North West DWP Update
Below is an update from the Department of Work and Pensions regarding important information, toolkits and links:
· Personal Independence Payment Toolkit has been updated to reflect changes following the UK leaving the EU. This toolkit provides a guide for organisations and people in support roles to help explain PIP and changes to Disability Living Allowance to claimants.
· Guidance has been updated from the 1 January on GOV.UK explaining the rights of benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EEA or Switzerland and benefits and pensions for EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK
· £7.5 million pound funding to Tackle Loneliness
· Mayday for Men – employer advice on male victims of domestic abuse
· Application for a State Pension Forecast has been updated
· Funding for Community Champions to give COVID 19 vaccine advice
· Changes to Kickstart programme https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme
· New legislation to ensure fair treatment for armed forces
· Face coverings exemptions
· Support for offenders - DWP working in partnership with HMPPS, Steering Women Away from Crime, Preventing Prison Leaver Homelessness
· Funding boost to get more Young People into Work
· Support for the Aviation Sector
· Carers Allowance Form has been updated
· Children in Poverty Enquiry - evidence for the enquiry to be submitted by 25thFebruary
· A consultation has been launched, aimed at extending debt solutions and helping vulnerable people in financial distress get a fresh start. The consultation closes on the 25 February 2021.
· This report sets out the key findings from the review by BEIS into how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace and the actions which government will take as a result
· From 14 January, victims of domestic abuse will be able to access much needed support from thousands of pharmacies across the UK. The government has teamed up with independent pharmacies and Boots to launch a domestic abuse Ask for ANI codeword scheme.
· The Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office has launched a survey to gather views and experiences for the National Strategy of Disabled People. If views are shared by 13 February, they will inform the development of the strategy. The Survey will remain open until 23 April, and views will be used to inform the delivery of the plans.
Job Centre Updates:
To help keep customers and colleagues as safe as possible in the latest phase of the pandemic Jobcentre opening hours will be 10am to 2pm beginning on Monday the 18 January 2021. Thus, the job centre is amble to provide safe, essential services for those who are unable to interact with them via the phone or digitally. Phone line opening hours remain as they were. In addition, the Relay UK service and the Video relay service are both still available. Anyone entering a Jobcentre will be required to wear a face covering, unless they are in an exempt category . We will follow the latest government guidance on meeting with others safely and lockdown restrictions .
Health Inequalities in Some of the Most Vulnerable Neighbourhoods
Professor Chris Bentley is a Non-Executive Director at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust and is also the Chair of the Quality and Safety committee. He is a prominent figure in population health and specialises in health inequalities.
Chris’ recent presentation ‘Place-based approaches to Health Inequalities in the System’s Most Vulnerable Neighbourhoods’ explores how to address some instances of health inequality in Cheshire and Merseyside.
In it’s simplest definition ‘health inequalities’ refers to the health differences across groups and populations which are beyond an individual’s control. However, according to Chris, it is important not to ‘over define’ health inequalities. The current Coronavirus pandemic has accentuated the already prominent disadvantage across certain groups in relation to health, but also housing, food, employment, income etc.
There are certain ways we can intervene:
These segments need to work together to have the greatest impact.
Cheshire and Merseyside have some of the most prolific hospital admissions in its most deprived areas in comparison to the national average. This insight includes admissions that could have been prevented through out of hospital care; this pattern is characteristic of the North West as a region.
Can these emergency admissions be prevented from out of hospital care? And why are some areas able to reduce poor outcomes more successfully than others?
Seemingly, across Cheshire and Merseyside communitiy preventions are not always successful at supporting residents to avoid crises. Chris suggests three ways this can be addressed:
Unwarranted service variation
Community-based interventions and
Service engagement with communities
What is imperative to addressing the excessive hospital admissions in the most deprived neighbourhoods and helping avoidance of crises is bridging the gap betweeen services and communities. There is already a lot of work going on in communities and the health services have often not integrated with the already established and trusted organisations in these communities. Perhaps on a place-basis what we need to do is link primary care networks into these already existing structures, thus harnessing them to bridge the gap between health care and communities.
