Ketan Sheth: Brent needs to establish an effective 'Access to Justice' service following the Law Centre closure

This Opinion piece by Cllr Ketam Sheth, chair of Brent Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee first appeared in Asian Voice LINK Reproduced by permission of the author


After half a century of community service, Brent residents now have no access to free legal advice, severely curtailed access to legal aid for housing, no access to advice on employment law and no advice to assist challenges to PIP, UC and welfare benefit assessments.

We know English justice system is complex, slow and expensive: all of which impacts on poor people’s accessing legal representation. Our justice system is too often incapable of producing just outcomes that are proportionate to the problems brought to it or reflective of the needs of Brent people it is meant to serve.

Brent is generally a poor area, with 33% of households living in poverty, and 31% of employees earning less than the London Living Wage – a higher rate than any other borough except Newham. Private rent is very expensive relatively to local low earnings as a result low earners spend a disproportionate percentage of earnings on housing, it is not surprising that people are evicted in Brent at a higher rate.

With such stark statistics, it is evident that the Borough needs access to justice services. Yet those who could have done something about accessing justice for those in the Borough allowed free legal advice be dismantled brick by brick.

For Brent Community Law Centre access to justice meant enabling people to avoid eviction, resolve employment, welfare and employment issues, address problems and disputes regarding immigration and citizenship, all of which meant people could live hassle free and confident lives. Intellectual capital in the Borough is now weakened, and the people of Brent are left without independent advice and representation.

Access to justice includes providing people with the information they need to understand the law or supporting them to resolve their own disputes without having to go to court. Brent Community Law Centre took an expansive view of the civil justice system to include not just courts, but all services, institutions and organizations that support people in getting the skills, knowledge, resources and services they need to manage their legal problems.

In these challenging times, people need an effective locally based professional service which is collaborative, not combative; people-centred, not number focused; experimental and evidence-informed; not one that is stifled by unnecessary bureaucracy.

The Law Centre looked at the justice system from the user’s point of view and included users of the system as partners in improving it. Fulfilling this perspective led to a multi-disciplinary approach because, from the point of view of the user, legal problems are usually only one aspect of a larger problem that has economic, social, psychological and other aspects.

So, going forward, the Borough needs to work arduously in establishing an Access to Justice Service based on working with local legal services: big and small, to deliver an effective Brent pro bono legal service with the one aim which balances three elements: improved population access to justice, improved user experience of access to justice and improved costs.

The powers that the Government are seeking in the Coronavirus Bill

These are the provisions in the Coronavirus Bill that the Government are proposing. They are wide-ranging, some sensible and others which contain risks.

The UK government’s coronavirus action plan, published on 3 March, set out measures to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak that are reasonable, proportionate and based on the latest scientific evidence. Specifically, it detailed:

• what we know about the virus and the disease it causes
• how we have planned for an infectious disease outbreak
• what we are planning to do next, depending on the course the coronavirus outbreak takes
• the role the public can play in supporting this response, now and in the future

The plan also includes information on the government’s 4-stage strategy: contain, delay, research, mitigate. It sets out advice for how the public should respond in each stage, including what to expect as the outbreak advances.

It also envisaged that changes to legislation might be necessary in order to give public bodies across the UK the tools and powers they need to carry out an effective response to this emergency. This paper sets out, subject to final approvals, the elements of the bill and the reasons why they are needed.

The development of an effective response to the epidemic requires a number of actions. Some of these involve the use of tools and powers that are set out in statute. The governments of the UK therefore resolved to review and where necessary amend the legislation, to ensure that the UK’s response is consistent and effective.

Some of the proposed changes therefore deal with easing the burden on frontline NHS and adult social care staff, some help staff by enabling them to work without financial penalty, and some support people and communities in taking care of themselves, their families and loved ones, and their wider community.

The legislation will be time-limited – for 2 years – and not all of these measures will come into force immediately. The bill allows the 4 UK governments to switch on these new powers when they are needed, and, crucially, to switch them off again once they are no longer necessary, based on the advice of Chief Medical Officers of the 4 nations.

The measures in the coronavirus bill are temporary, proportionate to the threat we face, will only be used when strictly necessary and be in place for as long as required to respond to the situation.

