The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is moving everyone off ‘legacy benefits’, and on to Universal Credit.

If you’re claiming any of the benefits mentioned below then soon you’ll have to take action, and switch over to Universal Credit (UC).

These are income-based and/or income related benefits:

• Working Tax Credits
• Child Tax Credits
• Housing Benefit (HB)
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you receive any of the benefits listed above, look out for your ‘notice of managed migration’. If you’re in any doubt about moving over to UC then please contact us or seek advice. You’ll receive a letter through the post from the DWP.

On getting this letter, you’ll have three months to act. If you fail to act, your benefits will end. 

If your legacy benefit ends for that reason, the DWP will allow you another month to make your UC claim. There’ll be no gaps in your benefits and you may still be eligible for ‘Transitional Protection’. However, we strongly recommend making the transition within the first three months.

The DWP have published a schedule for the types of benefits that will be receiving their letter and when, but the important thing is to look out for yours, and act when you get it. Or you could lose out.

The schedule is:

• April 2024 – Tax Credits and Housing Benefits
• April – June 2024 – Income Support and HB residents
• June 2024 – HB claimants only (unless HB is your only legacy benefit, and you are living in ‘specified’ or ‘temporary accommodation’).
• July 2024 – Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Child Tax Credits (with HB)
• August 2024 – Pensioners with Working Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits. Also Mixed Aged Couples (a couple where one partner is a pensioner, and the other is under pension age)*
• September 2024 – Job Seekers Allowance
• September 2024/25- All remaining ESA and HB residents (as-well as ESA-only residents).

The DWP plans to have sent out all manage migration notices by the end of 2025.

*Some Mixed Aged Couples age couples are ‘protected’ from the change in the rules, and it’s important to know if you fall in this protected category as you may be able to claim Pension Credit or Pension age Housing Benefit, or both. People over state pension age in receipt of Child Tax Credit only, who aren’t already claiming Pension Credit, will be invited to claim Pension Credit before their Child Tax Credit stops.

You must look out for your letter from the DWP. But you can get prepared. Check how much you will receive on UC, it might be less than you’re getting now, but it might be more. You can make the switch to UC earlier than when you’re invited, but if you’re due to receive less after the switch over, it’s better to wait for the managed migration notice letter.   

If you’re struggling or can’t claim online, you can also contact:

• The Managed Migration Helpline: 0800 169 0328, (calls are free from mobiles or landlines) or  
• Citizen Advice Help to Claim Service.

Alcohol Awareness Week campaigns for change and this year’s theme is ‘Understanding alcohol harm’.

Alcohol Awareness Week is coordinated by Alcohol Change UK. Each year over 5000 public health services, workplaces, pharmacies, hospitals, charities, community groups and GPs take part to raise awareness and share the support that is out there for those struggling with alcohol addiction.

Alcohol can sometimes play a big part of our lives, especially in the warmer months when it is promoted during sports games, advertised on our commutes, and discounted in our supermarkets.

It can be used when we celebrate, but sometimes it can become a problem and a way to cope. Each year thousands of people become addicted to alcohol and experience long-term health problems that can lead to death from alcohol related causes.

This year’s theme explores what is meant by ‘alcohol harm’ and its aim is to get the country talking about what the role of alcohol plays in our lives, society, families and communities. By getting people talking, this provides an environment for open discussions around alcohol, and encourages those who are struggling to come forward and ask for the help they need.

If you would like to discuss this further, or talk to someone, please see below a list of services that can help:

• NHS www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
• Drink Aware www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/

Battersea local Jeanne Rathbone will be unveiling a blue plaque in honour of Tom Taylor and Laura Barker at 84 Lavender Sweep SE11 1HP.

Laura Barker (1819-1905) was a renowned composer and musician, who lived at the property with her husband Tom Taylor from 1858 until his death in 1880.

Tom Taylor (1817 – 1880) was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant and editor of Punch magazine.

Both Laura and Tom held regular Sunday musical soirees, and celebrities at the time such as Lewis Carroll and Charles Dickens would attend.

Jeanne Rathbone is a local historian and Battersea Society member, and has been instrumental in securing plaques to commemorate notable Battersea residents, in particular women who have been under-represented in both local and national commemoration schemes.

Battersea Society members are local and former residents, businesses and even visitors who fell in love with this vibrant part of South West London/ Through our work we investigate and honour Battersea’s rich heritage, promote and protect our open spaces, and ensure community is at the heart of development across the historic borough.

