Move On Up: Where it all began

In the lead-up to Commonweal's 20th anniversary in 2026, we are sharing accounts that demonstrate the impact of Commonweal's support. In this blog, Judith Moran, Director of Quaker Social Action, shares the journey of creating the first-ever housing project dedicated to supporting young adult carers.

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Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice begins with the famous line about a single man with a good fortune being in need of a wife. Back in 2015, we at Quaker Social Action (QSA) found ourselves in possession of a good legacy and sought a working partnership to realise our ambitions for a housing project. We were introduced to Commonweal.

It is easy to say now that the rest is history. But that wouldn’t do justice to the sheer investment of time put in to get the idea off the ground, by QSA and Commonweal, who were alongside us all the way. The hard work paid off, and in 2017, we launched Move On Up, the first-ever supportive housing project for young adult carers.

Move On Up

So why did we focus on young adult carers, defined as those aged 18-25 with caring responsibilities at home?

Well, they are three times as likely to not be in education, employment or training, and four times as  likely to drop out of college than their peers with no caring role. Young adult carers also frequently report stress, poor mental health and financial worries, as identified by the Carers Trust.

What the research told us was heartbreaking, but it raised important questions. What happens to those young adults when they grow up more? Specifically, what happens when they want to move out and live more independently? Who is prioritising their needs and equipping them with housing and support?

There was a clear gap in services that we aimed to fill with Move On Up - and fill it we did with a seven-year pilot project across four east London properties.

It really does take two

QSA simply could not have achieved this without Commonweal’s partnership. We would not have known where to start with identifying social investment opportunities to finance the purchase of the houses, as Commonweal did. Without their expertise, we would have been amateurs in the very professional field of property acquisition. Commonweal's extensive experience in acquisition and social investment was invaluable, and we are grateful for the strategic guidance and support they provided us with.

What we learned and gained

Move On Up was always intended to be time-limited, an exemplar pilot to demonstrate how housing can support this group. In 2023, it was independently evaluated by the Learning & Work Institute (thanks again to Commonweal for investing in this), and the report’s title says it all: We Still Care.

The learnings we gained gave us the knowledge and credibility to make recommendations to government, carers services and housing providers to ensure the unique housing needs of young adult carers are recognised.

A key recommendation highlights the importance of transition assessments in identifying the housing needs of young adult carers. These assessments, conducted by local authorities, are intended to evaluate the needs of young carers as they transition into adulthood. However, housing is frequently overlooked in these assessments, often resulting in unmet needs.

As a small charity, always keen to stretch ourselves and try out new services, we learned a lot from being part of this brilliant experiment. Overall, this pales in comparison to the precious opportunity afforded to the 32 young adults who were part of Move On Up.

The evaluation revealed that two-thirds of participants reported more positive outcomes in their mental health, family relationships, and education or employment prospects during their involvement in the project. Many young people reported that the respite from caregiving enabled them to concentrate on their own goals.

From QSA, and on behalf of the 32 young people who gained invaluable experience, respite, independent living skills, and above all, a home of their own, we wish Commonweal a very happy twentieth anniversary and a very big thank you.