We have worked closely with the devolved administrations to develop an effective package of measures to support frontline staff and individuals involved in this vital national response.

Contents of the bill

The bill enables action in 5 key areas:

1. increasing the available health and social care workforce – for example, by removing barriers to allow recently retired NHS staff and social workers to return to work (and in Scotland, in addition to retired people, allowing those who are on a career break or are social worker students to become temporary social workers)
   
2. easing the burden on frontline staff – by reducing the number of administrative tasks they have to perform, enabling local authorities to prioritise care for people with the most pressing needs, allowing key workers to perform more tasks remotely and with less paperwork, and taking the power to suspend individual port operations
   
3. containing and slowing the virus – by reducing unnecessary social contacts, for example through powers over events and gatherings, and strengthening the quarantine powers of police and immigration officers
   
4. managing the deceased with respect and dignity – by enabling the death management system to deal with increased demand for its services
   
5. supporting people – by allowing them to claim Statutory Sick Pay from day one, and by supporting the food industry to maintain supplies
   

The proposals set out in the bill will significantly enhance the ability of public bodies across the UK to provide an effective response to tackle this epidemic. We are therefore aiming for it to reach the statute book and begin to take effect from the end of this month. However, the provisions relating to Statutory Sick Pay are intended to have retrospective effect to 13 March.

Increasing the available health and social care workforce

Although we are implementing measures to save lives through delaying and flattening the peak of the epidemic, it is clear that the next few months will present a significant level of challenge for the NHS and anyone working in caring professions. As in all sectors, there will be pressures from increased staff absence, if staff are unwell or self-isolating with their households.

In addition to this, there will be increased numbers of people becoming ill with COVID-19 and some of these people will require medical treatment or need to be admitted to hospital. These additional patient volumes will place pressure on our NHS. To ensure the best possible level of care is provided to those most in need, we may need to take measures to increase the available health and social care workforce and reduce the number of admin tasks they have to perform so they have more time to spend with patients.

To support this, the bill seeks to:

• enable regulators to emergency register suitable people as regulated healthcare professionals, such as nurses, midwives or paramedics. This might include (but will not be limited to) recently retired professionals and students who are near the end of their training. Registered staff can then be used appropriately, with decisions made on a local basis, to increase the available health and social care workforce and enable essential health and care services to function during the height of the epidemic
  
• enable regulators to temporarily add social workers to their registers who may have recently left the profession. This will ensure vital continuity of care for vulnerable children and adults
  
• enable employees and workers to take Emergency Volunteer Leave in blocks of 2, 3 or 4 weeks’ statutory unpaid leave and establish a UK-wide compensation fund to compensate for loss of earnings and expenses incurred at a flat rate for those who volunteer through an appropriate authority. This will ensure that volunteers do not suffer financial disadvantage as a result of performing a public good. Volunteers play a critical role in the delivery of health and social care services and are particularly important in caring for the most vulnerable in our society, such as the elderly, those with multiple long-term conditions or those suffering from mental ill-health
  
• provide indemnity for clinical negligence liabilities arising from NHS activities carried out for the purposes of dealing with, or because of, the coronavirus outbreak, where there is no existing indemnity arrangement in place. This will ensure that those providing healthcare service activity across the UK are legally protected for the work they are required to undertake as part of the COVID-19 response. This is in line with and will complement existing arrangements
  
• suspend the rule that currently prevents some NHS staff who return to work after retirement from working more than 16 hours per week, along with rules on abatements and drawn-down of NHS pensions that apply to certain retirees who return to work. This will allow skilled and experienced staff who have recently retired from the NHS to return to work, and also allow retired staff who have already returned to work to increase their commitments if required, without having their pension benefits suspended
  

Easing the burden on frontline staff, both within the NHS and beyond

In the NHS and in other sectors who undertake activities that are vital to keeping the country running safely and securely, we may also face particular increased pressures as a result of staff absence or increased work volumes. This could include those caring for children or in education, protecting our borders, detaining and treating people under the Mental Health Act, supporting local authorities and ensuring national security. By reducing the number of admin tasks they have to perform, allowing key workers to perform more tasks remotely and with less paperwork, we will enable these crucial services to continue to operate effectively during periods of reduced staffing.

