Cap Rents NOT Benefits – Scrap the Benefit Cap Protest
The benefit cap is due to start on 15thApril in Haringey, Enfield, Bromley and Croydon, before being rolled out nationwide in the summer. These four trial boroughs were apparently chosen because one office processes all their benefit claims.On the day of its introduction, we are asking opponents of the benefit cap from all over London to join us in an early morning protest at this faceless DWP hideaway in Stratford.
LOCATION:
Stratford Benefit Delivery Centre, Department for Work & Pensions, Jubilee House, Farthingale Walk, Stratford, E15 1AW. Just next to the HMRC enquiry centre, a minute’s walk from Stratford station. Overground/tube: Stratford
The overall benefit cap is part of the government’s welfare reforms, along with the bedroom tax, changes to council tax benefit and Universal Credit. In Haringey alone, over 1,000 families are affected by the cap, facing cuts to their housing benefit and eventually eviction. Read the rest of this post »
April 7, 2013
Tags: benefit cap, cap rents not benefits Posted in: LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, NEWS 
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NO GENTRIFICATION FOR TOTTENHAM! – The threat to people on low incomes and ethnic minorities from Haringey Council’s ‘Plan For Tottenham’
INTRODUCTION
On 31st July 2012, Haringey Council announced a regeneration plan, the Plan for Tottenham, which it claims will create thousands of new homes and jobs in the wake of the riots of August 2011 (1). The small print of this plan reveals that it is actually a plan which will push up house prices and rents, reduce the amount of council housing in the area, force out small shops and drive out large numbers of the poor and members of ethnic minorities to make way for a new higher-income population. This is gentrification – people with lower incomes being forced out of an area to make way for the people with higher incomes and the middle class. Hardly any effort is being made to increase the amount of genuinely affordable, rented social housing to re-house people displaced from private housing by new quality standards and higher rents.
The signs are that Haringey Council believes it is acceptable to meet affordable accommodation targets with shared ownership or intermediate rent housing both of which are out of the price range of the lowest income families. At the same time, Haringey Council has allowed Tottenham Hotspur to go back on a promise to provide extra social housing.This is despite the fact plans are being discussed that may mean that large numbers of council homes are demolished to help facilitate the building of the new Spurs stadium. The Plan that may be adopted is to sell land on which the Love Lane/Whitehall Street estate currently stands to fund infrastructure required for the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Haringey Council is also planning to ‘regenerate’ other estates in Tottenham and urgent clarification is needed about which estates are being considered and where the residents of these estates will be re-housed. Ordinary people in Tottenham are being encouraged to support regeneration as an improvement to the area but a few years from now it may well be that a lot of them will not be around to see the alleged improvements.
In December 2012 It Took Another Riot was published by the Mayor of London’s Independent Panel on Tottenham, chaired by property developer Stuart Lipton. This report contains a passage seeming to put collective blame on the people of Tottenham for the riots and another passage that seems to partly blame Tottenham’s problems on immigration. It calls for higher rents and a greater proportion of owner-occupied properties in Tottenham. Current regeneration plans appear to follow the approach of the Independent Panel’s report. The plans look like an attempt to reduce the numbers of certain groups within the population, in response to the riots of August 2011. The plans will make it harder for lower income people to live in Tottenham and more attractive for people who work in the City of London to move to Tottenham. These riots were provoked by the misconduct of the authorities and police racism. It is an outrage that the people of Tottenham are being collectively punished for them by gentrification.
DISPLACEMENT OF PRIVATE TENANTS – HOMES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION AND IMMIGRATION
The Plan for Tottenham advocates measures to reduce the numbers of Homes in Multiple Occupations (HMOs) that will be likely to displace many members of immigrant communities. Read the rest of this post »
April 3, 2013
Tags: gentrification, plan for tottenham, tottenham regeneration Posted in: INFORMATION, LOCAL CAMPAIGNS Comments Closed
Haringey residents call for a fightback against Government housing policies threatening the homes of thousands of local residents
– public meeting calls for affordable, secure, local, decent housing for all
– local campaigning launched against the bedroom tax, benefits cap and other unjust measures
– ‘social cleansing’ condemned as local residents refuse to be forced out of their own borough by high rents and benefit cuts
On Saturday 16th March nearly 60 residents attended a ‘Decent Homes For All’ public mini-conference in Wood Green Library. The event, called by a number of residents’ action groups concerned with housing issues, brought people together to share their experiences and views about a whole range of shocking Government-driven attacks on local people’s housing rights. These include the notorious bedroom tax, scandalous benefit cuts and cap, weakening of tenants rights, the undermining of access to Council housing, and much more.
The Council and also Housing Associations were criticised for going along with the Government, and for failing to defend the rights of tenants. Private landlords were roundly condemned for the ever-increasing rent levels, failure to provide secure tenancies, discrimination against those on benefits and general exploitation of local tenants. Local house prices and mortgages are unaffordable to most people, so even homeowners are struggling to pay their bills. This ‘perfect storm’ of totally unacceptable policies and practices is leading to a sharp rise in homelessness and overcrowding, and ‘social cleansing’ as local people are being forced out of their own borough.