The unveiling will take place on Saturday 28 September at 2pm. There are more details to follow.

You can read more about both Laura and Tom on Jeanne’s blog.

Love your lungs week is an initiative started by the British Lung Foundation to raise awareness surrounding lung health.

What is the British Lung Foundation?

The British Lung Foundation is a UK charity, and they’re aim is to highlight the importance of research, with the aim to improve care as well as preventing, treating and curing lung conditions. They also provide support for those who are suffering with lung disease.

What is the aim of Love your lungs week?

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of lung conditions and increase support.

How to keep your lungs healthy

You can help keep your lungs healthy by improving the air you breathe in. Living in an urban area can make it difficult to make changes when you’re outside, but there are small changes you can do to improve the air you breathe in your homes:

– Regularly open your windows when cooking or showering to keep the airflow moving.

– Vacuum your space at least once a week to remove dust and dirt particles.

– Keep the temperature of your home between 18-21 degrees to prevent damp and condensation.

– Have a smoke free house and ensure if anyone does smoke, they do it outside. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of lung cancer. For more information and support, click here.

– Use products that are chemical free and are allergy free.

– Being active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also improve the health of your lungs. Exercises such as walking, jogging and other aerobatic activities can make your lungs stronger.

For further information, please visit here.

We know that despite best efforts, mistakes can happen, and we don’t always get things right, or meet the expectations of our customers. When something goes wrong, we need to find out why and put it right as quickly as possible. We aim to ensure that complaints are addressed fairly, effectively, and promptly.

We’ve produced a full report reviewing our performance and learnings in 2023/24:

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Board Response to the Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2023/24

We welcome the Housing Ombudsman’s new Complaint Handling Code and the opportunity this report gives us to show customers how we have performed over the last year and the areas we as a Board want to focus on going forward. We are very disappointed that we have let down too many customers over the last year. 

When it comes to customer service, we know we can do better and that change is needed. We’ve heard this from our customers through responses to our customer surveys, through our complaints, and from our Customer Excellence Panel and Customer Experience Committee. We also know that expectations in the sector are, rightly, changing and that customers expect better from their landlords. 

While we have seen improvements in our overall customer satisfaction this year, which rose to 59.5% from 51%, the level of satisfaction that our customers have with our approach to handling complaints was much lower, at just 12.6%. It’s clear that our customers aren’t happy with how we’re handling their complaints, and that needs to change. 

We expect training and improved processes will reduce the number of complaints escalating to stage two and the Ombudsman over the next year. Meanwhile, the new learning log and service improvement plans will ensure we are using feedback from customers to improve and make changes to our services. 

The Board wants to see that our teams are learning from customer feedback, not just to improve our complaint handling, but also to improve our services, so that customers don’t have to complain in the first place. 

The Board and our Customer Experience Committee receive regular updates on complaints. We have set improvement targets for 2024/25 and will continue to hold teams to account, to ensure that our complaints handling and service provision continue to improve over the next year.  

Andy McWilliams 

Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of Customer Experience Committee 

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You can read our Complaints policy in full here, and our latest self-assessment against the Complaint Handling Code here.

The HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury Docks on 22 June 1948. This defining moment, is now celebrated as Windrush Day marks its 76th anniversary.  

Our boroughs are home to many residents from, and descendants of the Windrush generation. There are many local community groups offering a range of events celebrating the history, achievements, and contributions of the Windrush generation.

Below is a snapshot of activities and events tacking place across South London.

Irie! Dance Theatre – Friday, 21 June, Grinling Gibbons Primary 

A 76th Windrush Anniversary celebration with storytelling, folk singing, dancing, and steel pan performances for all generations. 

Brownhill Road Baptist Church – Saturday 22 June, Brownhill Road Baptist Church, Catford 

Windrush Friendship Space at Brownhill Road Baptist Church features cultural activities, live music, poetry, dance, storytelling, and a Caribbean-style shared meal. Timings TBC. 

Bellingham Community Project, Saturday 22 June, 12-4pm, Bellingham Green 

Celebrate Windrush at the Bellingham Festival with the Bonus Pastor School steel pan band, community stories, and Caribbean food. 

