The following is a guest post by Z2K volunteer Mike Duggan

Mrs X, a lady from southern Europe working in London as a cleaner, had been summonsed for alleged non-payment of council tax. As a Z2K volunteer I was asked to help, and we arranged an interview at the Z2K office about a week before the court case was due. That’s when the problems started.

Firstly, Mrs X did not have good English. But she had brought one of her two sons, who could interpret. Secondly, it was very hard to determine the facts of the case.  Although it was clear that Mrs X’s council tax bill had soared overnight in late 2012, to the extent that she simply couldn’t pay it on her cleaner’s wage, the reason for this was far from evident.

Solution?  Ring the council and try to find out.

This involved several phone calls, and each time the officials rightly insisted that Mrs X should answer security questions in English before they would speak to me.  Her English was good enough to satisfy them.

One official, in the council tax department, said the sudden rise might be connected to the fact that her second son had turned 18. But both her sons were students, paying part of the rent, so that should not have been a factor.

Another official, in the benefits department, said the tax had suddenly increased because her income had risen, affecting the benefits she was entitled to. But Mrs X said the council had mistakenly read two weeks’ wages for one week, as her payslips were fortnightly.  She had kept the payslips, but I could see no dates of work on them.

It was all horribly vague. So the legal advice at Z2K was to seek an adjournment of the case, in order for the facts to be established. Initially I wrote a letter to the council requesting this, but later realised that there simply wasn’t time for them to agree – so we had to turn up at the court.

On arrival, I spotted a council official and explained to her why we wanted an adjournment, with the help of a printed three-point list of reasons, which I presented to her. These were:  1) Mrs X had consulted us late in the day because of a serious health problem which had recently forced her to quit her job, and there were language difficulties;  2) She was waiting for  benefit to be sorted out as she was currently unemployed; 3) The council owed her several hundred pounds from an earlier case, which had neither been paid nor deducted from her alleged debt.

After reading this, the official was very helpful and agreed to adjourn the case for three months, pending further discussion with Z2K. The case of Mrs X is now in the hands of a Z2K caseworker, who I am sure will have more time to pin down the facts.

Z2K Team before the walk

On Monday 20^th May a team of Z2K staff, volunteers and friends took part in the London Legal Walk. The Walk raises money for a wide range of charities and organisations to provide free legal advice. This year it was bigger than ever before with a record of 428 teams and 7,500 walkers, among them Judges, QCs, solicitors and legal advisers.

This year’s walk comes at a time when the government has cut the legal aid bill by £350 million a year, removing support for most housing, debt and welfare related cases. This will have a devastating effect on the ability of people in poverty to access justice. For example Shelter have said they will have to cut 10 of its housing advice centres in England because of an effective 50 per cent reduction in funding for the charity’s face-to-face advice services. It is in this context of growing demand and falling supply that access to free legal advice is more important than ever before.

The Z2K team were walking to raise money for our vital advice and support services. It took 11 of us just over two and half hours to walk the 10km around London (some slower than others!). We were left tired and blister ridden but our exertions were for a worthwhile cause. We have already seen a huge increase in our caseload this year and many of the benefit changes have yet to take full effect. We are pleased therefore to have raised just over £9,000 so far. But while this is an impressive amount it falls short of last year’s £10,623.50 and our target of £15,000 so if you haven’t already you can still donate here.

Part of the money raised will go to our Relief from Poverty fund which is used to make one off payments to temporarily help vulnerable families and individuals who find themselves with no other source of income through no fault of their own.

For example one of our clients had all his benefit taken away as a sanction for not attending a JobCentre meeting because he was busy attending a course the JobCentre had sent him on. We helped him to appeal successfully but this took a couple of weeks during which he had no funds at all. The fund gave him some money for food and fuel without which he would have gone hungry. If you want to help us to continue to support clients such as these please give generously.

The following is based on a real life example of one of our clients

Georgina is a single mother, having left a violent and abusive husband, with 3 children (aged 4, 7 & 10). When she was with her husband he was working in London so they needed to live in London. Now she is raising her three children single-handedly, through no fault of her own. She lives on benefits and relies on the support of local friends and family. Her ex-husband is not contributing in any way.

Her housing benefit was cut last year as a result of the housing benefit caps so, in order to remain close to her support systems, she downsized and now lives with her 3 children in a 2 bedroom flat at a rent of £330 per week.

She currently receives £591.73 a week in income support, child benefit, child tax credit and housing benefit. Prior to April 2013 this left her with £261.73 after rent, however she now has to pay £4.37 a week in Council Tax. After paying her energy bills she is left with £220 with which to feed and clothe her children and take them to school.