To support this the bill seeks to:

• enable existing mental health legislation powers to detain and treat patients who need urgent treatment for a mental health disorder and are a risk to themselves or others, to be implemented using just one doctor’s opinion (rather than the current 2). This will ensure that those who were a risk to themselves or others would still get the treatment they need, when fewer doctors are available to undertake this function
  
• temporarily allow extension or removal of time limits in mental health legislation to allow for greater flexibility where services are less able to respond. These temporary changes would be brought in only in the instance that staff numbers were severely adversely affected during the pandemic period and provide some flexibility to help support the continued safe running of services under the Mental Health Act
  
• allow NHS providers to delay undertaking the assessment process for NHS continuing healthcare for individuals being discharged from hospital until after the emergency period has ended
  
• make changes to the Care Act 2014 in England and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 to enable local authorities to prioritise the services they offer in order to ensure the most urgent and serious care needs are met, even if this means not meeting everyone’s assessed needs in full or delaying some assessments. During a pandemic, a lot of people who work in health and social care could be off sick or may need to care for loved ones. This could mean that local authorities, which are responsible for social care, may not be able to do all the things they are usually required to do
  

Local authorities will still be expected to do as much as they can to comply with their duties to meet needs during this period and these amendments would not remove the duty of care they have towards an individual’s risk of serious neglect or harm.

These powers would only be used if demand pressures and workforce illness during the pandemic meant that local authorities were at imminent risk of failing to fulfil their duties and only last the duration of the emergency. It would ensure that local authorities will continue to be able to deliver the best possible care services during the peak and to protect the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.

• temporarily relax local authorities’ duties in relation to their duties to conduct a needs assessment and prepare an adult carer support plan/young care statement under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 and the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 to enable them to prioritise people with the greatest needs
  
• provide powers to require educational institutions or childcare providers to stay open or relax some requirements around education legislation in order to help these institutions run effectively during the event of an emergency. This could include reducing teacher ratios, adapting school meal standards and relaxing provisions for those with special educational needs. This will ensure that children, young people and those who work with them remain safe, while minimising disruption to everyday life and progression to further and higher education or employment by ensuring schools have the flexibility and support they need to respond pragmatically to the changing situation
  
• enable the Home Secretary to request that port and airport operators temporarily close and suspend operations if Border Force staff shortages result in a real and significant threat to the UK’s border security. This is to ensure the UK can maintain adequate border security throughout the pandemic and protect the public from the threat of criminality or importation of prohibited items that could result from an inadequately controlled border. This would only be used in extremis, where necessary and proportionate, and any direction will be kept to the minimum period necessary to maintain the security of the UK border
  
• expand availability of video and audio link in court proceedings. This would include magistrates’ court hearings taking place by phone or by video, should an individual appeal restriction of movement due to quarantine measures. This will ensure that an appeal takes place but will not require a person to break quarantine in order to attend in person. It will also enable the expansion of the availability of video and audio link in various criminal proceedings, including full video and audio hearings in certain circumstances, and public participation in relation to these and other court and tribunal proceedings conducted by audio and video. The measures will enable a wider range of proceedings to be carried out by video, so that courts can continue to function and remain open to the public, without the need for participants to attend in person. This will give judges more options for avoiding adjournments and keeping business moving through the courts to help reduce delays in the administration of justice and alleviate the impact on families, victims, witnesses and defendants
  
• ensure that the Treasury can transact its business at all times, by making it possible for a single commissioner or a single Treasury minister to sign instruments and act on behalf of the commissioners, during a COVID-19 emergency period. Under current rules, where any instrument or act is required to be signed by the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury, it must be signed by 2 or more of the commissioners. This change will ensure that the Treasury can transact its business at all times during a COVID-19 emergency period, should commissioners be unable to fulfil their duty
  
• allow temporary judicial commissioners (JCs) to be appointed at the request of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, in the event that there are insufficient JCs available to operate the system under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. This is the one of the critical pieces of domestic legislation for national security. It creates the statutory basis for the use of the investigatory powers by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies, using warrants issued under the act. These warrants provide the agencies with the capability they need to protect national security and investigate and prevent serious crime.
  
