Don't miss Brent Trades Council'smeeting onWednesday 23rd September at 7pm
WE WILL NOT PAY FOR THEIR CRISIS, WE WILL FIGHTBACK
Sarah Woolley, Gen Secretary of the BFAWU and Vic Paulino, Unite Community Coordinator for LESE, will attend our meeting and will tell us about developments in their unions and their take on the developing situation. We welcome union reports from delegates.
COVID 19 infections are on the rise in schools, the hospitality industry,and communities resulting in new restrictive measures being imposed by a negligent government could mean more deaths, unless proper protective gear is available and testing, tracing and isolation isgiven to all those who need it. The government's testing programme is on the brink of collapse asprivate companies fail to provide. Risk Assessments in the workplace become more urgent than ever to ensure there are no loss of lives.
The crisis will deepen with the end of furlough and the rise in demand for Universal Credit caused by the rapidly rising unemployment are calling for fightback from all unions and trades councils.
Brent Trades Council has been campaigning for public measures in Brent to be systematically applied by the Council, met with community groups and workplace union reps and continues to work with unions to ensure health and safety measures are in place and agreed by employers. Not always the case.
I have sent agenda and minutes to delegates, but friends of our trades council are welcome to attend and contribute.
I
understand both Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Brent Council lead member for Housing
and Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, promised that there would be
no evictions of council tenants in rent arrears due to Universal Credit delays,
following the unanimous approval of the motion below at Brent Constituency
Labour Party GC.
MOTION: RENT ARREARS and UNIVERSAL
CREDIT
This GC
notes the clear evidence that where Universal Credit has been rolled out more
people are made homeless as a result of rent arrears. The main causes of
arrears are the five week delay in first payment of Universal Credit and
other delays caused by DWP error.
We
therefore call on Brent Labour Group to follow the lead of Camden Council in
refusing to evict tenants in such circumstances and to urge registered social
landlords and private landlords to do the same.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The demand
was first made at the meeting on Universal Credit held at Chalhill Community
Centre on November 18th 2018. Report on Wembley Matters HERE
Giselle Winston, of Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group, gave a detailed overview of Universal Credit as it begins to roll out in Brent, at Friday's meeting at Chalkhill Community Centyre organised by Unite Community.
At yesterday's Chalkill Community Centre meeting on Universal Credit there was a strong call for Brent Council to follow neighbouring Camden LINK in adopting a policy of not evicting any of its tenants who fall into rent arrears because of problems with the roll-out in Brent. There is a minimum five week wait for payment.There was an additional call for the Council to persuade housing associations in the borough to adopt the same policy. It was pointed out that it would be more costly to the Council in the medium-term if it had to provide temporary accommodation for families who had been made homeless.
There are currently 2,000 Brent residents on Universal Credit who are mainly job seekers and not claiming housings costs. However 45,000 are due to move over to universal Credit of whom about half will have housing benefit.
Brent Central MP, Dawn Butler, addressing the meeting, said the she feared a big rise in evictions from private rented accommodation and an increased demand for food banks. Butler asked the audience to send in stories of the impact of the introduction of Universal Credit on individuals and families to inform and reinforce the campaign on the issue. However, she did not favour the 'stop and scrap' demand saying that the Labour Party had been advised that this would cause even more harm to claimants. Instead there should be a 'pause and fix' approach.
There was particular concern that people, particularly those with disabilities or learning difficulties, or the poor without broadband and computers, would be 'digitally excluded.' 40% of people in Brent do mnot have access to their own wifi. Claiming Universal Credit does not only involve an initial on-line application, itself not an easy process, but regular access to the on-line account day to day or week to week, to correspond with the DWP regularly. If accessed through a library or cyber cafe there would be no claimant advice available. Butler said that she was seeking information from Brent Council on how it was using a government grant to help claimants with advice and access. Butler favoured direct payment of the housing portion of Universal Credit to landlords.
There is a 'claimant commitment' in order to access benefit for those without employment to be actively seeking work for the equivalent of 35 hours a week. Those working part-time are expected to top those hours up to 35 by seeking work. After one year of trading the self-employed will; be assumed to be earning the minimum wage for a 35 hour week.
Unite Community will be holding a follow up meeting to organise campaigning. Check out Wembley Matters for an update.