From 15^th July she will be subject to the benefit cap meaning her Housing Benefit entitlement of £305.77 will be reduced to £214.04. After she pays her rent and energy costs this will leave her with just £128.63 a week to survive on – an impossible task. What would you do in her situation?

Our invaluable volunteer coordinator & caseworker is going on maternity leave in July. Could you take her place whilst she is away ?

 Details of the role

Contract : 9 months full time with a possibility of a 3 month extension
Salary :      26,000 (pro rata)
Location :   SW1W 0DH

The role is a challenging one involving managing a team of c25 existing volunteers who provide casework advice and recruiting new ones to fill gaps as well as carrying your own advice casework load.

You will need to be highly motivated by a passion for social justice, proactive and used to juggling numerous urgent priorities. You will also need excellent communication skills and a commitment to working in a multi-cultural environment. In return you will be offered a very supportive environment and the opportunity to improve the lives of vulnerable and impoverished families and of our volunteers.

To Apply

View the full job description here : Locum Volunteer and Caseworker job description Oct 2013. If you are interested, please apply by email with your CV and a cover letter explaining specifically how you match the job description to Lilian Lee, admin@z2k.org

Closing Date : Monday 27 May
Interviews from 30^th May

If after submitting your application you have not heard from us by 30 May please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

I called the council on behalf of my mum to inform them that the room is occupied by a full time student so could not be classed as under-occupied. They asked me to put this in writing, after which they then wrote back asking for seven pieces of information to prove that the room is occupied by the student. These included train tickets to prove the periods I had been at home (who keeps train tickets from 2011?!) and a list of all the times I have visited home since starting my course, where belongings are kept and post is delivered, what sort of accommodation do I live in at uni and what work I have undertaken during my summer holidays.They also threatened that even if the bedroom is exempt then they would make a Non-Dependant Deduction anyway.

Whilst I could provide the information they requested (with the exception of train tickets), this is an exceedingly over-zealous and bureaucratic process.  If they ask this information of all households with a full time student it must waste an incredible amount of time as well as causing anxiety, especially with the threat of having to pay a Non-Dependant Deduction.

In my case I am fortunate enough to be on  a placement at Z2K so I was armed with the knowledge that Non-Dependant Deduction do not apply to full time students, but someone with this knowledge may have been made to pay.

We are a volunteer led organisation and it is our volunteers that support the majority of our casework here. Volunteers undertake a variety of tasks ranging from answering phone calls, taking down case referrals to preparing appeal bundles and supporting clients in courts and tribunals. Our volunteers love the fact that no two days are the same and they get to do exactly the same casework as the staff so no boring administrative tasks.

We are very grateful to all of our volunteers old and new for all their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. Without them it would not be possible for us to help the sheer number of people that we do! If you are interested in volunteering at Z2K you can see the opportunities we have available here.

Issue 6 of our quaterly newsletter is out now, you can download it here. This issue covers the staffing changes at Z2K as well as the exciting news that we have received further funding to expand our casework. The issue also focuses on our volunteers with stories of how they came to volunteer at Z2K and their experiences so far. We hope you enjoy reading it!

We are seeking to recruit two experienced Project Caseworkers (one full time and one part time 3 days pro rata) who will be responsible for providing an efficient and effective advice/casework and outreach service from our offices in Queen’s Park.

The successful applicants will need to demonstrate:

• At least one years’ experience in advice, casework or outreach
• Experience of engaging with individuals and families with support needs and/or disabilities
• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise a busy workload, work under pressure, and meet deadlines in a professional manner

The Caseworker will be responsible for providing information, advice, advocacy services and practical assistance to households affected and for supervising a small group of volunteers who will work intensively with vulnerable households that have moved to an unfamiliar location and require practical assistance with resettling there.  The role also involve regular liaison and coordination with the Partner charities who will manage the project through a Project Coordinator employed by CAB. Day to day supervision of the Caseworker will be carried out within Z2K

Terms of employment:
18 months fixed term.
Salary: £25,222 (Salary for the part time role will be pro-rated)
Employment Location: Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue. Queen’s Park, W10 4JL

CLOSING DATE: Monday 13^th May 2013, 12noon
INTERVIEW DATES: Tuesday 14^th to Friday 17^th May 2013

To Apply
Applications should be made by CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the position with reference to the job and person descriptions. If you have a preference for a particular position, please state this in your covering letter.

Please view the full Job description and person spec for NextDoor Plus project caseworker,

Please email the CV and covering letter to rominsutherland@z2k.org

If you have not heard from us by the stated interview dates, please assume your application was not successful.

The board meets 4 times a year in the evenings in SW1 and on one Saturday a year for a strategy day. We have no standing subcommittees at present but the Treasurer is called upon for advice by the Chief Executive on an ad hoc basis. The Company Secretary tasks are limited to recording appointments and resignations, arranging the AGM and ensuring compliance with Companies Act regulations. The total time commitment is equivalent to about 7 days a year.