Windrush @ 75: Exhibition, until Wednesday 31 July, 10 – 8, Streatham Library

Rush – A Joyous Jamaican Journey , Friday 11 October, Fairfield Halls

Rush tells the story of reggae music and the Windrush generation. Hear how their music took the UK and the world by storm. Book your tickets now! 

Windrush and World Reggae Day, Saturday 22 June, 930 – 130, Socco Cheta

The Windrush generation legacy association, 11am – 5pm

‘Gaan a Farin’ is a free exhibition that gives you the opportunity to visit a recreation of a Windrush era home.

Brixton’s Black Cultural Archives 

Located on Windrush Square, the Black Cultural Archives are home to a reading room, library and exhibition space, dedicated to collecting and recording the stories of African and Caribbean people in Britain. 

There are hundreds of events taking place to celebrate Windrush Day, and the best place to keep up to date with events and information is www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk. 

Gas leaks can be fatal, therefore it’s important to know how to keep your family and neighbours safe.

As a landlord we have a legal duty to check your gas appliances and ensure your flues are safe. We carry out an annual safety check for all our homes and an annual service for any gas appliance we own. Please let us in when we book an appointment for these checks. If you cannot make an appointment, please contact us so we can rearrange.

If we are not able to complete your gas service and safety check after several appointments, we will request court permission to force entry into your property. To read more about these checks and our safety requirements, please click here.

If you think you can smell gas:

• put out any flames
• do not touch any electrical appliances
• open all windows and doors
• turn off the gas emergency valve control if you can
• leave the property

Then call the National Grid immediately on 0800 111 999. If you are deaf or hearing impaired and need to contact Cadent, you can download the free Relay UK app, and contact us using the prefix 18001 0800 111 999.

Do not use your phone within the property. Make sure you follow all the advice given to you by the emergency adviser and wait outside for the engineer to arrive.

Our annual gardening competition is back for 2024 and by entering you could be in the chance of winning £150 or £300.

Gardening and tending to plants are a great form of exercise as well as being a positive mindful activity which can boost your mood and help with your mental health.

This year we have three categories:

Community Project: We have loved seeing your community gardens over the years, creating beautiful spaces to share and build together. This year, we want to see examples of how you are using gardening to bring your community together.

Prize: £300 cash prize for first place and £150 cash prize for second place, to put towards your community garden.

Best Back Garden: If you love spending time in your garden, attending to your flower beds and creating your own space to enjoy alone or with loved ones, then we want to hear from you and see your beautiful botanical creations!

Prize: £100 Amazon voucher for first place and £50 Amazon voucher for second place.

Best Balcony: Living in London means that some of us have limited outdoor space, so we want to see your beautiful balconies. We are looking for a creative space that is sustainable and wildlife friendly, helping to protect our planet.

Prize: £100 Amazon voucher for first place and £50 Amazon voucher for second place

Entries are now open and will close on Sunday 18 August.

Click here to enter!

As the weather gets warmer, it’s important to know how to keep you, your loved ones and your pets cool this summer. We have put together some helpful tips when the temperature rises.

Take lukewarm or cool showers

• By taking a cooler shower, this can bring your body temperature down.
• By letting yourself air-dry, rather than using a towel, can create a cooling effect on your skin.

During a heatwave, close your windows, curtains and blinds.

• By keeping the windows shut when the country is experiencing a heatwave, it will keep the warmer air out of your home.
• Use blinds and curtains to keep the sunshine out of your rooms.
• When the sun goes down, open the windows to let the cooler air in.
• Stay hydrated.
• Make sure to stay hydrated during the warmer weather. It is recommended adults drink 2 litres of water a day.
• By eating cooler foods such as fruit, cold salads and chilled soups, will not only keep you hydrated, but will also save you from having to use your oven, which could make your home even warmer.

Use an electric fan (and use it well)

• Electric fans are relatively cheap to run and will instantly cool you down.
• Remember, the fan will not decrease the air temperature, so don’t leave a fan in an empty room, as you will waste energy.
• Position your fan either at the same height as you or lower than you. This will ensure the cooler air will reach you, rather than warmer air pushing down on you.

Remember to dress cool

• Try to wear thin, cotton-based loose clothing to stay cool.
• At night, you might think it’s better to not wear anything, but wearing thin loose clothing will act as a sweat barrier between you and your bed sheets, which will help you feel cooler.

Don’t forget your pets!