  The Home Secretary, again at the request of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, will also be allowed to vary the time allowed for urgent warrants to be reviewed by a JC and how long they can last before they need to be reviewed. The maximum time allowed for a review will be increased to a maximum of 12 days (up from the current 3 days). Maintaining national security capabilities at a time of potential widespread upheaval is critical and it is necessary to ensure that the powers to vary specific aspects of the regime are available to the government should they be deemed necessary, for example if there are fewer JCs available than usual.
  

Delaying and slowing the virus

The government’s objective is to delay and flatten the peak of the epidemic by bringing forward the right measures at the right time, so that we minimise suffering and save lives. To slow the virus, we will need people to reduce unnecessary social contacts, which, for periods of time, may mean preventing gatherings of people, postponing electoral events over the course of the year or closing schools, further or high education premises or childcare providers. This will help mitigate the risk to public health arising from such mass gatherings.

This will happen only where necessary, to help minimise disruption to everyday life and progression of children and young people to further and higher education or employment. The measures would only be put in place for the period of time required to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To support this, the bill seeks to:

• enable the government to restrict or prohibit events and gatherings during the pandemic in any place, vehicle, train, vessel or aircraft, any movable structure and any offshore installation and, where necessary, to close premises
  
• provide a temporary power to close educational establishments or childcare providers
  
• postpone the local, mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections that were due to take place in England in May this year until May 2021. Provision will also be made to postpone other electoral events over the course of the year (such as by-elections)
  

It’s also important that all UK countries have equivalent legal measures in place to delay or prevent further transmission of the virus, to ensure consistency across the whole UK. For example, removing a current restriction in how Scottish territorial Health Boards can deliver vaccination programmes would mean that, when a vaccine becomes available, it can reach as many people as possible. To support this, the bill seeks to:

• enable the departments of health in Northern Ireland and Scotland to make regulations for additional measures to be introduced to help them delay or prevent further transmission of COVID-19. Equivalent powers already exist in England and Wales and these provisions would bring them in line with the rest of the UK
  
• remove a restriction in how Scottish territorial Health Boards can deliver vaccination programmes so a wider range of healthcare professionals in Scotland would be able to administer a vaccine.
  

Public support and compliance is crucial and we are grateful for the flexibility people have shown, but we need to ensure police and immigration officers have the authority to enforce these measures where necessary. Therefore, the bill will enable the police and immigration officers to detain a person, for a limited period, who is, or may be, infectious and to take them to a suitable place to enable screening and assessment.

Managing the deceased with respect and dignity

The steps the government is taking to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic will save lives. However, sadly, as has already been seen, people will lose loved ones as a result of this disease. We want to ensure the deceased are treated with the utmost respect and dignity and that the current procedures in relation to death and still-birth registration and management are modified to enable this and to protect public health. This will take account of the fact that families who have lost a loved one may be self-isolating, and that there may be reduced capacity to register and manage deaths as a result of pandemic-related sickness absence.
The bill intends to make changes to:

• mean a coroner is only to be notified where a doctor believes there is no medical practitioner who may sign the death certificate, or that they are not available within a reasonable time of the death
  
• introduce powers to enable the provisions under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 relating to the collection of ashes to be suspended and replaced with a duty to retain until the suspension is lifted, except where family wishes are known. Also, suspend an offence in section 49 of the 2016 Act, allowing any relative of the deceased to complete the cremation application form, regardless of the required hierarchy set out by section 65 of the 2016 Act
  
• expand the list of people who can register a death to include funeral directors acting on behalf of the family
  
• enable electronic transmission of documents that currently have to be physically presented in order to certify the registration of a death
  
• remove the need for a second confirmatory medical certificate in order for a cremation to take place
  
• remove the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 requirement that any inquest into a COVID-19 death must be held with a jury. Other notifiable diseases will still require an inquest with a jury
  
• suspend the referral of certificates to the Death Certification Review Service (DCRS) for review in Scotland under the Certification of Death (Scotland) Act 2011. The timing of the suspension to be at the discretion of Scottish ministers
  

If the scientific advice indicates that the number of people who might die from COVID-19 is likely to significantly exceed the capacity locally to manage the deceased and other contingency measures have been deployed, local government will have the ability to take control of a component or components of the death management process in their area.