Systems need to address this issue in order to make a percentage change. Some health systems are already making progress and connecting with communities by working with groups and organisations, however, in others there is still lots of work to be done. This is what the Cheshire and Merseyside partnership will be looking to take forward.
Please watch Chris Bentley’s full presentation. He eloquently explores the above whilst going into more statisitcal detail regarding specific areas of Cheshire and Merseyside.
Greater Manchester Covid Insight Reports
Safely Managing Covid-19: Manchester Population Survey
The impacts of coronavirus across the Greater Manchester population have not been evenly distributed. In order to address the lack of detail in national surveys the Greater Manchester Combined Authority are going to carry out regular research on behalf of their partners, exploring the issues and impacts of Covid-19 across Greater Manchester, including it’s 10 local authorities.
BMG research are using a mixture of monthly online and telephone surveys to collect data from a minimum of 1000 residents in GM, with at least 100 residents in each local authority. Measures are being taken to ensure that respondents reflect the profile of the different areas
Thus far, there have been two surveys:
Survey 1:
Aim: to provide an overview of key issues/barriers/motivations relating to how GM, individual localities and specific parts of the GM population are “living with Covid-19"
Brief Summary of findings:
These groups have been more negatively impacted than others:
Young people, particularly those aged 16-24;
Residents with young children, and particularly those aged 0-4yrs
BME residents overall, but Asian residents in particular;
Muslim residents and those for whom English is not their first language;
Carers, and residents where someone in their household has been told they are at high risk from COVID;
Those with a disability;
Residents that have served in the armed forces;
Those living in the ‘most deprived’ communities of Greater Manchester, among others.
Examples of some of the feelings and concerns due to Covid-19 include:
High levels of worry about the virus, especially amongst those with a disability, children and those in the most deprived neighbourhoods
Worries regarding the economy and future of young people, mental health, education
Many have big concerns affording bills, food, rent, mortgages etc
BAME residents regarded caring for family, those in needs etc a ‘big concern’.
Selection of impacts Covid-19:
Loss of jobs, redundancy (more frequent for 16-24 year olds, students, Asian residents etc), furlough
Many self-employed have seen reduction in work
1 in 14 have used foodbanks (1 in 5 amongst those with children aged 0-4 and ex armed forces).
1 in 10 have had to borrow money
Reports of more support needed widely spread (finding employment, mental health, monetary, childcare)
Survey 2:
Some questions remained the same from survey 1, comparisons made
Aims to understand concerns and impacts of the virus
Also aims to understand residents feelings towards a second national lockdown and thoughts on vaccinations and mass testing
Highlights:
1 in 5 have had coronavirus (only 2/3 have had a positive test)
1 in 3 have had to self-isolate (only small number aware of financial suppot payment during this time)
Levels of concern have increased
Individual concerns increased such as mental health, finances, impacts on children
1 in 10 couldn’t name any of the key symptoms of coronavirus
9 in 10 follows key guidelines for stopping spread of virus
52% feel it is okay to leave house when self-isolating
Faith in restrictions decreasing
68% would take part in community testing, those who wouldn’t not informed
75% likely to get vaccine
Life satisfaction decreased
The Levelling-up Agenda
Across the UK, there are deep-rooted inequalities reflected in income, skills, living standards and life expectancy. These inequalities are so vast that the UK is recognised as one of the most regionally imbalanced economies in the industrialised world. As the UK embarks on its independence from the EU, tackles climate change and embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), these trends have the potential to expand divisions further, unless harnessed to provide economic opportunities.