Universal Credit, the controversial new integrated benefit system, is being rolled out in Brent. This is the Council' announcement:
The government's long-awaited Universal Credit is being rolled out in Brent from November 2018 on the following dates:
21 November 2018 for Harlesden Job Centre
5 December 2018 for Wembley Job Centre
This means that residents with a change in circumstances or
those moving into Brent making a claim for the first time will have to
apply for Universal Credit instead of the benefits listed below:
Housing Benefit
Job Seeker's Allowance (income based)
Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
The six benefits above will be merged into one single payment -
Universal Credit. Unlike many of the existing benefits, Universal Credit
will be paid once a month, rather than weekly, fortnightly or four
weekly as housing benefit is traditionally paid, and will be paid
directly into the claimant's bank account in arrears. This is a change
for many residents who currently have their housing benefit paid direct
to their landlord.
The government wants all Universal Credit
claims to be both made and updated online. If residents do not have
access to the internet, they will be able to visit one of the above Job
Centres for assistance. Each Job Centre will have a front of house team
specifically set up to help and assist residents to make and maintain
their Universal Credit claims online.
To make an application
for Universal Credit, residents will need to apply directly to the
Department for Work and Pensions via their website https://www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit There is also a free helpline available for those that need any extra support: 0800 328 5644.
Councillor Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform said:
These are huge changes, particularly for residents who are already
struggling to get by. The first port of call for formal advice is the
DWP, who are implementing the changes. However, I want to remind
residents that the council is here to help and you should contact us if
you're worried that you might be falling into rent arrears or if you
need support with your council tax.
Who in the Future will be Affected by
Universal Credit (UC)?
1. To date, of the 1 million households now on UC, the vast majority (except in
local pilot areas), have been the unemployed. However that is about to change.
From now on across the country all new or updated benefit claims (with a few
exceptions) including those in work who receive Tax Credits have to be made
through UC.
2.DWP also
plans to force everyone on benefits (including those on Working and Child Tax
Credits) to claim UC even if there has been no change in their circumstances.
DWP has refused to initiate transfers of Tax Credit claims on to a UC regime.
Instead people have to initiate UC applications, a fraught and costly process.
Testing forced transfers, called ‘managed migration’ by DWP, is due to start
for some Tax Credit recipients in July 2019.
3.Nationally,
DWP’s plans mean 3 in 4 of the planned total of 7 million families on UC, would
be in work. So of the estimated 16 million people nationally in families
receiving UC, around 12 million would be in working families.
Background
4. This note outlines the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) plans on UC as
at early November 2018. These plans have changed many times. DWP has said they
may change again if more problems with UC come to light.
5. UC has been criticised by welfare and other advice
agencies after cases of severe hardship came to light and a series of analyses
on the impact of UC especially after funding was cut. Arguably UC has become so
discredited that what its future should be and indeed whether it should have a
future is a matter for serious political debate.
Why have People found the UC Application Process so
Fraught?
6. Firstly the forms are very lengthy – running to tens of pages. Secondly DWP
want people to fill them in online. Even experienced advisers find the process;
setting up accounts, locating and scanning in all the documents which DWP
require to ‘verify’ a UC claim, often takes many hours, not counting
verification visits to DWP offices.
7. DWP’s own research found barely half could complete the
process without help. One in 4 claimants were not able to claim at all without
help. Many have found applying for UC more difficult than applying for Tax
Credits.
The UC application process is most intimidating and unsuitable for those with
poor language, writing or IT skills.
The process especially frightens those with mental health problems eg anxiety,
as DWP’s own research shows.
8. Thirdly the risks, if things go wrong, have been
largely put on to the applicant. Imposing on applicants financial penalties
arising from the complex UC application process, is unreasonable given the
widely known problems people have faced in completing UC applications to DWP’s
satisfaction. Government November 2018 changes have reduced, but not removed,
risks imposed on people when those on Tax Credits are forced to apply for UC.
9. If people do not successfully apply within 1 month of a
DWP deadline they risk losing ‘Transitional Protection’ which protects, for a
while, their money if UC pays less than they get with Tax Credits. Further DWP
only allow UC claims to be backdated by one month – less than the 3 months
allowed for backdating of some benefit claims.
Do Tax Credit Recipients lose Money?