For example, local authorities may choose to direct local actors such as funeral directors, mortuaries owners, crematoriums owners and others, to streamline the death management process. This may include an increase in the operating times of crematoriums, directing companies to use their vehicles to move bodies, or directing others not directly involved in the funeral sector, to provide necessary support.

Only in the most extreme situations where there is a risk to public health would the powers of direction be used and only be used when scientific evidence and operational advice suggests that it is necessary. Activating the powers will ensure the local death management system continues to work effectively to protect public health and the dignity of the deceased. Personal choice will be respected as far as possible, especially in regard to how we handle loved ones after they have passed.

Protecting and supporting people

We are asking people to stay at home if they have a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, or if anyone in their household has one of those 2 symptoms. In the event of a wider outbreak of COVID-19, the number of people that would be off work would increase significantly. This would include those that were displaying-virus like symptoms and those who were self-isolating as a precautionary measure.

We want to ensure the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provisions support people in complying with this request and that they have retrospective effect from 13 March 2020. By ensuring that people receive SSP from the first day that they are off work, we will ensure that those who are unwell or have been instructed to self-isolate can do so without the fear of losing pay. This will be an important measure in the event of a severe outbreak. By refunding small businesses, we hope to alleviate the significant financial burden on employers through increased SSP costs.

The bill is therefore seeking to:

• give the government the power to temporarily suspend the rule that means SSP is not paid for the first 3 days of work that you miss because of sickness. These days are known as waiting days. Lifting this rule will enable us to respond quickly to an outbreak
  
• enable employers with fewer than 250 employees to reclaim SSP paid for sickness absences relating to coronavirus during the period of the outbreak. This is because the government wants to ensure that businesses are supported to deal with the temporary economic impacts of an outbreak of coronavirus
  
• require industry to provide information about food supplies, in the event that an industry partner does not co-operate with our current voluntary information-sharing arrangements during a period of potential disruption
  

Covid-19 closes Preston Community Library

Thanks to everyone at Preston Community Library for the above and wishing them well during this difficult time.

NEU's proposals to PM re schools and coronavirus

The National Education Union has written to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for the Government to close schools and colleges and protect vulnerable educators or those caring for at risk family members.

We are also calling on the Government to fund and plan limited school opening for the children of key workers, those on free school meals and other children in need.

Letter to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson

The Rt Hon Boris Johnson
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA
17 March 2020

Dear Prime Minister

We write again following your announcements yesterday and our letter of Saturday.

In that letter we pointed to an apparent contradiction between bans on large gatherings and a refusal to close schools.

We also said we thought that it was important to engage with all the science and appealed for more information to be released on the modelling and on the effects on vulnerable school and college teachers, other staff and parents.

We have not yet seen that further information.

You announced yesterday that vulnerable people are to confine themselves for 12 weeks from this weekend.

On our understanding this includes:

• pregnant women.

and those who are suffering from:

• chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis;
• chronic heart disease, such as heart failure;
• chronic kidney disease;
• chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis;
• chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy;
• diabetes;
• problems with their spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if they have had their spleen removed;
• a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy;
• being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above).

We assume that on this basis teachers and other school and college staff who have these conditions or who are caring for people with those conditions, or who are over 70 should self-isolate.

We intend to advise all our members in these categories or caring for people in them to stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier.

We also assume that the children of parents with those conditions should also avoid school or college.
This will make the running of schools all the more complicated.

Given your failure to release modelling comparing different scenarios of school closures, we are now forced to call on you to close schools, at least for some time and at least in some areas.

We know that very many of our members who aren’t in the categories of heightened risk would be willing to volunteer to play a role in helping our society get through this crisis.

We suggest during a period of full school closure that teachers and school leaders could work on plans for more limited opening to:

• ensure that we can look after the children of parents who must do the work our society needs - including NHS staff, food and distribution workers, police, prison and fire brigade staff and those who are working to produce medical equipment, including hopefully industries being re purposed to produce ventilators; 
• ensure that children on free school meals or otherwise in food poverty can eat nutritious meals;
• support other children in need.