• Keep pets inside during the hottest hours.
• If you do have your pets outside, make sure they have shade and water.
• Never exercise pets when the temperature is very high. A regular walk could become a medical emergency.
• Never leave your pet in a parked vehicle.
• Always test pavements, footpaths and slabs in gardens and communal areas. If it’s too hot on your hand, it’s too hot for your pet.
• If you see a pet in distress, please contact the RSPCA.

The weather may be warming up, but we must remain vigilant when it comes to fire safety. Most fires in the home start by accident and by carrying out a few simple safety checks you can reduce the chances of a fire starting to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Remember: If there is a fire in your home – get out, stay out and call 999 – don’t try to tackle the fire yourself. 

Things you should do:

• Make sure you know where the fire escape routes are from your home and building.
• If you see an object blocking any of the fire escapes, please move it if it is safe to do so or report it to us.
• Close inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading. 
• Never store items in communal (shared) areas such as corridors and balconies.
• Make it a habit to keep the exits from your home clear, so that people can escape if there is a fire.
• Check all your smoke alarms work.  You are twice as likely to die in a fire if your smoke alarm does not work. Your local fire service provides free home safety checks and in many cases this may include fitting a free smoke alarm. Fire Officers will also advise you about making your home safer. To get a free safety visit from your local fire service, contact the London Fire Brigade on 08000 28 44 28. 
• Turn off and unplug all electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on, like a freezer.  
• Do not leave the washing machine on as that can potentially start a fire.  
• Check your cooker is off.  Gas cookers are harder to notice so double check. 
• Turn heaters off and put up fireguards too if you have them.  
• Put candles, naked flames and cigarettes out properly. It is much safer to smoke outside and ensure they are put out properly in an ashtray. Make sure candles or naked flames are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – like curtains. 
• Make sure that everyone in your home can easily find the keys for doors and windows – always keep them in the same place.
• Keep mirrors and other reflective materials like glass and crystal away from sunny windows as the reflection can start a blaze.

Fire doors

We check flat entrance doors and communal doors routinely to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

• Never leave fire doors wedged open, they need to remain closed.
• Do not tamper with self-closing devices on fire doors.
• Please report any faults or damage to fire doors immediately.

Keeping your balcony safe:

• Never barbecue on your balcony, sparks can fall to the homes below.
• Don’t keep paints, paint thinners or fuel on your balcony.
• If smoking on your balcony, dispose of smoking materials responsibly and do not flick lit cigarettes from a balcony. Use safety ash trays to extinguish cigarettes.

How can I keep fire safe? 

You can keep fire safe by: 

• giving our staff and contractors access to your home so they can carry-out fire related maintenance and undertake fire risk assessments. 
• looking after doors and windows on escape routes so they can be easily and quickly opened in case of a fire. This includes keeping doors closed (unless they are doors designed to be held open on magnetic devices) and not wedging them open. 
• not changing your flat’s front door, as this acts as a key line of defence in preventing the spread of fire. 
• not smoking in communal areas and generally taking care when smoking. 
• keeping escape routes and communal areas clear by not storing belongings in communal areas and in particular keeping stairwells free of obstacles. This will ensure people can get out of the building quickly. 
• familiarise yourself with the escape plan for your building. If you are not sure of this, please contact us. 

For more fire safety advice, visit the London Fire Brigade website at www.london-fire.gov.uk 

If you discover a fire:

• raise the alarm
• leave the building immediately by the nearest available exit if it is safe to do so
• move to a safe distance away from the building
• phone the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 
• remain a safe distance away from the building and await the Fire Brigade.

If the fire is in your home:

• tell everyone in your home and get them to leave the building closing your front door behind you
• move to a safe distance away from the building
• call the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 asking for FIRE
• remain a safe distance away from the building and await the Fire Brigade
• if you see or hear of a fire in another part of the building stay put in your home as this will usually be the safest option unless you are directly affected by the fire. Close all windows and be prepared to leave
• phone the Fire Brigade by dialling 999 asking for FIRE
• you must leave the building immediately if smoke or fire directly affects your home or you are directed to do so by the Fire Brigade. Close your front door behind you
• move to a safe distance away from the building, remain there and await the Fire Brigade.

Remember:

• Do not take risks.
• Do no stop to collect personal belongings.
• Do not return to the building for any reason unless authorised to do so.
• Do not use any lift.