NextDoor Project Manager Romin Sutherland has written an article for the bi-monthly journal of the IRRV’s Benefits Advisory Service. Click below to see it as it appeared in the magazine. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: July 2012
My time at Z2K
Rufus in a Meeting with Volunteer Co-ordinator Henu Cummins (left) and Chief Executive Joanna Kennedy (right)
I came to z2k to do some work experience as a volunteer. I was expecting to be carrying files and making coffee, but I was given the chance to do so much more than that. Within hours I was speaking to clients, and helping to sort out old case files from those that were still active, all the while learning more about how the benefits system and the law worked. I was allowed to research some parts of the law for a tribunal hearing the following week. I also helped to organise a chartered voluntary surveyor for a woman who’s housing was falling to pieces, but needed a surveyor to tell her landlord that. My time at Z2k was an intensely rewarding experience, the staff there were very helpful (and tolerant of my endless questions!). I really enjoyed my time at z2k and I’m very thankful that I had the opportunity to come here and learn so much, not only about how a workplace functions, but also about the benefits system and many other things.
Rufus Dobson
Letter in today’s Guardian from Rev Paul Nicolson
It is the decisions of parliament that have led to banks’ unruly behaviour. Parliament deregulated lending and rents, and allowed the free movement of capital in and out of the UK. It was as if Moses flipped, went back up Mount Sinai and deregulated the Ten Commandments in the name of freedom, and was then puzzled by the increase in theft. Better political leadership and the implementation of rules that enable markets to function in the interests of us all seem long overdue.
Rev Paul Nicolson
Chair, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
Compensation for Ms B
In April 2012 we helped Ms B get a resolution
for some of the problems she faced, as detailed by Yiannis Voyannis in his blog post.
However there were some problems that she was still confronting, including the rodent infestation, which Camden council (pictured) claimed had been exterminated despite strong evidence to the contrary. Her new flat also lacked basic essentials such as a fridge and a cooker. Ms B was then unable to install these essential items as she had to spend what little money she had fixing the extremely poor floor situation, neccessary for her son’s extreme dust allergies.
It was clearly unnaceptable for a client to be moved into accomadation where there was no provision for her to store or prepare food safely, as well as a serious rodent infestation.
We therefore wrote a letter of complaint to the local council and managed to secure an assurance that:
- They would deal with the rodent infestation within 20 days.
- Other repairs to the house would also be made within 20 days
- That Ms B would recieve £200 compensation for the distress caused to her by these issues.
Both the money and the assurance that her children would be safe from illness and disease caused by the rodents vastly improved her sense of security and peace of mind.
Written by Rufus Dobson, work experience volunteer.
Justice for Vulnerable Client
Ms M had been facing problems with both her housing benefit and the total state of disrepair that her housing was in.
In particular:
- Her house was not secure, the front door was sourrounded by plasterboard which left her feeling vulnerable.
- There was evidence of drug use on the property, as well as innappropriate behaviour from other residents.
- There was no central heating due to a lack of water pressure.
- There were plug sockets hanging out of the wall
- There was no hot water
- There were no laundry facilities.
Furthermore Ms M had had to pay a large amount weekly as she was living in a hostel due to the fact that she was a very vulnerable adult who had previously been in and out of care.
With our help she was able to move into new accomadation, thus dropping her rent bill by over £100 a week, as well as increasing her quality of life due to the better standards in her new building.
We have also helped her to contact another charity, called The Kids Company, that provided her with food credits, helping her to have more money to pay off various debts she accrued while living in the hostel.
Written by Rufus Dobson, work experience volunteer.
Rev Paul Nicholson’s letter in today’s Observer
The passion of the secretary of state for work and pensions (Two babies, one future, 2 July) for early intervention to increase the chances of a disadvantaged child moving out of poverty brings horses bolting and open stable doors to mind. For too many children disadvantage starts with a mother who cannot afford a healthy diet and might not know enough about the food she needs to give birth to a healthy baby. International research, headed by the Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, has shown that poor maternal nutrition leads to poor cognitive ability, developmental brain disorder and a higher risk of cerebral palsy.
The last government took the point and added the health in pregnancy grant, the baby entitlement of the child tax credit, the toddler entitlement of the child tax credit and the child trust fund, but it too should have started before women conceive by increasing their unemployment benefit of £53.45 a week. Thepresent government abolished all these benefits, so reducing the income during pregnancy and the first year of a baby’s life by £1,735, as calculated by Family Action.
An unemployed woman aged 18-25, before and during pregnancy, has an income of just £53.45 a week. This will be more vulnerable to rent arrears from housing benefit caps, still vulnerable to unregulated loan sharks, and is likely to be overtaken by the escalating weekly cost of a healthy diet and domestic fuel, with the annual uprating now pegged to the RPI. The public health white paper only mentions food when abolishing the Food Standards Agency and never mentions debt, another source of mental illness.
Rev Paul Nicolson
Chair, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust