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Read the latest news & blogs on how we are working to create a London free from poverty
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Universal Credit claimants need certainty, not ‘alms for the poor’
The extra £20 a week isn’t a bonus, writes Z2k chief executive Anela Anwar, it simply unwinds the Government’s own five-year freeze on working-age benefits.
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How the Government have continued to prop up a two-tier welfare state by ignoring 2 million people during this pandemic
The Government have refused to engage with the evidence that the almost 2 million people on legacy benefits, who are predominantly disabled, sick, or careers, need an increase in their income. This refusal means that too many legacy benefit claimants are left to choose between heating their homes, buying medication or putting warm food on the table.
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Making sure London’s Recovery Addresses Poverty and Inequality too
Z2K was really pleased to hear about the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s decision earlier this summer to set up the London Recovery Board to examine what needs to be done for the Capital to be a better place after the pandemic than it was before it started. With the dreaded second wave of Covid-19 now upon us that might feel like a huge uphill challenge or even a distraction. But the reality is that London is a deeply unequal city and that has to change in future, not least if the Mayor himself is to deliver on his own original 2016 promises.
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Rev Paul Nicolson wins Sheila McKechnie #LongTermAchievement award
Z2K is absolutely delighted to hear that our founder, the late Rev Paul Nicolson, has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation.
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Why claiming UC has been a “saviour” is misleading
A recent article from The Times stated that Universal Credit (UC) “has been a surprisingly efficient saviour for millions hit by the pandemic.” At Z2K, we know first-hand how misleading this claim is. For too many of the people we help, UC causes financial and emotional hardship and has failed to be of support during Covid-19.
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The Eviction Ban has Ended, Leaving Renters Without a Safety Net
Last Monday the ‘eviction ban’ was lifted, meaning courts began hearing possession cases, bailiff’s evictions begin; and tenants are again at risk of losing their homes. Introduced instead is a six month notice period for evictions (except for those with substantial rent arrears) and some requirements that landlords provide courts with information about the impact of the pandemic on the tenant. The longer notice period buys renters some time, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
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DWP routinely refuses to implement their own guidance on working with representatives
Z2K works with hundreds of clients to ensure they have the income they are entitled to, but caseworkers are continuously met with barriers when trying to speak to the DWP on the client’s behalf. These obstacles are an affront to people seeking justice from the social security system.
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Chair of Trustees Mick McAteer celebrates 15 years of Z2K
Nearly half the country has now probably had to celebrate its birthday during the Coronavirus lockdown. And this week Z2K has joined that company as we mark the 15th anniversary since our registration with the charity commission. Any celebrations will rightly be put on hold as the country and especially the poorer communities we serve suffer from the direct weight of this terrible virus and its devastating economic fall-out. As chair of this wonderful organisation, however, I want to take a moment to look back at its achievements and the challenges ahead.
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Lockdown Life – bringing people together to tell stories for change
Over the course of Lockdown, Z2K has been bringing together people with experience of Universal Credit and the Private Rented Sector (PRS) using online groups to counter some of the isolation of Lockdown and give voice to their views on what Life After Lockdown should look like.
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Anti-poverty charity, Z2K, welcomes the Work and Pensions Committee’s new report on the DWP’s response to the coronavirus outbreak
"Disabled people, charities, the Government’s own Social Security Advisory Committee and now the cross-party select committee have all called for this injustice to be corrected. Ministers must stop wasting crucial time and extend the emergency increase to all out of work benefits to ensure everyone is kept safe during this pandemic.” Anela Anwar, Z2K's CEO, responds to the Work and Pension Committee's new report on the DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak
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“I am unable to continue living like this, there’s no end in sight” – Government must urgently scrap No Recourse to Public Funds
When a policy has as severe an impact as No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) does, there is an expectation that the Prime Minister will at least themselves be aware of its serious implications and attempt to defend its existence. It was particularly concerning, therefore, that when questioned by the Liaison Committee on the 27th of May; Boris Johnson confessed that he was not aware of what NRPF even was.
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Discriminatory Government excuses are leaving 2.5 million people without vital support
Last week Director General of Universal Credit (UC), Neil Couling, shone a painfully glaring light on the Government’s discriminatory attitude towards those struggling most in our society. Read Ella's blog on why excuses the Government are repeating for why they are leaving millions behind just don't hold up.
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