Department for Work and Pensions' Financial Inclusion Minister James Plaskitt Toynbee Hall, Financial Services AuthorityNew guide to help social housing tenants manage their finances
Social Housing
New guide to help social housing tenants manage their finances
The National Housing Federation is aiming to create a network of 'financial inclusion champions' in the social housing sector, with the launch of a new guide to help housing workers to address the needs of tenants who have difficulty managing their finances...A Guide to Financial Capability was launched at the Federation's annual financial inclusion conference in London on 20 February, by the Department for Work and Pensions' Financial Inclusion Minister James Plaskitt.
This free guide has been developed by the Federation and Toynbee Hall, with support from the Financial Services Authority as part of its National Strategy for Financial Capability. It is designed for use by frontline staff in housing associations, local authority housing departments and arms-length management organisations.It highlights the excellent work already being done by many social landlords to empower tenants to be confident in managing their money and in choosing the right financial products. This ranges from advice on accessing benefits to the provision of low interest loans and basic banking services.The guide calls on every social housing provider to have its own financial inclusion champion, so that the best practice becomes widespread throughout the sector.At the launch, Mr Plaskitt will say: "Many people on low incomes don't know where to get free money advice or affordable credit and can get into serious financial problems. They can often feel there is no option but to use high cost doorstep lenders or even worse, loan sharks, to make ends meet, ending up deeper in debt. "I believe that housing associations have a valuable role to play in getting the message across that there is help available as they come into daily contact with the people we are trying to reach.
"The National Housing Federation are working closely with our 'now let's talk money' campaign and their continued support will make a real difference to people's lives." Federation chief executive David Orr will add: "We have seen some real innovation on financial inclusion in the housing sector. Throughout the country, housing providers are offering financial services and impartial advice to their tenants. And through partnership working and investment, they are also providing much-needed support to community financial institutions such as credit unions - helping tenants to access low interest loans. "Often, these services have come about because one member of staff is passionate about helping tenants to manage their finances. I want to see this approach shared by the entire social housing sector." The guide is available to download here.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
New guide to help social housing tenants manage their finances
Monday, February 04, 2008
Comfort in the kindness of strangers - Scotsman.com News
Comfort in the kindness of strangers - Scotsman.com News: "The enjoyable exception is homeless junk food addict Jules, who, with her mini-dresses, holey tights and metallic shoes, turns out to be oddly vulnerable behind that shield of bravado. That she should end up living with proud, independent, elderly Eleanor is unpredictable too, providing a good contrast between Eleanor's tendency towards a quiet and frugal life and Jules' propensity for argument, late
nights and calorific food."
nights and calorific food."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Emily Thornberry MP for Islington South and Finsbury: News: Minister marvels at Market makeover
Emily Thornberry MP for Islington South and Finsbury: News: Minister marvels at Market makeover: "Minister marvels at Market makeover
25 January 2008, 4:50pm
Minister Caroline Flint MP (left) and local MP Emily Thornberry (right) with new and old Market Estate in the background Minister Caroline Flint MP (left) and local MP Emily Thornberry (right) with new and old Market Estate in the background
The new Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP, joined local MP Emily Thornberry and Holloway’s three Labour councillors earlier this week to the see the £40m transformation under way on the Market Estate in N7.
Under the Government's pledge to bring all social housing in Britain up to the Decent Homes Standard, Southern Housing Association was asked in 2003 - with the support of 88% of residents - to take over and rebuild the much-troubled estate.
In an ambitious scheme, the estate is being rebuilt in phases - allowing all current residents to move into new buildings as they are completed without the need for temporary decanting.
Visiting the estate just before her promotion to Housing Minister, Caroline Flint met representatives from Southern Housing Association to discuss the regeneration, and then visited local residents who have recently moved into their new homes.
Caroline said:
'Decent housing is fundamental to people having decent life chances, so I was"
25 January 2008, 4:50pm
Minister Caroline Flint MP (left) and local MP Emily Thornberry (right) with new and old Market Estate in the background Minister Caroline Flint MP (left) and local MP Emily Thornberry (right) with new and old Market Estate in the background
The new Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP, joined local MP Emily Thornberry and Holloway’s three Labour councillors earlier this week to the see the £40m transformation under way on the Market Estate in N7.
Under the Government's pledge to bring all social housing in Britain up to the Decent Homes Standard, Southern Housing Association was asked in 2003 - with the support of 88% of residents - to take over and rebuild the much-troubled estate.
In an ambitious scheme, the estate is being rebuilt in phases - allowing all current residents to move into new buildings as they are completed without the need for temporary decanting.
Visiting the estate just before her promotion to Housing Minister, Caroline Flint met representatives from Southern Housing Association to discuss the regeneration, and then visited local residents who have recently moved into their new homes.
