RoundUp Newsletter | Issue 10

About our members for our members

Welcometo your latest issue of

/tpasengland

@tpasengland

Inside RoundUp:

• Homes For Britain P3

• TPAS AGM P7

• Member Stories P11

• Real Life Reform P13

8ELECTIONSPECIAL

GET INVOLVED77

In this issue of RoundUp

Homes For BritainPage 3

TPAS AGM Page 7

TrainingPage 14

Real Life ReformPage 13

MembershipPage 5

Member StoriesPage 11-12

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Jenny Osbourne Chief Executive Steve Meakin MBE Chair

The general election in May will be the most important for housing in a generation. The housing sector polls show that the public are either aware of, or have directly experienced the housing crisis at first hand.

The fact is we haven’t got enough homes, and this issue is affecting all of us. We all live and work in social housing and so see the effects but we also all have friends and family who need a safe, secure and affordable home. At the moment, for some people, this is extremely difficult to find.

and colleagues about the problem and perhaps even your local councillor or MP on page 9 and 10 and we even test your knowledge on housing on page 6. We also spend time with our members on pages 11 and 12 to learn about what they’re doing as part of the campaign in the lead up to the elections.

Finally in the centre fold I’ll give you the essential briefing on our annual AGM and of course you can find out the latest membership news on page 5.

It’s another packed edition, we hope all you enjoy and keep in touch.

As a member of TPAS you are part of a national organisation in social housing. We are supporters of a campaign called ‘Homes For Britain’. The goal is simple; we want to see the end of the housing crisis within a generation. This edition of RoundUp is all about helping you feel informed about the housing crisis, more on this on page 3 and 4. We talk about what you can do to feel more informed and talk confidently to your friends, family

Stay in touch with TPAS on0161 868 3500 or email info@tpas.org.uk

Introduction

Housing Crisis - Get Involved Page 9

You can get in touch using any of the following; Follow us:

Freephone 0800 035 6351 Email info@tenantcentral.org.ukVisit www.tenantcentral.org.uk Write Tenant Central Team, TPAS, Suite 4b Trafford Plaza, 73 Seymour Grove, Manchester M16 0LD.

@tenant_central

Housing Crisis QuizPage 6

Welcometo your latest issue of

7Tenants go free.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Tenant Centralwill continue in 2015…For those that haven’t already taken advantage of our

FREE training or support we have a limited amount of spaces and time in 2015.

DONT MISS OUT! - Contact us TODAY.Visit our website for the latest information: www.tenantcentral.org.uk

GENERALELECTION7 MAY

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Britain’s housing crisis

What is the Homes for Britain campaign?The campaign was set up to tell politicians that housing matters to millions of people around Britain. Together we are asking politicians to commit to ending the housing crisis within a generation (it’s taken a long time to create this mess, so we’re being realistic about how long it will take to fix it!) The time to make politicians commit to this is now, ahead of the General Election in 2015.

How are we doing this?Since the campaign launched in September, Homes for Britain has been telling MPs and election candidates that they must end the housing crisis. We’ve told them at the political party conferences, through social media and by sending them campaign Christmas cards. So far, that message has reached more than 500 politicians but we want to make sure the message reaches them all – and that they do something about it! Between now and May, you’ll see posters

on community venue noticeboards, campaign postcards at housing eventsand massive billboard adverts in someparts of the country. Posters are available for you, as a voter, to put up in your windows too, to show your support for the campaign (further details on page 9). Supporters will be able to share their housing crisis stories on the Homes for Britain website and Facebook page – and we hope you’ll add your voice to the campaign too.

We don’t think that a decent affordable home for everyone is an impossible dream. Over the next pages, you can find out more about the housing crisis and how you can play a part in the campaign to end it.

Like millions of others, these people are victims of the housing crisis. For decades we have failed to build enough new homes and the problem will only get worse – we are still only building just half the new homes the country needs each year. Even if you are lucky enough to have a good, stable home now, can you be sure that your children or grandchildren will too?