10. First of all, UC claimants face gaps in payment imposed by DWP in two
stages. The UC system builds in a gap in payments, reduced in the 2018 Budget
to a minimum of 3 weeks, after applying for UC. On top of that gap 1 in 5
claimants have faced on average a 4 week delay by DWP (ie on top of the 3 week
gap) in receiving some or all of their money. DWP do not expect the % facing
additional delays in some UC payment to be reduced during 2018.
11. Indeed there may well a big rise in the current UC
claim processing delays by DWP under the strain of a six-fold increase in the
rate of new UC claims planned by DWP for 2020 plus the more complicated
circumstances of future UC claims with working income and child care costs,
(unlike the mainly simpler unemployed cases so far).
12. Secondly amounts paid under UC differ from what
working families get on Tax Credits. Some would get more money under UC. But
overall working families face a net loss on average of about £250 a year on UC,
after the 2018 Budget measures notably the higher work allowances. The Budget
reduced, but did not end the losses.
13. UC losses are bigger for (mainly female) single
parents, and disabled people loss of Severe Disability Premium.
UC hits women more. The combined impact of tax and benefit changes hits women 7
times as severely as men.
14. UC’s Minimum Income Floor has adverse impacts for many
self-employed people eg taxi drivers, often BME.
15. Tax and benefit measures in the 2018 Budget only
partially offset the overall losses since Summer 2015 from for instance the
benefit freeze. Overall tax and benefit changes reduce income just for the
lower income groups.
Does UC Contribute to a More Hostile Environment for
Workers?
16. As well as financial losses, UC can intrude into peoples’ lives. Under the
UC regime, workers can be pressed by DWP to job search to increase hours or
earnings. This is worse for some eg single parents with child care duties.
17. For the first time workers are now at risk of
‘sanctions’ – loss of benefit. UK has the 2nd most demanding set of
‘benefit conditionality’ terms out of 39 countries. Under UC sanctions are 4
times more frequent than pre-UC.
18. Insisting everyone has to apply for UC online is not
user friendly, especially for those nervous of computers.
Is Universal Credit Actually Simpler?
19. One advantage claimed for UC is ‘simplification’ with 6 benefits rolled up
into 1. The comparison is misleading: no one person ever receives all 6
benefits simultaneously. It is also partial: UC does not include some benefits.
The difficulty of making UC claims shows that any ‘simplification’ is not
usually to the advantage of applicants.
20. Other aspects of ‘simplification’ may not help people.
Paying UC as one payment may be convenient for DWP, but it means women will
lose out when all money goes to one person, the higher earner, usually male. At
the moment Child Tax Credit and the childcare element of Working Tax Credit
typically go to the woman in a family.
Women with no direct access to money find it more difficult to leave when
facing domestic abuse or violence.
Are there Other Benefits of UC?
21. DWP has claimed UC increases work incentives. That is so, but to a very
limited extent. For the (1 in 3) people in work facing the highest effective
tax rates they are cut from slightly over 90% to 85% with UC. The evidence is
such incentives have little effect. Using sanctions implicitly admits that the
work incentives are not effective.
22. DWP has argued that benefit take-up will rise under
UC. But the user–unfriendly nature of UC, its toxic reputation and what an
official report calls DWP’s ‘culture of indifference’, reduce the chances of
higher take-up.
23. The DWP says that UC will reduce fraud and error. The
NAO report refers to ‘a lack of evidence’ on this claim.
Conclusions
24. Government UC plans will increasingly affect people in work. Recent changes
to UC have reduced the delays and the financial costs for workers, but not
eliminated them. Reducing delays and more funding are not enough to make UC
suitable. It is very user-unfriendly and intrudes oppressively into peoples’
lives. A harsh UC regime drives people into taking unsatisfactory work, putting
downward pressure on work T&Cs – a core union concern.
25. There is a very strong case for Trade Unions to call
on political parties to back ‘Stop and Scrap UC’ and, so long as UC continues,
urging councils to minimise the impacts. Some Boroughs have set up information,
advice and advocacy services eg Tower Hamlets, and others have committed to not
evict tenants in arrears as a result of UC.
26. Pushing more people on to UC should be immediately
halted, whilst a fundamental review considers the options.
A Labour Party event but open to all on an important topic.
From Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
A Black History Month Event
CONFRONTING THE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT – FROM WINDRUSH TO HOUSING TO UNIVERSAL CREDIT
Saturday 3 November 4-6pm
Granville Centre, Carlton Vale, London, NW6 5HE
Tube: Kilburn Park (Bakerloo line) Buses: 6, 316
Fully wheel chair accessible. ALL WELCOME!
Hampstead & Kilburn
Labour Party is holding a Black History Month event to mark the 70th anniversary
of the Empire Windrush arriving at Tilbury Docks (1948). The ship carried over
a thousand passengers, mostly from the Caribbean (but also Burma, Mexico and
Poland) who had been recruited to leave their homes to rebuild Britain after
the war.
While Home Secretary, Theresa May
imposed a ‘hostile environment’. She said that British subjects who had
uprooted themselves and their families at the invitation of the British
government, their children and grandchildren, now had to prove their right to
be in the country they helped rebuild and worked hard in, often for the lowest
pay. People have been sacked from their jobs, robbed of their homes, benefits,
pensions, and denied healthcare. Some were put in detention centres and sent
back. Many still live in fear of deportation. Others died from the suffering
inflicted by these racist policies. Many are still waiting for recognition of
their citizenship and for compensation for the years of injustice and
insecurity they suffered. This event will give a platform
to Windrush families and many others affected by racist immigration laws as
well as by austerity cuts, which have targeted women and people with
disabilities.
Labour’s grassroots membership,
spearheaded by BAME women, won a landmark motion at Labour conference to
support the Windrush generations. A growing movement is calling for an end to
detention, deportation and destitution of any of us. Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott
have pledged that a Labour government would abolish racist immigration laws and
end the requirement for landlords, employers, teachers and health professionals
(and even MPs) to act as border guards on behalf of the government. We’re
inviting all our communities – African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American,
immigrant and native born, with or without papers, to take part. We want people
to know what’s been won and what obstacles we still face.
Speakers include: · Windrush families,
asylum seekers, EU nationals · Families affected /
threatened by Universal Credit & other benefit cuts · Council tenants and
local residents resisting evictions and “regeneration” Refreshments, and time for
discussion and informal networking.
Please join the local protest to Stop Universal Credit, the damaging
(and expensive) new benefits system this government has been trying to
introduce.
Universal Credit will
extend the use of benefit sanctions to those receiving in-work benefits
(housing benefit, working tax credit and child credit) - a target
driven agenda to remove people from the survival benefits they are
entitled to.
11am -12 midday, Thursday 24th May, Harlesden Job Centre, 161-163 High St, NW10 4TL
Despite knowing Universal Credit causes serious problems for
claimants, the Tory government is pressing ahead and rolling it out to
thousands of people who will have to wait weeks to receive any money.
Claimants are descending into debt, relying on food banks,
getting into rent arrears and in many cases getting evicted from their
homes because of in- built problems with Universal Credit.
Who gets Universal Credit
Universal Credit replaces five benefits – child tax credit,
housing benefit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance,
income-related employment and support allowance and working tax credit.
Seven million households will be affected, including over one
million low paid part-time workers. For the first time ever people in
work could face being sanctioned (having their benefits stopped) if they
don’t prove to the job centre that they’re searching for better paid
work or more hours.
10 reasons why Universal Credit should be stopped
Unbearably long waits for claimants to receive money
People can only apply for Universal Credit online making it inaccessible for many
Not enough help for claimants when the system fails them
Rent paid directly to claimants instead of Landlords causing people to get into arrears and even to lose their homes
Letting agents are already refusing to rent to anyone claiming Universal Credit
Cruel sanctions for both in-work and out-of-work claimants
Payments only go to one named member of a household
Universal Credit takes 63p in every £1 people earn
Universal Credit leaves many working families much worse off than the old system
People in part-time work could be forced to give up work that
suits their disability or family life in order to take up worse paid
full-time work or risk sanctions.
Wednesday April 18th 3.30-5pm Committee Room 9, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA
Food banks have become an
increasingly prevalent feature in our communities over the last few
years with the numbers of food bank referrals reaching record levels.
How are local councils and organisations responding to the changing nature of emergency provision and deprivation?
With demand for food banks expected to rise further as Universal Credit is fully rolled out, what practical steps are available to tackle poverty and hunger and how can councils take a leading role?
There are two local speakers at this event.
Chair: Emma Lewell-Buck MP
Speakers:
Roxanne Mashari –Councillor, London Borough of Brent Sabine Goodwin- Independent Food Aid Network Robert Tinker - Joseph Rowntree Foundation Deidre Woods - Granville Community Kitchen Sarah Chapman - Wandsworth Foodbank
The following motion will be debated at the Brent Council meeting on Monday:
This
Council welcomes the findings and recommendations of the recent Resource and
Public Realm Scrutiny Committee task group report into the use of food banks in
Brent.
Given the
scale of the problem of destitution and food poverty and likelihood that need
will increase with the further roll out of Universal Credit this year, this
Council recognises the need for local public, voluntary and private
organisations to collaborate on the production of a proactive strategy to bring
forward targeted interventions to prevent and address hunger and chronic
poverty in the borough.
This
Council notes the following findings of the task group:
·Food banks are playing, and will
continue to play, an increasingly significant role in society. The corrosion of
the welfare state has meant that food banks have had no choice but to step up
to fill in the gap.
·1.2 million food aid packages were
given out by Trussell Trust food banks during the last financial year and this
was the ninth consecutive year in which demand has risen.
·In Brent alone last year an
estimated 5,636 people accessed food banks
·Major drivers behind food bank usage
locally are benefit delays and sanctions, the current waiting period before
benefits are paid, inaccessibility of services and low wages.
·Official figures do not capture the
true extent of the problem across the borough; with many residents seeking
assistance from religious organisations providing informal meals and food
assistance.
·Locally, the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) moved new single claimants over to Universal Credit(UC) in2015 and
have now advised fullrollout of UC across
Brent will happen in late 2018. It is likely that implementation of full UC
will place further demands on local food banks and information / advice
services.
·The use of food banks includes both
people in and out of work.
·Statements from government ministers
dismissing food bank use as a lifestyle choice of those who are unable to
budget properly has influenced incorrect beliefs about food bank users. This
has contributed to stigma, shame, and embarrassment for the people who need to
use them.
Brent Council recognises the
invaluable work undertaken by food bank staff, volunteers and donors. This
Council formally extends its gratitude to all involved.
This year Christmas will be cancelled for thousands of families claiming the
government’s new all-in-one benefit, Universal Credit.
Unite is calling on the government to stop and fix Universal Credit before
even more families will be forced to use food banks and struggle to heat their
homes this Christmas.
The government has also admitted that the Universal Credit helpline for
claimants will be closed for the majority of the Christmas period, making life
even more difficult for claimants needing advice and emergency help.
Unite Community members and campaigners will be holding street stalls in 70
towns and city centres across the UK on Saturday 2 December to help raise
awareness of who will be affected by Universal Credit.The Brent event, with Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group, will be at Noon until 2pm on Saturday at Neasden Parade, Neasden Shopping Centre. Other demonstrations listed HERE As well as the long waits for the benefit there are other problems with
Universal Credit such as the complex online-only application process and the
housing benefit element not being paid direct to landlords causing rent arrears
and in some cases eviction.
Liane Groves, Head of Unite Community says:
Despite knowing that Universal
Credit causes serious problems for those claiming it the government is
ploughing ahead regardless while claimants are descending into debt, relying on
food banks and getting into rent arrears and in many cases are being evicted
from their homes.
In order to claim Universal Credit claimants need an internet connection
which many simply can’t afford.
Unite is demanding a cut in the long waits to receive money, for people to
be able to apply in job centres not just online, better help for people when
the system fails, landlords to be paid directly to avoid people getting into
rent arrears and losing their homes, and an end to benefit sanctions for people
in and out of work.
In Britain there are currently 505,549 households receiving Universal
Credit but a further 1,513,970 will be put on this winter and this figure is
expected to reach 5,915,290 once the government has finished rolling it out
fully by March 2022.
Over 1.2 million low paid part-time workers will also be affected by
Universal Credit and for the first time ever people in work could face being
sanctioned (having their benefits stopped) if they don’t prove to the job
centre that they’re searching for better paid work or more hours.
The Trussell Trust, the UK’s biggest foodbank, says demand in areas where
Universal Credit has already been rolled out has increased by an average of 30
per cent and landlords report a huge increase in rent arrears.
Community members will be handing out leaflets with information and getting
people to sign a petition to call on the government to stop the roll out of
Universal Credit and fix the problems with it.