Trustees are not paid and are initially appointed for 3 years. For more details please see:

• List of Trustees duties
• 2011 Accounts
• List of Z2K values

Applications should be made by sending  a CV and covering letter detailing your suitability for the post to Joanna Kennedy by Monday 20 May 2013.

Universal Credit is the replacement of most of the current benefit system with one single payment which will include money for each family member, as well as their housing costs.  Universal Credit will be paid monthly in a lump sum, and will be paid to those in and out of work.  

Which benefits will it replace?

• Income Support (both for disabled people and parents)
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-based Employment & Support Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Child Tax Credits
• Working Tax Credits

Which benefits will remain?

• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Contributory Jobseekers and Employment & Support Allowance
• Guardian’s Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Statutory Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay
• Winter Fuel Payments
• Disability Living Allowance (until it becomes the Personal Independence Payment)

How is it different to the current system?

At present the amount of money someone receives while in work is determined by the number of hours they work.  Under Universal Credit, it will no longer be based on the number of hours they work, but the amount of money they make.  This means that those working part time will benefit, especially if they work less than 16 hours per week.

However, the government may expect claimants to increase the amount of money they earn by applying conditions to their claim.  This means that they could be sanctioned or have their benefits reduced if they do not increase the amount of money they earn by increasing their hours or getting a better paid job.

Different benefits currently reduce at different rates as a person’s earnings increase.  Sometimes the combined effects of these reductions can mean that some claimants lose up to 97% of their earnings through deduction made to their benefits.  By applying a consistent “taper” rate of 65%, no claimant should lose more than 65p for every pound they earn.  This is why Universal Credit is said to remove work disincentives.

Self-employed people will, after their first year of self-employment, be expected to make at least £100 a week, and their benefits will not increase if the amount they earn falls; they will be treated as if they had earned that much regardless of their actual take home pay after expenses.

There will be a greater expectation that lone parents and sick people will begin preparing for work, including by attending courses and interviews at the Jobcentre.  Failure to do so may incur a sanction or lead to a reduction in their benefits.

As Universal Credit will be paid directly to the claimant, and include their housing costs, most social housing tenants will have to begin paying their rents themselves, rather than having this paid for them.  There will be exceptions for ‘vulnerable’ claimants, but this will largely be at the discretion of the Jobcentre.

Her Majesties’ Revenue and Customs will collect monthly data from employers on the amount of money their employees earn.  This should mean that benefits will increase and decrease with, rather than after, wages.

Who will be affected?

Universal Credit is an in and out of work benefit, which means that anyone of working age, regardless of their circumstances, will eventually receive Universal Credit.  Anyone who is claiming Pension Credit will NOT be affected, unless their partner is of working age, in which case they will have to jointly claim Universal Credit.  Those who are not yet at pension age will receive Universal Credit until they begin receiving Pension Credit.

When will claimants be affected?

The DWP will begin transferring people to Universal Credit from October 2013, but the process will take several years.  There will be no new claims for Housing Benefit or Tax Credits from April 2014, and the government intends for everyone to be receiving Universal Credit by October 2017.

We expect lone parents, disabled people, carers, and those in work claiming only Housing Benefit and/or Tax Credits will be the last to be transferred over.

Will claimants lose money?

There are a complicated range of winners and losers under Universal Credit.  The Institute of Fiscal Studies estimates that there will be 2.5 million winners; 1.4 million losers; and 2.5 million who will not be affected at all.  People who are working part time are the most likely to benefit from Universal Credit, but many people, particularly lone parents and two earner couples with children will lose out.

The government has promised that no one will be worse off when they are transferred to Universal Credit.  This is because the amount of benefits they receive will remain the same, even if they would have been worse off.  However, this ‘transitional protection’ may be lost and the new amount applied if the household’s circumstances change.  This is likely to be where someone moves in and then out of work.

Winners

Those working under 16 hours a week will benefit from Universal Credit’s new taper rate, meaning their benefits will increase with every hour worked, rather than at present where their benefits jump at 16 or 24 hours as they become entitled to Working Tax Credits.

Losers

As the current system for assisting with childcare costs will be replicated within Universal Credit, lone parents who want to increase their hours will find that after 16 hours their childcare costs begin to eat away at any additional earnings.  There will also be fewer incentives for second earners to increase their hours, as the taper rate under Universal Credit is higher than that which exists under the current system.

As the new in-work conditionality provisions will require part time workers to increase their hours, it is likely that many will be forced into the situation where they become losers, as they increase their hours for fear of losing their benefits or being sanctioned under the new conditions.