” The housing rights of tens of thousands of Haringey residents are being undermined by unacceptable Government-driven changes – benefit cuts, the bedroom tax, soaring private rents, lack of Council housing and so on. We call on everyone to demand decent, secure, affordable, local homes for all. ”
– Matt Salusbury (private tenant and one of the organisers)
March 17, 2013
Tags: benefit cap, scrap the benefit cap Posted in: INFORMATION, LOCAL CAMPAIGNS Comments Closed
Scrap the Benefit Cap Campaign
Haringey, Enfield, Bromley and Croydon have been chosen by the government to be used as a testing ground for their Overall Benefit Cap. People living with three or more dependent children will be most likely to be affected, facing cuts in housing benefit of up to £400 a week. But it will affect many others too. What can you do if you are affected, and what can we all do to resist this attack on our community?
The cap is part of the government’s welfare reforms, along with Universal Credit, which has now been delayed until Autumn. The government claims that the benefit cap is fairer to taxpayers. They have set it at a level that is meant to reflect the average earnings of a family in work. But their sums fail to take into account that many of these same working families claim other benefits on top of their earnings. Usually, it’s because of higher housing benefit, which just goes straight to landlords anyway.
The benefit cap also makes no allowances for the size of a family or where in the country you live. It will hit larger families in urban areas, particularly London, the hardest. If landlords don’t lower their rents significantly, and if there are no changes to the cap, then it could mean thousands of families being forced to move out of Haringey to live in Bradford, Birmingham or Stoke.
If we want to stop this mass eviction from London, we can try to disrupt this trial in Haringey and force the government to change its plans. At the same time, we need to find a way to make landlords lower their rents.
BENEFIT CAP BASICS
– £500 per week for couples or people with dependent children –
– £350 per week for single people with no dependent children –
– It includes JSA, Income Support, ESA, HB, Child Benefit –
– It does not include: DLA, Pension Credit –
WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU ARE AFFECTED?
If you stand to lose some of your housing benefit or are threatened with eviction because of non-payment of rent, don’t panic or suffer in isolation. Get in touch with HSG or Haringey Housing Action Group (details further down), for advice and support, and to meet other people in a similar situation.
In addition, you should:
- Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from the council to cover the shortfall.
- Check if you can claim Working Tax Credit – WTC claimants are exempt from the benefits cap. You may also be able to claim WTC if you are self-employed.
- If you are a private tenant, why not ask your landlord to reduce your rent.
- If you’re in temporary accommodation, the council have said that they will not evict anyone who doesn’t pay their rent because of the benefit cap.
- Ask for a reassessment of your claim – we are all entitled to this and if enough of us do, we could grind the system to a halt.
Whatever your situation, if you want to stop the cap, then get in touch and get organised!
If you are not affected by the benefit cap, pass this leaflet onto people that are, and support anybody that is – we will all know somebody affected.
March 13, 2013
Tags: benefit cap, scrap the benefit cap Posted in: INFORMATION, LOCAL CAMPAIGNS Comments Closed
Sat 16th March: Decent Homes For All Event – Action and Information for Haringey tenants
In opposition to Government cuts to housing rights and benefits
WE DEMAND SECURE, AFFORDABLE, LOCAL DECENT HOMES FOR ALL
Public event for Haringey residents
WOOD GREEN LIBRARY
Wood Green High Road, N22
Saturday March 16th
2pm – 4.30pm
Download Poster Here
Download Leaflet Here
Information stalls * Know-your-rights sessions * Discussions about what can be done
Come and find out about your rights and what you can do to stand up for decent homes for all
Includes refreshments and a small toddlers play area. All tenants, mortgage-payers and homeless people welcome
Bun venit * Bienvenue * Powitanie * Boas-vindas * bakherben * Hos Geldiniz * Kuwakaribisha * Soo dhawoow
Calling all Haringey residents
· Is your rent too high?
· Do you get enough Housing Benefit?
· Is your tenancy secure?
· Want to see affordable housing for everyone, and rent-reductions for those unable to pay?
Why not come along to this public event?!
ORGANISED BY AND FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS
Supported by Haringey Housing Action Group, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey Private Tenants Group, Haringey Solidarity Group, Day-Mer, Taxpayers Against Poverty, Haringey UNISON, Haringey Trades Union Council, Haringey Alliance for Public Services Read the rest of this post »
February 23, 2013
Tags: decent homes for all, event Posted in: LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, NEWS Comments Closed
Protest at Haringey Landlords Forum – Tues 19 Feb, 5pm
Bring rents down! No evictions!