Of course, this could not be a full opening and it would mean substantial changes from the way schools are normally run - but we believe schools could be important community hubs. This in turn requires that SATs are abandoned and that you produce proposals on the inevitable widespread disruption to GCSE and A -level exams.

Supply teachers would also be willing to help in such ways and in any event need your support during school closure or self-isolation.

We look forward to your engagement with these ideas and we remain, as before, ready to meet with you and the Secretary of State for education.

Given the number of staff and pupils that will now be off school, teachers and leaders will simply have to exercise their professional discretion about whether schools and colleges open and what work is undertaken - and they should do so with your approval.

We will support them in so doing.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted, joint general secretaries, National Education Union

NEUBorisJohnsonletter 17March2020.docx

Brent Council Leader's message on Coronavirus situation

From Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council

I know many of us will be understandably worried about the current coronavirus pandemic that is dominating our daily lives right now.

I can assure you that we continue to provide all council services as normal – although some council events have been postponed, or cancelled, so we can focus on meeting the challenge of coronavirus.

I also want to say right from the beginning that this is not a political statement. I do not intend to talk about the many debates about the rights and wrongs of the Government’s response but instead update you on the proactive action the council is taking.   

New national guidance means everyone should be minimising their social contact, reducing unnecessary travel and staying at home if you, or anyone in your household, has any symptoms. Please follow the daily guidance coming from the government and take extra care if you are over 70, if you are pregnant or have underlying health conditions: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

It is now clear that the coronavirus pandemic is set to challenge us all in ways we have never experienced before. What we face is without precedent in living memory and will test our collective mettle like never before. With all the uncertainty one thing is for sure, we will need to work together and help each other wherever and whenever we can.

As a council, we are taking every step to prepare for the expected increase in confirmed cases of the virus and we will ensure that the vital services that you rely on from the council will continue during this difficult time.

Our services, including social care, waste and children’s services, have well developed plans that will ensure our most vulnerable residents get the support they need in the coming weeks and months.

We are working closely with our partners in the NHS, Police as well as community and voluntary groups to ensure Brent is as prepared as we can be for the further spread of the virus.

Our primary aim is to ensure that everyone who needs it is supported – especially the most vulnerable. Our top priority is to ensure that no one is left behind.

So what does this mean in practice? This is a rapidly changing situation and the Government guidance is changing on a daily basis but our current plans set out to:

1. Protect the health and wellbeing of Brent residents, working in partnership with our amazing colleagues in the NHS.
2. Keep vital council services running – even if they have to be delivered in a different way.
3. Target help to the people who will need it the most if they contract coronavirus. This includes elderly people and those with pre-existing health conditions.
4. Target support to other vulnerable people who are self-isolating for example rough sleepers, people who use food banks and those with existing multiple and complex needs. We are working closely with providers and voluntary organisations on this.
5. Support our businesses – we recognise that we are a borough of small local businesses whose local economy may be effected in the long term. The council is looking to see what part it can play to support our local economy by relieving some of this burden. We are checking national guidelines and hope to be able to update as soon as we are clearer on impact and other issues.
6. We will ensure no council tenant loses their home because they are affected by coronavirus.
7. We will support and encourage the huge community spirit that exists in Brent to ensure people who want to volunteer can do so through established charities and organisations. We are working closely with voluntary organisations to explore the best way to do this and will announce the details of how to get involved shortly.

We have a special coronavirus web page that is updated daily here: www.brent.gov.uk/coronavirus

Some of you may need extra support at this time, and it is important that everyone is aware of what additional support you can apply for and know where to find it.

Our website lists all the support available for residents who may be experiencing hardship:

• If you know people who are struggling the council can offer Local Welfare Assistance.
• Discretionary Housing Payments may be available to top-up housing-related benefit for a limited time to cover housing costs such as rent.
• If residents are experiencing exceptional hardship they may be able to claim a discretionary reduction in Council Tax. Visit our website to find out if you qualify.
• You have the right to pay your council tax over 12 months instead of 10 months, you must advise the council in advance. Contact the council by clicking here for more information.
• We have the Council tax support scheme in place for residents on low income, more information can be found here.