A systemic change is required to ensure that the North West maximises its potential and the “Levelling up Agenda” provides a pathway to success. The Northern Research Group (NRG) is a group of 50 or so Conservative MPs who have big ideas for a “global Britain”, envisaging the North as an attractive landing pad for foreign investors, new business, highly paid jobs and international trade. The government have recognised this with the levelling up fund – a £4.8 billion investment, across the country.
To promote investment, cities, towns and surrounding areas need to be attractive places to work and live. The levelling up fund can support smaller towns to revive local business and rejuvenate a sense of community. This is especially important for rural towns and coastal villages considered “left behind”, in comparison to the development we see in major towns and cities. And, this is where the VCFSE sector has a part to play.
Many community facilities are operated by VCFSE bodies. A large number have suffered from a lack of investment and, in 2020, lacked income to meet day to day expenses – let alone embark on an upgrade. The being a good place to live agenda is one that the sector can lead on.
The North is home to a strong manufacturing base. The manufacturing sector provides a significant portion of the UK economy, contributing over 10% of domestic product, and totalling 44% of the UK’s exports, which translates to a £273 billion contribution to the UK economy. As the world undergoes a fourth industrial revolution, it is vital that the sector receives supportive policy and financial investment via the levelling up fund, in order to innovate and compete globally. If the North has a world-leading manufacturing industry that has embraced IR4.0, the region will see the creation of jobs, new skills and private investment. Again, this is where the VCFSE sector has a part to play.
There are reports that suggest that unemployment, in the UK, has not increased at the project rate resulting from Covid. Undoubtably the furlough scheme has assisted in this. But there are indications that a lot of migrant workers, from the EU, have returned to their country of origin if they have been made redundant or furloughed. This will have an effect on the ability of industry and commerce to “bounce back” when the upturn comes. The VCFSE sector is well placed to reach “the hard to reach” who will likely to be crucial to recovery of the economy. Those engaged in training and job readiness sectors are encouraged to ascertain the skills that will be needed, in the main workforce, going forward. The levelling up fund could be a route towards funding premises improvements to enable this.
The levelling up fund will also support physical connectivity in the North. The region has a number of airports with potential to connect the North on a global scale; however, these airports and surrounding communities require investment to capitalise on their potential. A “hub-and-spoke” approach is being advocated to connect business hubs and demonstrate the ease of connectivity, making the region a more attractive place to do business. There are regular announcements of new logistics parks being planned for the North West. How can sector partners engage with the training requirements for these – or even operate cafes etc for hauliers?
2020 taught us that we are more adaptable and resilient than we thought and accelerated changes to the way we work and live more in one year than had been the case in the previous five years. The North West has the potential to seize opportunities created from agendas such as increased home-working and online shopping to provide the perfect environment for present and future generations to want to live, work and play in.
Andrew Rainsford
VSNW with acknowledgement to Rob Elvin, Squire Patton Boggs, Manchester.
The Importance of Being MIND-ful of Workplace Well-being
In December we posted a ‘news’ piece exploring ACEVO’s recent report observing well-being of the workforce int he VCSE sector. Workplace well-being is of paramount importance; so-called ‘burnouts’, are explored by Eleanor Ross in her recent Daily Telegraph article. She recounts her story of striving for success in freelance journalism and how continuous pressure contributed to a decline in performance. This led to poorer wellbeing and, in her case, suicidal thoughts. The author is now slouch – she has a Master’s degree and was generally considered a high achiever.
One of the traits of working in the Voluntary Sector is that we strive to be the best in what we do. This is seemingly a good thing except that we cannot all be the best in what we do unless we are the only person doing it! That is extremely rare. A more realistic option may be to aim to be the best that we can be – and to seek support and help to enable us to do that in a manner which enables continuous effective performance. We still give ourselves the challenge of development but we also give ourselves permission to slow down the treadmill.
Stress and pressure can be helpful. Some people work best when there are deadlines. However, when it gets out of control it ceases to be helpful. It can become oppressive. So, please
Don’t get to the crisis stage
Recognise warning signs
Seek help at the earliest stage of recognition.
