything you know now — how much money could you make in the stock market? That is the challenge we set Times readers last week. Buy and sell any stock in the S&P 500 or the FTSE 100 and jump forward in time, watching how the actions of the Trump administration have affected global markets. You can play it here. So, how did readers get on as stock market traders? The average player managed to turn their $10,000 investment into about $14,000 over the eight simulated months, meaning that they generated $4,000 profit — a return of 40 per cent. This is a pretty good return, even if readers knew exactly what would happen: $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 would have returned $10,787, and the same in the FTSE 100 would have resulted in $11,095 — although $10,000 in bitcoin, turning into $16,931, would have beaten the lot. Trump's tariffs resulted in a frenzy of trading, helping Barclays to a 23 per cent jump in pre-tax profits in the first half of the year. There are, of course, some objectively 'better' stocks to pick. The US AI firm Palantir, co-founded by the Trump ally Peter Thiel, has more than tripled its value since the election. Other US AI firms and computer chip manufacturers (such as Super Micro Computer Inc and Jabil Inc) have also experienced strong growth, as well as companies in AI adjacent sectors, particularly energy stocks such as the General Electrics power spin-off GE Vernova Inc, which has benefited from increased demand from AI data centres. • The cheap and easy way to invest (without the risk) A significant number of readers wisely put all their money into Palantir, yielding returns of 200 per cent. But the highest profits were for those who traded repeatedly at optimum times. Only two players turned their $10,000 into more than $100,000; at the time of writing, the top score was an eye-watering $441,681. The highest possible score, buying the best performing stock day after day, was well over a trillion dollars. Compounding returns, to paraphrase Albert Einstein, really are the eighth wonder of the world. For data privacy reasons, we don't know which stocks the top performer picked. However, on average, those who played did not opt for high-risk, high-reward US tech stocks. In fact, most readers put their money into recognisable UK companies that had a track record of doing well. Readers rightly focused on UK defence stocks such as Rolls-Royce, BAE and also Babcock, the best performing FTSE 100 company during the period. All those stocks boomed after Trump's realignment of global defence. • Bull or bear? Find out what kind of investor you are Other top performers picked out by readers included Airtel Africa, International Airlines Group (which owns British Airways) and the mining firm Fresnillo. For the FTSE at least, readers had a good sense of where the gains have been, with most of the ten best-performing stocks over the period being in the most-bought list. The above looks at which stocks had the most money invested. But the list of stocks that were bought and sold the most — that is, with the highest number of trades — shows a preference towards US growth firms. Top of this list is Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange, and Elon Musk's Tesla, both of which have share prices inherently tied to unpredictable and volatile entities. Readers also explored options with oil and steel stocks. Due to tariff changes, these companies were particularly volatile. Many readers bought BP, others looked at Chevron or the US steel manufacturer Steel Dynamics. There were good profits to be had with all these, but you'd need to buy and sell at specific times to really make a good profit. • I want to invest in Europe's comeback. Where do I start? These lists also feature unexpected appearances from 3M, 3i Group, AES Corporation and APA Corporation. Theses companies didn't perform particularly well over the period and their inclusion is likely to be due to their names appearing at the top alphabetically, rather than being selected as part of a broader investment strategy.