We have also been notified by the Government that money will be provided to councils to support vulnerable residents. We will provide further information on this when we know more.

This is a rapidly changing situation so we will be using our email newsletters, such as this one, and digital communications channels to share information with you swiftly so please do encourage your friends and neighbours, who aren’t signed up yet, to do so here: www.brent.gov.uk/stayconnected

Whatever happens Brent’s response will be defined by kindness and tried and tested plans. Brent is one of the best places to live on earth and we will rise to this challenge together and deliver a response for weeks, months, however long it takes. With this in mind, our commitment is to keep you updated at all times.

---

Please follow Government advice to stop spreading the virus

The government's latest advice is that people who have developed a cough or fever should self-isolate at home for 14 days to avoid further spread of the virus. Their families and those living with them should do the same.

The latest NHS advice is here: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus

The NHS stay at home advice is here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/

Residents are also advised to work from home when possible, avoid any unnecessary travel and social interactions, as well as going to pubs, cinemas, theatres or clubs.

---

What to do if you feel unwell

If you think you’re experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy, or hospital. Visit the NHS Website for further information.

All residents are encouraged to take the following steps to avoid catching and spreading the virus:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you cough or sneeze 
• Put used tissues into the bin immediately 
• Wash your hands with soap and water often 
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available 
• Wash your hands when you arrive into work and return home 
• Try to avoid close contact with unwell people 

---

Schools

At present Government advice is that schools should stay open if they can. This may change and parents will be updated through your child’s school as soon as information is available.

Daniel Estate Agents offer to print Brent Covid-19 Mutual Aid flyers

Daniel Estate Agents have offered to print flyers in black and white for the Brent Covid-19 Mutual Support Groups at their local branches.

They have branches covering Wembley and Alperton, Neasden and Dollis Hill, Sudbury and Harrow, Kensal Rise and Queens Park and Willesden Green.

Branch addresses and telephone numbers HERE

Sufra's Coronavirus Emergency Appeal: 'The situation is dire'

From  Rajesh and the team at Sufra Foodbank,

“It’s like being in a war zone,” remarked one of our guests. “No bombs or guns, but widespread panic and confusion – plus the fear that some of our nearest and dearest may not survive.” It’s going to be tough, but Sufra plans to stay open throughout this crisis to ensure that emergency food and support is available to the most vulnerable – yet again, they are the ones who will suffer most. But I won’t lie: the situation is dire.  Supermarket shelves are empty. Whilst some fight over the last toilet roll in the store, the donations we rely on to keep the Food Bank open are dwindling and we are struggling to source and buy the huge amount of food we distribute every week. For the first time ever, we are reducing how much we pack in our food parcels to ensure that our stocks can last the duration of the pandemic. We’re also re-organising our services to protect our vulnerable guests (not to mention volunteers and staff) from infection. Last Friday, rather than welcoming our guests inside to enjoy a community meal with us, staff and guests were left heartbroken when we were forced to provide our freshly cooked meal in a takeaway container. Similarly, during Food Bank we are having to hand-out smaller food parcels at the entrance, rather than inviting people in to pick their own fresh fruit and vegetables and speak to our volunteer advisors. This is a fast-changing situation and we are holding emergency meetings every couple of days to make sure we are doing everything we can to support those who rely on us for food, toiletries and support. Every day we are asking ourselves: How long will our stocks last? What do we do when we can’t buy more food or toiletries for our guests? How will we provide food and support when staff and volunteers start to self-isolate?  Coronavirus Emergency Appeal  This is the biggest crisis Sufra has ever faced. The year 2020 already brought with it the highest demand for the Food Bank in our history and the Coronavirus is now exacerbating the situation. The families we support simply can’t afford to panic buy and hoard food; they’re already knocking on our door in search of basic supplies. But this is just the tip of the iceberg… The UK is on the precipice of a recession, which means financial donations to Sufra will decline, while poverty and inequality increase even further. Add to this Universal Credit, low wages, unaffordable rent and the impact of Brexit on food prices, and you can see why this really is such a toxic environment for a food bank like Sufra and the people who depend on us. Support Our Guests Today That’s why we launched a Coronavirus Emergency Appeal last week to ask for your support during this extraordinary period of crisis. We know from our experience that when we unite as a community, we can always find a way to support those in need. Click here to donate. Every £25 you give will provide an emergency food parcel to two people in desperate need, while £50 will feed a family of four. This includes nappies, milk and nutritious food for babies – essential needs for a family with children.  But what we desperately need in the period ahead is long-term support. Please consider setting up a monthly standing order through this page so that we can continue to address the most pressing needs of those who walk through our doors. Alternatively, you can send us food items through an online shop – find out how here. At the time of writing, supermarkets are struggling online too, so please get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss a safe arrangement for a drop-off at our centre.