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Politicians have it in their power to end the housing crisis, to build more suitable homes at affordable prices and regenerate areas so there are jobs and services to go with the homes.

This is why the Homes for Britain campaign was created.

We’ve all seenthe headlines about tiny central London studio apartments for salefor silly money, but for most, that isn’t the real story of Britain’s housing crisis.

The real story is the lives of ordinary people in every city, town and village across the country that are affected by a shortage of decent affordable homes. Do you know someone who does a long commute every day because they can’t afford to live nearer their work? Or still lives at home with their parents because they can’t afford anywhere on their own? Or has put off starting a family because their current home isn’t suitable? Or has been forced to move miles away because they have been priced out of the area they grew up in? Or must choose between food and heating so they can pay their rent or mortgage?

Find out more at:www.homesforbritain.org.uk

“For decades we have failed to build enough new homes and the problem will only get worse...”

A new campaign to end the housing crisis

So the campaign is about to get bigger, louder and stronger.

GET INVOLVED7SEE PAGE 9

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How bad is the housing crisis?Take our quiz to find out... Answer the questions below

to test your knowledge – and find out just how bad the housing crisis has become.

1. We are currently building around 120,000 new homes per year in England. How many do we need to be building each year to keep up with demand? a) 245,000 b) 205,000c) 145,000

2. How many children living in temporary accommodation in England were waiting tobe rehoused at the end September 2014? a) 10,657 b) 22,632c) 87,420

3. How much did the average house price in London increase between April 2013 and April 2014? a) £1millionb) £57,278c) £30,635

4. What proportion of people claiming Housing Benefit in England have to claim even though they’re working? a) 4%b) 11%c) 23%

5. 10% of social renters and 4% of homeowners have moved in the last year. What percentage of private renters have? a) 34% b) 25%c) 10%

6. How many households in England are living in overcrowded conditions? a) 231,800b) 652,000 c) 1 million

How did you do?

Your score:5 to 6: You already know there is a terrible housing crisis, but perhaps some of the figures still shocked you.

3-4: Sadly, the housing crisis is worse than you imagined. But it doesn’t have to be – with your support as part of the Homes for Britain campaign, we can ask politicians to do something about it.

0-2: Perhaps you didn’t believe there was a housing crisis or that it affects so many people, but now you’ve seen the facts, we hope you do and that you’ll join the Homes for Britain campaign.

No matter what score you got, now you’ve seen how bad the housing crisis is, we hope you’ll be inspired to joinour campaign. On pages 9-10 you willfind eight easy ways you can become part of the Homes for Britain campaign.

Sources: Cambridge, Department for Communities and Local Government, Land Registry, Department for Work and Pensions, English Housing Survey.

Britain’s housing crisis - Take the quiz TPAS Membership

Call 0161 868 3500 or email: info@tpas.org.uk Follow us on @tpasenglandLike us on /tpasengland

For further information please contact Lisa Holt:lisa.holt@tpas.org.uk

Author: Lisa Holt, Corporate Services Assistant.

Tenant Voice We are delighted to work in partnership with 24 Housing Magazine to bring a national, high profile platform for tenant leaders to share their opinions.

It’s our pleasure to welcome the following organisations to the TPAS member network. • Adullam Homes • British Gas • Steve Biko Housing • West Lancs DC

TPAS Regional Meetings Don’t forget to book yourself onto one of our regional meetings. We’vehad a series of high profile organisation speaker’s including the Department of Local Government and the Housing Ombudsman. Our team of regional consultancy managers have also been out todiscuss ‘Rent, Money and What else’? We’ve been talking about how we can measure the value of our investment in local communities and what kind of difference tenant involvement really makes.

What themes and speakers would you like to see at the next series of our regional meetings? Email Lisa at lisa.holt@tpas.org.uk or call 0161 868 3500.

We want to showcase the tenant involvement passion that exists across England today and offer an insight into the thousands of people giving time, skills and energy to shaping and scrutinising services to create better organisations and communities. To do this we want to feature a new highly involved member tenant with a strong opinion every month to interview for the magazine.

