Support us

Investor Membership

Show your support for us and be part of the journey too.

Help us put givers and receivers of support in charge.

Click here to download our booklet telling you what we're building and what we want to achieve.

You can help us achieve our mission without becoming an Investor Member through a one-off donation.
Find out more in our faq below.

Join the Equal Care Co-op as an Investor Member and help safeguard the values and future of the co-operative.
Read on...

Why become an Investor Member?

Good question! Here are at least six reasons:

Change the system: let givers and getters of support take control

Join the UK's first ever social care platform co-operative

Influence our development and decision-making

If you invest (not donate), you get a small return (and a tax break!)

Help to fix the gig economy

Create caring communities supported by technology they own

What are the ways I can join?

Give £10, £20 or more (!) per year

Become a Lifetime Member for £350

Invest at least £50 in our upcoming Spring 2019 Community Share Offer

frequently asked questions

Do I have to become an Investor Member in order to support you?

Investor Members are people who support Equal Care Co-op's aims and vision and also want to join us for the journey. Membership is voluntary. If you want to donate or invest without becoming a Member that's totally fine.

Do I have to do anything as an Investor Member?

All Members sign up to the Members' Commitment and agree to abide by Equal Care Co-op's rules. This includes attending an Annual Members' Meeting (the AGM) with the option of attending three others over the course of the year. You can do this virtually or in person, or appoint a proxy to vote in your stead.

Would I become liable for anything?

No, you have no liability beyond the amount of your investment or members payment.

I want to invest, not donate.

That's great! If you sign up to our Newsletter, we will let you know when we are launching our Spring Community Share Offer. You will be able to learn more about us as a co-operative, take a look at the business plan and forecasts and you will have everything you need to make an investment decision.

What's different about being an Investor Member compared to the other types?

Investor Members aren't directly involved in the service of the co-operative, so their decision-making power is limited to 10% of any vote. We want Equal Care Co-op to work in the interests of those it affects directly: people giving and receiving support.

Can I change my membership category?

Yes, if you work or volunteer for Equal Care Co-op, or if you are being supported by the co-operative, you can change your membership category. This then gives you 'One Member, One Vote' voting rights.

You're not a registered charity, why are you asking for donations?

Although we are not a charity, our aims are exclusively charitable, which is why we're asking for donations. We considered very seriously registering as a charity but decided against it because charities cannot safeguard the rights of their beneficiaries and workers in the way that co-operatives can. We have made the people we support and the people who give support the owners of the company. It is illegal not to include them in decisions about the company. A charity keeps its decision-making power concentrated in its trustees and then consults. Even though it has beneficiaries that it exists for, it is not accountable to them and can ignore them if it wishes to.

Can I see what you spend the money on?

Yes. For those of you interested in investing you will see all the documents necessary to make an informed decision. Once you become an Investor Member (either through donation or investment) you will get quarterly reports showing what is being spent and where.