Write to Your MP! Food banks shouldn’t exist in one of the world’s richest countries – they are a sign of gross injustice and contravene the basic human right to food. When a crisis like Covid-19 hits the UK, it should be clear to everyone why comprehensive and effective safety nets need to be in place to protect the most vulnerable in society. Not just now, but always. If enough people demand something, governments are forced to listen.   So please consider asking your MP to urgently address the root causes of the poverty driving people to food banks. You can find out how to do that here thanks to the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN). Sufra is one of IFAN’s founding partners and we are working with them to support their advocacy and campaigning work, including urging the government to mitigate the effects of the Coronavirus on children’s nutrition – especially those who rely on free school meals. Read more here.

Greens call for Coronavirus Solidarity Pact

The Green parties of the United Kingdom have called for the Westminster government’s forthcoming emergency coronavirus legislation to a Coronavirus Solidarity Pact to ensure that vulnerable people are offered extensive protections and security.

They added that the Pact, and other actions, must follow extensive consultation with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments.

The Green parties called for the Solidarity Pact to include measures (with sufficient funding for the devolved administration to provide similar arrangements under their responsibilities) including:

* Funding and arrangements for free deliveries of food and essentials for people over the age of 64 and people with disabilities
* Funding for families with children receiving free school meals to cover the cost of replacement meals should schools be closed
* Acting to ensure essential hygiene supplies are available at reasonable prices
* A holiday from council tax for each household affected by the coronavirus, with compensation to councils for the lost revenue
* A suspension of no-fault evictions or the eviction of anyone affected by the coronavirus crisis and a freeze on rental payments for those affected (with compensation for landlords for the lost rent)
* An end to the five-week delay in claiming housing benefit
* An end to all benefit sanctions for at least the length of the crisis
* A ban on the cut-off of electricity, gas and water supplies to residential properties and small businesses during the crisis
* Support for small businesses affected by the coronavirus, including a business rates freeze for those affected
* Funding for special provision to assist homeless people off the streets, with facilities provided for any homeless person needing to self-isolate and/or suffering from illness
* Giving asylum-seekers the right to work and providing financial support when needed to individuals with “no recourse to public funds” visa status
* Provisions to ensure that prisoners and others in detention receive the best possible protection and medical support

Sian Berry, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

“The coronavirus threat is a time for national solidarity. There is great fear and anxiety about the pandemic. Individual security - the confidence that you won’t be made homeless, lose your utilities, or go hungry - will provide a crucial bedrock.”

“The government also needs to stress that there is only so much it can do. Personal and community solidarity - people checking on vulnerable neighbours, setting up systems to ensure vulnerable friends and relatives get regular phone contact - is going to be crucial in the coming months.”

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, said: 

“That solidarity has to extend to between Westminster and the national governments. Scotland urgently needs clarity over the implications of last week’s budget. The relationship between Holyrood and Westminster has to be reforged, which means Westminster acknowledging its responsibilities to act as an open, cooperative partner as we face up to this great challenge.”

Clare Bailey, leader of the Northern Ireland Green Party, said: 

“The situation of Northern Ireland is different to the rest of the United Kingdom. We need to work in tight cooperation with the Irish government with an all-island approach. That means Westminster has to provide the funds we need, but also be flexible in understanding our approach is different to the rest of the UK.”

Anthony Slaughter, Wales Green Party leader, said: 

“Meaningful input from Wales into Westminster decision making is crucial. We also need strong support for small independent businesses. Without that, we risk emerging from this crisis with our communities hollowed out and our economy even more concentrated in the hands of the few.”