MIND has an excellent range of resources that can help. Mental health and well being are important matters and should not be ignored. It also vital to be MIND-ful of our colleagues and those around us and offer to support to those in need.
In future years 2020 may be seen as the “year of the pandemic”. 2021 could be the year of greater awareness of all health issues; visible and invisible – physical and mental.
GMCVO Funding for BAME-led Organisations
During our Festival of North West Thinking, a recurring theme throughout all of the events was the unequal affect Covid has had in BAME communities. Furthermore, this has meant that BAME-led voluntary and community organisations have also been under more pressure, due to the increasing demand as a result of the pandemic. Emergency funding has been granted to many organisations; however, issues have been raised over how equal that access is due to the institutional racism that exists within our sector and within funding organisations.
Please watch highlights from our first Festival of North West Thinking first event ‘Covid-19 Recovery: VCSE Leadership Voices Assembly with a Focus on Inequalities’ and in particular the point of views of Natalie Creary, Director of Black Thrive and Farzana Khan Executive Director and Co-founder of Healing Justice (HJL) who talk passionately and eloquently about inequality experienced in BAME communities and how Covid-19 has enhanced this.
GMCVO Funding:
Speaking to some of the issues raised above, last year, Greater Manchester BAME Network distributed almost £200,000 of funding to small GM BAME-led VCSE organisations affected most by Covid in order to respond to the increasing needs of BAME communities. These grants were administered by GMCVO using funding provided by Comic Relief and the National Emergency Fund.
We are pleased to share that in response to additional funding there is a second round of grants now available. The grants are aimed at finding new activities, services and any adaptation needed due to Covid-19.
On 18th December, round two of the small grants (£1000-£5000) opened; this will close on Friday 26th February 2021.
Organisations who have already received a grant are still entitled to apply for further help.
The Law Family Commission on Civil Society
The Commission on Civil Society was launched at the end of Nov 2020 and will explore many elements of Civil Society. Lord O’Donnell will chair the commission, which has 17 commissioners from across the private, public, voluntary, education and education sectors. Commissioners include: Roots Programme Director, Ruth Ibegbuna; Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, Dr Javed Khan; Clore Social Leadership Chief Executive, Shaks Ghosh; NCVO Chief Executive, Karl Wilding; and Theresa Shearer, the Chief Executive of ENABLE Scotland. The heavy lifting will be undertaken by Pro-Bono Economics, who already undertake a Charity Tracker Survey, and the work is expected to take two years.
The ears of VSNW were pricked when the Commission was launched with a speech by Oliver Dowden, Culture Secretary, who stated that the government does not know enough about Civil Society. We explored further to see if this piece of work is (a) connected to the Kruger “Mutual Aid Groups” report and (b) official in terms of status. The answer appears to be no to both questions.
So, why is the Commission doing what it is doing and how did they get a Cabinet Minister to attend the launch? The answer goes beyond Lord (Gus) O’Donnell – the former Cabinet Secretary. The trail leads all the way back to Stockport.
The Commission is nothing to do with legal provisions. It is funded by the Law Charitable Trust. This is the same trust that gave the Lowry a donation of £1m towards a gallery, which is now named in its honour. The Trust is the philanthropic vehicle of Andrew Law who was born in Cheadle Hulme and educated there. He has gone on to be a hedge fund manager and now is a hedge fund owner. From his personal wealth (not via the Trust) he is a major donor to the Conservative Party – hence the ability to connect with a Cabinet Minister.
There will be calls for evidence in the New Year. VSNW will monitor these and share them as they appear. The North West connection is strong (the Trust supports other bodies in the North West) which may create opportunities to influence.
Please see here for initial brief for the commission.
Andrew Rainsford, Research and Policy Officer VSNW
Workforce Well-being in the VCSE Sector.
Workforce Well Being – ACEVO
ACEVO, in conjunction with Mental Health Foundation England, has published a significant report exploring the well being of the workforce in the VCSE sector. The report can be found here.