Welcome to new members...

Find out more at:www.homesforbritain.org.uk

If you think you’d like to be featured in the national ‘Tenant Voices’ article get in touch by emailing ‘Tenant Voices’ to info@tpas.org.uk or call 0161 868 3500.

Answers: 1-(a) / 2-(c) / 3-(b) / 4-(c) / 5-(a) / 6-(b)

Curo Group. We then welcomed John Voysey from Curo Group who discussed their approach to tenants managing services.

We also learned about the Curo Group’s practical approach to community cashback grants.

Showcase of our achievements: Our Chief Executive, Jenny Osbourne,talked through some of our achievements this year including the introduction of our new partnership with 24 Housing Magazine called ‘Tenant Voices’. Every month we will publish our member stories in a national, high profile magazine to showcase the voice of our tenant leaders. We want to showcase the tenant

involvement passion that exists across England today and offer an insight into the thousands of people giving time, skills and energy to shaping and scrutinising services to create better organisations and communities. If you have a strong opinion orstory to share from your experiences of tenant involvement please get in touch with us.

The future: Jenny Osbourne discussed the key areas TPAS will focus on in 2015/2016. Membership will receive a high priority as we continue to work on developing membership benefits that meet the changing needs of tenants and housing staff.We know that understanding the impacts of housing policy is important to members and we will

TPAS - Annual General Meeting

Chairs welcome: Steve Meakin MBE, the chair of ourboard, welcomed members to the meeting and introduced TPAS’s twonewest board members to attendees. The appointment of Caritas Charles, community engagement manager at Alliance Homes and Lisa Pickard, chief executive at Leeds & Yorkshire HA took place in October 2014 so was an excellent opportunity for our board to meet members face to face.

Keynote speeches and presentations: Department of Communities and Local Government.This year we welcomed Communities Minister Stephen Williams MP to talk about why he supports, and believes in, the importance of tenant involvement. Mr Williams mentioned the ‘Tenants Leading Change’ project that TPAS are involved in and the Tenant Central programme which we run to offer free sources of information and support for tenants and housing staff.

In January we held a very well attended meeting for members in London. Here’s a summary of the discussions, presentations and announcements that took place on the day.

What happened at our AGM

(L-R) Stephen Williams MP, Jenny Osbourne & Steve Meakin MBE

“We will continue to provide you with the high quality information, analysis and professional development...”

Find out more at:www.tpas.org.uk

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be doing more to bring analysis and insight on the housing issues of the year.

TPAS will be looking at more events: those important opportunities for members to get together to share and debate and learn.

With the current strains and pressures that are being placed on our active tenants the TPAS ethos of tenants and landlords working together has never been put harder to the test. But TPAS will be giving tenant stories and successes centre stage in 2015-16 to ensure the importance of involvement remains strong and valued across the sector.

Thank you again to all those who could make it to our AGM, if you’d like access to the minutes please contact our membership team on 0161 868 3500 or email info@tpas.org.uk

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Britain’s housing crisis - get involved

If you use social media5. Like the Homes for Britain page on Facebook and follow @HomesforBritain on Twitter.6. Tweet a photo of yourself with the campaign slogan ‘End the housing crisis within a generation’ and send it to party leaders or your own MP.

Put up posters7. Put up an ‘I support Homes for Britain’ poster (see opposite) in your window or on your community centre or workplace noticeboard – you can print them from the Homes for Britain website or contact us and we’ll send you some.

And finally8. Tell all of your friends, family and neighbours about the campaign!

Now that you’ve read about the housing crisis and Homes for Britain, we hope you’ll be keen to get involved with the campaign. We need the help of as many people around the country as possible, who can tell politicians that a home should be a right, not a privilege.

Here are 8 easy ways that you can give us your support. Some of them are just small things, but they will make a huge impact and help spread the campaign message.

Sign up and tell your story1. Sign up as campaign supporter to receive the latest updates and actions at HomesforBritain.org.uk. 2. Add your voice to the campaign, by telling your housing story on the Homes for Britain website.