Join Haringey Solidarity Group and Haringey Housing Action Group at the
Haringey Landlords Forum
Tuesday 19 February, 5pm at Wood Green Civic Centre
High Road, Wood Green, N22 (5 mins walk up the hill from Wood Green tube)
Come and join us at the Haringey Landlords Forum, where up to 100 landlords from around the borough will be meeting with the council. We will have the chance to ask them to reverse their decisions to evict tenants, raise rents, and refuse to rent to housing benefit claimants.
Housing is a basic necessity. But landlords choose to ignore this when they maximise rental income and refuse to help tenants affected struggling to pay their rent. They should not be allowed to go about their business unchallenged. Read the rest of this post »
February 17, 2013
Tags: benefit cap, landlords, Private tenants Posted in: LOCAL CAMPAIGNS Comments Closed
HELP US SAVE OUR HOMES – Connaught House residents seek support Tues 12th Feb
SAVE OUR HOMES
(Call out from residents of Connaught House)
TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY
February 5, 2013
Tags: connaught house, muswell hill housing campaign Posted in: LOCAL CAMPAIGNS, NEWS Comments Closed
Our Tottenham – Planning and Regeneration for the community (Organising meeting)
Our Tottenham
Planning & Regeneration for the Community
See website for more details: www.ourtottenham.wordpress.com
Conference Proposed to be held in Feb or March 2013
Supporting groups confirmed so far: Weir Hall Action Group / Bull Lane Playing Fields Campaign, Wards Corner Community Coalition, Find Your Voice, Welbourne Community Centre, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Haringey Housing Action Group, Defend Haringey Health Services, Haringey Solidarity Group, Friends of Lordship Rec, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations
The groups above are planning a conference to bring together the key local community groups and campaigns in Tottenham who are affected by the Council’s ‘Tottenham Plan’ and other planning and regeneration issues. The idea is to work together and fight for our common interests, our neighbourhoods, our community facilities and for the needs of our communities throughout Tottenham.
If your organisation supports this please let us know – contact the Our Tottenham Organising Group c/o ourtottenham@gmail.com
All relevant groups are invited to a joint planning meeting to help organise the conference together
Wednesday 16th January 2013
7pm at the North London Community House, 22 Moorefield Rd, N17
Aims of conference
– To bring local activists and campaign groups together whose aims are to oppose all inappropriate planning and developments and campaign for/defend facilities and proposals which are led by local residents, for the benefit of local residents, and improve neighbourhoods for residents’ benefit – not just for the benefit of big business. Read the rest of this post »
January 5, 2013
Tags: conference, Our Tottenham, Tottenham plan Posted in: INFORMATION, LOCAL CAMPAIGNS Comments Closed
Renters protest high rents and poor standards at City Hall Meeting
Tuesday 18 December – Housing groups across London came together today to demand that members of the GLA Housing Committee at City Hall meeting hear loud and clear the views of private tenants as they form their recommendations for the private rented sector. 15-20 members of London private tenants groups Brent Private Tenants’ Rights Group, Digs, Haringey Housing Action Group and Housing for the 99% carried out a lively, vocal protest to highlight the imbalance of rights of landlords over private tenants, extortionate rents and insecure, poor quality private rented housing.
Private tenants gave out leaflets and shouted demands as London Assembly members arrived at City Hall ahead of the final meeting of the housing committee’s review of private rented housing. Many passersby expressed support for our demands as they read the leaflets (see text below) and banners some of which read ‘Cap rents, not benefits’, and ‘Admin fees do not add up’ and ‘We demand decent, secure, affordable housing for all’. Some activists adapted carol songs to highlight the housing problems and demands, whilst others chatted to passersby to gain support and encourage people to set up more local housing action groups across London. All were united in their demand to return to a situation as seen prior to 1989 where rent caps existed and tenancies were secure for everyone. Read the rest of this post »
December 18, 2012
Tags: city hall, london renters, Private tenants Posted in: NEWS Comments Closed
Haringey Council, Universal Credit & Unaffordable rents – Update
The outrageous and controversial graphic withdrawn following protest
No family in Haringey should be forced out of their community, if they do not wish to move, due to benefit cuts and an inability to pay rent due to unaffordable rent levels. We demand that landlords reduce rents to affordable levels and the council supports any family wishing to remain in their home by supporting the tenant and putting pressure on the landlord to play their part.
Haringey Council held two events in September to explain to local people, and organisations working with them, the changes taking place with the introduction of Universal Credit and how the council will be dealing with these changes. One was the Homelessness Forum and the second was the Landlords Forum. The attached presentation was delivered by Phil Harris, Deputy Director of Housing for the council in both sessions. In the first session the presentation was slightly adapted and did not include the offensive ‘To the North’ sign as shown in the presentation delivered at the Landlords Forum, but the content was the same otherwise.
Landlord_Forum_Presentation about Welfare Changes – Delivered by Phil Harris 20 September 2012 (previously available on the council website, but is the only document that seems to have been removed – perhaps due to the insensitive and revealing use of the image which suggests the council wishes to move some of us ‘to the north’.)
November 11, 2012
Tags: haringey council, Universal credit Posted in: INFORMATION Comments Closed