The main findings are grouped under four headings:
What makes it tough: the vulnerability of charity staff where the commitment and pressures brought by lived experience/personal connection or even a drive for social justice all combine to over burden the workforce – who may not realise that they are over burdened.
The impact on leaders with issues around the need to balance authentic honesty, with taking very difficult organisational decisions that can have an impact on people’s lives. Holding responsibility for workforce wellbeing, and the desire to compensate for the challenges of working in the sector, can be draining for CEOs. The scale of the challenges can feel overwhelming, and it is easy for leaders to feel they are ‘not coping’.
When the ground shifts which has become apparent as the operating environment for charities suddenly changed. Many teams and communities are experiencing deep sadness, loss, isolation and fear as they witness growing need and falling income as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Governance and strategy which states that the sector will not be able to meet challenges unless the mental health of staff and leadership is prioritised. Boards play an important role in highlighting mental health as an organisational priority if organisations are to do their best work, ensuring that leaders know they are not alone by giving them the permission they need to reach out and share the load.
The report explores many issues that are too often put into the “too difficult”, “tomorrow” or “to introduce this may imply weakness” piles. 2021 will continue to bring pressures. Trustees and CEO’s are urged to take time out to read this report and consider the impact on their organisation.
Andrew Rainsford, Policy and Research Officer, VSNW.
Health & Social Care Funding Reform
Health and Social Care Funding Reform
The Sunday Telegraph, 22nd November, carried an article from Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, chairman of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee and who’s employment history includes being a minister under Margaret Thatcher’s government. The Telegraph newspaper is a former employer of the current Prime Minister Boris Johnson (he was a columnist in the period immediately prior to winning the election in 2019) and sometimes used as a kite flying venue. It is worth exploring what the article says.
There are two main proposals. Firstly, there should be provision of emergency funding now to meet the growing demand for services and give care workers a much needed pay rise. This is vital in ensuring people get the care they need.
And, then by the end of the parliament there should be a commitment to making care (as opposed to accommodation costs for residential care) ‘free at the point of need’, just like the NHS.
The author then goes on to say:
“Crucially, these changes in funding should be made alongside bold reform in how the system works, with steps taken to join up care with the NHS, and to help keep as many people in their homes for as long as possible.
Of course, all of this will not come cheap.
To deliver these two big changes we will need to spend over half as much again on care as we do today by the end of the parliament. In time this will undoubtedly require us to find additional tax revenue.
But, after decades of underinvestment in care, loosening the purse strings was always going to be required. In truth, the cost of these measures by the end of the parliament would amount to £9bn per year, compared to the furlough scheme which is likely to cost about £6bn per month.
Moreover, investment in social care will not only cost money but save money too by freeing up capacity in the NHS which can be redeployed to deal with the backlog created by the pandemic.”
Those of us with long memories may recall that we have been somewhere near here before. In the Blair years “local strategic partnerships” were encouraged in which all statutory bodies were encouraged to work together to provide joined up services. So, care beds and care provisions were to be made available which would enable “bed blocking” to be resolved. In turn, this would then mean that hospital beds were available for people who needed them – and not care beds. It will be interesting to see if the second proposal gains traction and, if so, how? It is certainly one for the sector to keep an eye on.
The first proposal has financial implications. If there is increased funding it will go to commissioning bodies. They will then have the choice to pass on the additional funding, in the form of increased contract prices linked to remuneration of delivery staff or retaining it to use elsewhere. This is something where there does need to be a sector wide approach. Staff remuneration is a key factor in staff retention. Increases at the lower end of pay structures is a good thing in this regard. However, the danger of a flatter pay structure is that there is less willingness to progress, which may affect working experience in key management roles in the future.
Andrew Rainsford Policy & Research Officer VSNW
To note: The Telegraph operates behind a paywall and therefore access to the article requires membership or signing up for a one month free trial.