Housing Benefit – who really benefits?
This week has seen yet another TV exposé on rogue landlords, this time by BBC Panorama “The Great Housing Benefit Scandal” aired on 20 April. Whilst, as in all good exposé investigative journalism, extremes have been shown, there can be no question however that the landlords shown in this film are providing very poor quality…
Read More
Social Housing – a national treasure or just the family silver?
Standing up for the NHS As we start this General Election campaign the National Health Service, our beloved NHS, will be a regular feature in news stories and policy announcements, campaign leaflets and party sound bites. Who will protect it most……who is it greatest supporter……..who wishes to do away with it? No doubt the truth…
Read More
Re-uniting mothers and children
Local Re-Unite successes Gloucestershire and Derby sit at two ends of the Re-Unite spectrum. Louise’s* life has been transformed – from a difficult childhood in Gloucestershire and a subsequent custodial sentence, she has now been re-united with her young son and is moving on in her life. A five bed house in Derby recently became…
Read More
Hope for the future – Chrysalis
Six years on from the launch of Chrysalis, we are now asking whether a lack of support for women exiting prostitution still exists. To help answer this question – Commonweal will commission a 2015 Position Statement outlining the current policies, practices and experiences of women seeking to exit prostitution. Along with our partners St Mungo’s Broadway, we…
Read More
What’s on the horizon?
In 2015 we will examine ideas for possible new projects to tackle social injustices, areas where Commonweal Housing’s unique approach might help to make a real difference. Release on temporary licence We want to level the playing field so that all prisoners who are eligible for temporary release are given the opportunity to do so.…
Read MoreNot guilty but still punished – report
We have recently commissioned Professor Anne Power and Dr Bert Provan at the London School of Economics (LSE) to report on the housing challenges faced by many victims of Miscarriages of Justice. The report, to be presented to minsters following the general election, will call for policy and operational change in the treatment of individuals…
Read More