Tell politicians directly3. Tell all election candidates who knock on your door that housing is an important issue for you. 4. Send a message to your MP and election candidates via the Homes for Britain website.

“Tell all of your friends, family and neighbours about the campaign!”

How YOU can take partHow to get in touch with Homes for Britain

To give us your support, request campaign materials or tell us how you are taking part in the campaign, please get in touch:

Tel: 020 7067 1185Email: info@homesforbritain.org.uk

Website: homesforbritain.org.ukFacebook: facebook.com/homesforbritainTwitter: @homesforbritain

Find out more at:www.homesforbritain.org.ukGET INVOLVED7

!

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Find out more at:www.homegroup.org.uk

“We are strongly committed to improving access to housing for our customers and clients.”

Member Stories - Home Group

Home Group has worked for more than 75 years to make a difference to the lives of individuals, families and communities across the UK. We are strongly committed to improving access to housing for ourcustomers and clients – which is why we’re backing Homes for Britain. With the 2015 General Election only months away, the campaign is an opportunity to show politicians thatthe public want more homes builtand more action taken until everyone has a decent, affordable home.

Some of our tenants have already been involved with Homes for Britain by making a short film for Housing Day, explaining what a good home means to them. We’ll also be joining our tenants to the biggest housing rally in a generation, on 17th Marchin Westminster. This event will bringtogether 2,500 people from everypart of the housing world - fromprivate developers to homelessnesscampaigners, from social housing providers to private landlords, all calling for ‘an end to the housing crisis within a generation’.

To make sure that people of all agesare involved in the rally, we’ve been talking to our youth involvement group Youth Action about the housing crisis. All our young people have saidthat safe and secure housing is fundamental to their wellbeing, mental

health and ability to move forward, and they have been inspired to takepart in the rally and the wider campaign.

They believe that a show of unity and strength in numbers will make a difference for generations to come.Tenants and staff from housing associations from across England are joining forces to walk, run orcycle to the Rally to raise awareness of the campaign. Our tenants, clients and colleagues will be taking part in the North East leg of the ‘relay to the rally’, joining other housing associations in the region to walk, run and cycle a 196-mile journey from Berwick to Whitby. Along the way they’ll highlight the issues that are affecting the supply of new homes, and visit projects that are bringing new homes to people indesperate need of affordable housing.Follow us:www.twitter.com/homegroup

Why Home Groupis supporting the Campaign

“We want to raise awareness of the housing crisis...”

You can also follow thebus’ progress on Twitter: @Betsythebus

What’s Knightstone Housing doing to support the Homes for Britain campaign? There’s a housing crisis in the UK which means people across the country are struggling to find the homes they need at a price they can afford. That’s why staff and residents at Knightstone are backing the Homes for Britain Coalition’s call for the next government to commit to ending thehousing crisis within the next generation.

We want to raise awareness of the housing crisis in the run up to the General Election on 7 May. We want to make sure that voters across theSouth West understand that this crisisis a political issue, one that politicians can fix if they choose to. So, with the National Housing Federation and other housing associations from across the region, we’re arranging a Land’s End to London bus tour.

The bus tour kicked off on Tuesday 17 February in Land’s End and wound its way across the country, ultimately reaching London for the Homes for Britain Housing Rally on Tuesday 17 March.

We’re working with staff from acrossthe business to encourage their involvement in the bus tour. A numberof staff who work out in our communities are getting involved, coming along totalk to the public and residents aboutthe campaign and helping to collect their signatures for our petition.

Our Resident Involvement Strategy Group - a group of heavily involved, elected residents – will be joining staff at the event in Bristol, drumming up support.

We’re also encouraging all staff to register to vote and have asked them to encourage residents too. Earlier this year we held an event at our young people’s Foyer in Somerset, as part of Parliament Week, to ensure residents there understand the importance of voting and making sure they get their voices heard. The event was a great success and many of the residents told us they would be taking the opportunity to head to the ballot box in May.

