Each month, the Association posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact / requires action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable. Please find below our Feb/Mar 21 Summary.
Charity Commission
Five-minute guides for charity trustees – The Charity Commission has published a series of five-minute guides with some basic guidance for trustees. Members may wish to refresh their understanding or distribute to new trustees:
Adult Social Care
Free PPE for unpaid carers – The Department for Health and Social Care has announced that, following a successful pilot scheme to establish the distribution method and logistics, free PPE is now being made available to “extra-resident” unpaid carers who need it. Beneficiaries who receive care from family members or similar may be eligible.
Energy and Environment
Energy price cap to increase in April – Ofgem has announced that, that from 1 April 2021, the price cap will return to pre-pandemic levels, principally as a result of changes in wholesale energy prices. Ofgem also notes that support is available for those struggling to pay their energy bills, especially those in vulnerable circumstances. It also states that consumers who want to avoid the increase and save money should shop around ahead of the increase in the price cap on 1 April.
Taxation
Submission of charity accounts – More than 13,000 charities missed the deadline to submit their financial documents in January, according to the Charity Commission. This is more than double the number which missed the deadline last year, when around 6,000 were late filing. Charities with financial years ending on 31 March – a large chunk of the sector – needed to file their accounts and annual return with the Commission by 31 January. The regulator received accounts on time from 35,689 charities. It will be following up with the 13,093 charities that have not met the deadline. Members should reach out to The Almshouse Association if they are in need of support.
Coronavirus
You can find all our Coronavirus updates here
Previous Policy and Governance updates:
Policy & Governance update – February 2021 Summary
Policy and Governance update – January 2021 Summary
Policy & Governance update – December 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – October 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – September 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – July/August 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – June 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – May 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Apr 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Mar 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Feb 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance –Jan 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – 2019 Summary
Posted 8 Mar 21
The Government is currently expanding the provision of asymptomatic testing to help identify and isolate positive cases of Covid-19 among those who need to leave home to go to work.
There are currently two routes to testing available:
Workplace Testing
Workplace testing is provided by employers (with more than 50 employees) to their staff in both the private and public sectors. This is unlikely to be an option for the vast majority of almshouse charities given their size. If , however, you do employ 50 or more staff and would be interested in offering workplace testing, you can register your interest at:
www.gov.uk/get-workplace-coronavirus-tests.
You will then be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and invited to a webinar to find out more information and decide whether to take part. Testing would be delivered by sites at the workplace.
Community Testing
Local authorities are delivering community testing via asymptomatic testing sites for those who need to leave their homes to go to work but are not offered testing by their employer. This is likely to include almshouse charities, particularly those that employ resident wardens who continue to work on site. If you charity wishes to use community testing, you should direct your employees to the DHSC postcode checker available at:
www.gov.uk/find-covid-19-lateral-flow-test-site.
Further Information
If you are a small charity with fewer than 50 employees and would like to know how to access testing for asymptomatic cases in your community, please contact CommunityTesting.CentralOps@dhsc.gov.uk.
If your charity has more than 50 employees and you have questions relating to workplace testing, please email p-and-psector@dhsc.gov.uk.
For more general queries about how these options for testing might work your charity, please contact MHCLGTestingEnquiries@communities.gov.uk.
Posted 8 March 21
On Thursday 11 March, Almshouse Association CEO Nick Phillips will be taking part in Aberdeen Standard’s Charity Matters virtual event together with legal expert Gordon Reid, Partner at Moore Barlow.
During this webinar, the panel will be discussing a future vision for almshouses in the 21st Century and current legal/governance issues.
Almshouse charities are not the only organisations facing the twin challenges of being shaped by a long history whilst also looking to be ready to address the challenges of today, so it is expected that other heritage bodies will find the webinar of great interest, making for a captivating and useful live Q&A session.
If you would like to register for the webinar, please click in the link below
Posted 2 Mar 21
Almshouse Association panel member Geoff Trobridge from Lester Aldridge LLP, hosted a webinar on behalf of The Almshouse Association on the topic of Trustee roles and responsibilities on 25th February 2021.
85 members signed up for this popular webinar which covered:
- The duties of a trustee
- What trustees are responsible for
- How to reduce liability
A recording and powerpoint slides are now available to all members and can be accessed by clicking in the links below;
Posted 2 March 2021
Methodist Homestead Almshouses Charity are delighted to announce the celebration of 35 years of service for Warden Jenny Heginbothom (along with her husband Geoff, who has been their handyman/gardener for 20 years). Jenny and Geoff are retiring from Methodist Homestead Almshouses Charity this year.
Alistair Cochran, secretary and clerk to the trustees comments,
“Jenny and Geoff have given wonderful service over 35 years and have overseen so many changes in our homes. Over the years they have served countless cups of tea and coffee and more recently provided a monthly Sunday lunch for our residents. During the pandemic, they have encouraged outdoor socially distanced activities including a VE Day party and a MacMillan Coffee Morning. Geoff’s contribution to keeping lawns mowed, hedges trimmed and doing many small maintenance jobs around the site (not least shovelling snow and putting salt down to keep the pathways safe) has been invaluable to us. Our current Chairman commented that they leave big shoes to fill and we will all miss them but wish them well for the next chapter in their lives.”