Caroline said:
'Decent housing is fundamental to people having decent life chances, so I was"
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Union accuses Shelter bosses of bullying
Union accuses Shelter bosses of bullying
Gareth Jones
Relations between the trade union Unite and management at homelessness charity Shelter soured further this week as the union’s national secretary accused some Shelter bosses of using intimidatory tactics in negotiations over staff pay and contracts, and prepared to hold a ballot for strike action.
Shelter’s chief executive Adam Sampson said he “totally refuted” any allegation of intimidation or bullying by managers and said the charity had kept staff fully informed of the challenges it was facing and how it was attempting to deal with them.
Doug Nicholls, Unite’s national secretary, claimed the union had been left with no alternative but industrial action, and confirmed a strike ballot among Shelter’s 450 union members would begin before the end of the month and conclude in mid-February.
The dispute arose over proposed changes to the staff pay and grading structure, with employees expected to sign new contracts foregoing pay increments and extending the working week to 37.5 hours.
“Our members are very angry that they’ve been forced into considering strike action,” said Nicholls, “and we still hope that management will see sense. We are particularly angry at the bullying and intimidation being used by some Shelter management to seek to force staff to sign new, inferior contracts.”
He praised Shelter staff’s commitment to their cause, but added they couldn’t live on “dedication alone”.
“We recognise that Shelter, like many other voluntary organisations providing vital services across the UK, is facing a continuing funding crisis. But this is partly the result of the government’s competitive tendering system which is forcing down the price of services provided by Shelter’s housing aid centres, for instance.”
Shelter has argued that the changes are necessary for it to be able to compete for grants, particularly from the Legal Services Commission (LSC), from which it currently receives more than £3m a year, but Nicholls said employees should not be the ones to suffer as a consequence.
“Shelter’s argument is with the government and the LSC which is driving down services by cutting funding with little regard to the effect on quality of service. We will happily join with Shelter’s management in lobbying to reverse that injustice.”
However, Shelter chief executive Adam Sampson, said the charity “totally refutes” any allegation of bullying and intimidation. “We have been negotiating with the trade unions, staff and managers for the last nine months, and through emails, management briefings, and questions and answers we are trying to give all our staff all the information we can, while pointing out the reality and hard facts of the situation.”
He said the charity had always tried to keep staff fully up to speed with the changes that are taking place.
“These are very difficult times for the charity, and of course emotions are running high. But the key objective is to move forward in a way that will minimise the impact both on our hardworking staff and the thousands of vulnerable people we work with every day,” said Sampson.
22 January 2008
Gareth Jones
Relations between the trade union Unite and management at homelessness charity Shelter soured further this week as the union’s national secretary accused some Shelter bosses of using intimidatory tactics in negotiations over staff pay and contracts, and prepared to hold a ballot for strike action.
Shelter’s chief executive Adam Sampson said he “totally refuted” any allegation of intimidation or bullying by managers and said the charity had kept staff fully informed of the challenges it was facing and how it was attempting to deal with them.
Doug Nicholls, Unite’s national secretary, claimed the union had been left with no alternative but industrial action, and confirmed a strike ballot among Shelter’s 450 union members would begin before the end of the month and conclude in mid-February.
The dispute arose over proposed changes to the staff pay and grading structure, with employees expected to sign new contracts foregoing pay increments and extending the working week to 37.5 hours.
“Our members are very angry that they’ve been forced into considering strike action,” said Nicholls, “and we still hope that management will see sense. We are particularly angry at the bullying and intimidation being used by some Shelter management to seek to force staff to sign new, inferior contracts.”
He praised Shelter staff’s commitment to their cause, but added they couldn’t live on “dedication alone”.
“We recognise that Shelter, like many other voluntary organisations providing vital services across the UK, is facing a continuing funding crisis. But this is partly the result of the government’s competitive tendering system which is forcing down the price of services provided by Shelter’s housing aid centres, for instance.”
Shelter has argued that the changes are necessary for it to be able to compete for grants, particularly from the Legal Services Commission (LSC), from which it currently receives more than £3m a year, but Nicholls said employees should not be the ones to suffer as a consequence.
“Shelter’s argument is with the government and the LSC which is driving down services by cutting funding with little regard to the effect on quality of service. We will happily join with Shelter’s management in lobbying to reverse that injustice.”
However, Shelter chief executive Adam Sampson, said the charity “totally refutes” any allegation of bullying and intimidation. “We have been negotiating with the trade unions, staff and managers for the last nine months, and through emails, management briefings, and questions and answers we are trying to give all our staff all the information we can, while pointing out the reality and hard facts of the situation.”
He said the charity had always tried to keep staff fully up to speed with the changes that are taking place.
“These are very difficult times for the charity, and of course emotions are running high. But the key objective is to move forward in a way that will minimise the impact both on our hardworking staff and the thousands of vulnerable people we work with every day,” said Sampson.
22 January 2008