We all know how important having a home is and we want to make sure that politicians and other voters understand that too. So, if you see the big red Homes for Britain bus on its travels, make sure you show your support. Pop over and have a chat, sign our petition and tweet your support with the hashtag #HomesForBritain.

Member Stories - Knightstone Housing

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13 TPAS TRAINING 14

Training

Be Informed Real Life Reform

“You have given me a voice.”

For further information contact the TPAS Training Team on:0161 868 3520 or email: training@tpas.org.uk

In the run up tothe electionsalot of the programmes, adverts and articles you’ll beexposed to will beabout helping you ‘be informed’. So on 7th May when you have to put your mark in a box you’ll be confident in your decision because you understand what you’re voting for.

Making informed decisions means being able to find and understand relevant information, be given the opportunity to discuss it, and make the decision that is right for you.

That’s what one tenant at a TPAS conference in September 2013said after we presented our first Real Life Reform [RLR] report. This inspired us to continue and ensure the experiences of social housing tenants, real people affected by welfare reforms could be heard.

We’ve since gone from strength tostrength. Using Twitter (@RealLifeReform) and the media, tenants’ experiences have reached more than 11 million people. In addition, thousands of tenants have read the findings through their landlords or TPAS.

RLR is a study tracking up to 100 households across the North of England

to see how they are coping with big benefits changes implemented from April 2013. We’re capturing real stories, as well as facts and figures.

Our case studies are remarkable people, sharing their everyday experiences with RLR to:

• Raise awareness • Highlight successes as well as unintended consequences of welfare reforms • Help influence policies and ways of working• Challenge negative perceptions portrayed by TV programmes such as Benefits Street.

The findings and real-life stories have been emotional and hard-hitting. They’ve revealed the extent of food and fuel poverty, rising debts, and the impact on the health and well-being of people on low incomes and those who are out of work.

We’ve also witnessed amazingexamples of neighbourliness and resilience.The big success has been the increasing confidence of tenants to speak out and not feel as isolated or ostracised. There is still a long way to go, but RLR is proud to be helping to make a change.

100 tenants are helping 6 million tenants have a louder voice.

How can you help? By asking your landlord whether they’ve used RLR to help set their priorities for the year ahead.By reading the reports and using themto discuss with your landlords, localpoliticians, friends, or in your community.

This way, together, we can continue to raise awareness and bring about positive change.

Our sixth report is due in March. Please follow us @RealLifeReform or visit the TPAS website to find out more.

This is where TPAS can help both tenants and landlord staff be fully informed to do just that.

Being well-informed is not the same as relying on your personal experiences. It’s about knowing the bigger picture, being able to ask the relevant questions at a board or panel meeting, about being able to engage in debate and influence decisions. For you being well informed involves understanding and knowledge about lots of different things including having an overview of your organisation and your wider community.

As an involved tenant or tenant involvement professional I’m sure you have a broad range of interests and knowledge. To support you in your role we run a range of very specific skills training such as chairing, fundraising and value for money. However it’s good to step

back and look at the wider picture. That’s why we also deliver a popular ‘Introduction to Social Housing’ course to help you appreciate how social housing has developed and changed and the key issues for the future. It’s the kind of course that we run to help you gain knowledge of the bigger picture, so you can then relate this back to your role and share with your peers. Because after all, no one will realise how well-informed you are if you keep all the information to yourself…

To organise an Introduction to Social Housing course inhouse or find out when public courses are running contact our training team on 0161 868 3500 or email training@tpas.org.uk

“... make the decision that is right for you.”

• 21% of case studies had used a foodbank• 50.6% spent less than £20 a week on fuel• 40% had no money left after paying weekly bills• 74.3% of households were in debt. Average debt was £3,391

The last RLR report (RLR5) showed:

Find out more by Googling‘Real Life Reform’

www.tpasconference.org.uk

CONFERENCE 2015

8-9 JULY 2015CHESFORD GRANGE,

KENILWORTH, NR WARWICK

EARLY BIRD RATES Until 17 April 2015

TPAS member rate

£339.00+vat

TPAS non-member rate

£455.00+vat

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