Thank you, Alistair, for sharing this with us and many congratulations to Jenny and Geoff on their well-deserved retirement!
The Almshouse Association welcomes the inclusion of comments in Church Times from CEO Nick Phillips following the publication of the Church of England’s Coming Home report.
The report marks the most significant public support for almshouses in many years and should be viewed as a call to action for the Church and the wider almshouse movement. We believe that, used effectively, the relationship between the Church and the almshouse movement can lead to a new era of almshouses throughout the country.
You can read the full article here
Posted 1 March 21
On Monday 22nd February, the Government announced its four step plan for easing Coronavirus restrictions in England with the first changes taking place from March 8th.
The Government will use four tests to determine whether easing can continue. These are:
- The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
- Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
The current plan for stage 1 easing is:
Monday 8th March
- You will be allowed to spend time in outdoor public spaces for recreation on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. You must continue to maintain social distance from those outside your household.
- Students in all schools and Further Education can return to face-to-face education
- Wraparound childcare can reopen
- One regular indoor visit for a single named visitor will be permitted in care homes. Almshouses may wish to adopt a similar approach at this stage if feasible
Monday 29th March
- Return of Rule of Six for meetings outdoors
- Outdoor sports facilities to reopen, including tennis, basketball courts and swimming pools
- Grassroots sports can also resume
- Funerals can proceed with 30 attendees and weddings can continue with 6 attendees
- End of legal requirement to Stay at Home
Further easing could be introduced no earlier than April 12th, including reopening of non-essential retail, hospitality and personal care.
Assuming that cases remain at a controllable level and that no new variants emerge, restrictions will continue to ease every 5 weeks. Following this timeline it is expected that nearly all restrictions will be lifted on June 21st.
However, it is important to stress that cases are still high and that there is a responsibility on us all to ensure that the easing can continue as planned. The proposed roadmap could also be altered and delayed depending on the Government’s four tests being met.
The Government also announced that a further 1.4 million people would now be classified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable as a result of new evidence on a number of risk factors. This means that these individuals are advised to shield until March 31st. These individuals will now have priority access to the Coronavirus vaccine as well as other support should they be unable to work. Members may wish to check with their residents who should receive a letter from the Department for Health and Social Care, as well as the local council regarding the change.
You can find all our Coronavirus information here.
Posted 23 February 21
The Almshouse Association has written to all the Directors of Public Health regarding access to the Coronavirus vaccine for almshouse staff and residents.
We have so far received a number of positive responses from Directors around the country. In the file attached, members can see the status of response from their local authority in case action is required.
The Almshouse Association would urge our members to personally reach out to the local Director of Public Health or Director of Adult Social Services to flag your services directly. This is the most effective way of ensuring that your local council help your staff to access the vaccination.
There are also some local authorities who have advised that members should fill in a form which must be completed and returned to the local authority. Links to the forms have been included in the attached file.
Posted 20 Jan 21. Attachment to link updated 22 Feb 21
As a result of the ongoing national lockdown, the Government has announced guidance to protect renters.
This guidance is not legally binding, but suggests best practice. Whilst The Almshouse Association would advise its members to follow this guidance during the national lockdown, members should remember that the terminology used will not reflect the legal status of almshouse residents and should take additional advice where necessary.
The key measures announced are:
- Evictions will not be enforced whilst national restrictions are in place, except for the most egregious cases such as anti-social behaviour and fraud,
- Taken with the winter pause on enforcement of evictions, this means that there will not be any bailiff activity until 31 March 2021 at the earliest except in the most serious circumstances,
- Six month notice periods will remain in place until at least the end of August 2021, except for most serious cases.
Housing possession claims are able to be actioned through the courts, but evictions will not be enforced except in the most serious circumstances.
These serious circumstances are:
- Cases of illegal occupation,
- Anti-social behaviour,
- Fraud,
- Eviction of a perpetrator of domestic abuse in social housing
- Where a property is unoccupied following the death of a tenant.
MHCLG have said they also intend to introduce an exemption for extreme pre-COVID rent arrears and will provide more details on this in due course.
More information can be found here.
Posted 17 Feb 21
The Almshouse Association has partnered with Housing LIN for a research project which will enable us to better understand the benefits of living in an almshouse.
Current evidence in this area is difficult to find, with it largely coming via word of mouth. We know how brilliant almshouses are and the life changing opportunities they bring to those who live in them. Yet in our efforts to promote a better understanding of the almshouse model, we need firm evidence which we can present to stakeholders and politicians. It is hoped that this research will provide a cost-benefit analysis of the model, with the hope of allowing us to make a stronger argument for allowing more almshouses across the country. But we cannot complete this research without your help.
We know that you are busy, but you would really help to improve the quality of the research if you could fill in the survey by clicking in the link below. We understand you might not have access to all the data which is requested, but we would ask you to fill in as much as you are able to provide to allow us to create the most complete picture.
Housing LIN are also looking for participants to take part in some more in-depth interviews following on from the questionnaire. If you would like to take part then please include your details on the relevant question.
Thank you so much for your time. We all know the benefits of almshouses; now it’s time everyone else does!
posted 16 Feb 2021