Haringey 'forced labour' protestors celebrate victory - and line up next target...
Homes for Haringey new target in campaign against compulsory unpaid work
DIY chain Homebase has withdrawn from a controversial government scheme for jobseekers after a series of protests outside their store in Harringay Green Lanes.
The protests by Haringey Solidarity Group and others (1) targeted the 'workfare' scheme, under which some people claiming Jobseekers? Allowance have been forced to work, unpaid, in order to keep receiving
benefits. Refusal to take part may result in peoples? benefits being stopped. Last month this scheme to provide unpaid labour, that many call 'Workfare', was found to be operating in Haringey. The Homebase
store on Green Lanes had over 20 workfare placements and benefitted from 750 hours of unpaid labour every week.
- Details
- Published: 06 June 2013
Genesis Housing Association to evict Haringey benefit cap families
A major provider of temporary accommodation in Haringey is initiating eviction proceedings against households affected by the benefit cap.
In the last couple of weeks, some tenants of properties leased by Genesis Housing Association have received letters telling them that they would be seeking a Possession Order to evict the tenant.
- Details
- Published: 02 May 2013
No Evictions! Protest at Genesis HA, Thurs 9 May, 8am
No Evictions! Cut Rents Not Benefits
Protest : Thursday 9th May, 8am, at Genesis Housing Association Head Office
Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London, NW1 5DT (next to Edgware Rd tube, circle Line exit)
With the pilot of the Government's benefit cap starting in four London boroughs on April 15, Genesis Housing Association wasted no time in threatening affected tenants with eviction. In fact, the trial had not even begun when they informed 57 residents in temporary accommodation that with the cap set at £350 for single people and £500 for families, that they "may not be able to afford the rent we charge" and that "Genesis will now need to start legal proceedings to obtain a Possession Order on the property as we may need to terminate our lease with the property owner early."
- Details
- Published: 07 May 2013
28 days later... We still want to Scrap the Benefit Cap - protest Tues 14 May, Apex Hse, Tottenham
28 days later, with the effects of the cap beginning to kick in, we will be outside Apex House on Seven Sisters Road to maintain our opposition to a policy that will only serve to increase poverty and break up communities. Join us!
Cap Rents not Benefits - Scrap the Benefit Cap
Tuesday 14th May, 9am, Haringey Council, Apex House, 820 Seven Sisters Road, N15 5PQ
- Details
- Published: 09 May 2013
Report of Protest at Genesis HQ
On Thursday 10 May, over 15 people from Haringey and Brent travelled to Edgware Road to hold a protest outside the main offices of Genesis Housing Association - a major social landlord in the borough.
In April, the Conservative-Liberal coalition trialed a benefit cap on 4 London boroughs, one of which is Haringey. This has slashed the amount of benefits that the poorest in our borough can claim - meaning less money to spend on children, food, clothing and rent.
Genesis had recently sent out letters to 57 Haringey residents, informing them that they were beginning court proceedings to evict them, because the tenants were affected by these welfare reforms.
- Details
- Published: 10 May 2013
Report of Harringay Homebase anti-workfare picket - Mon 27 May
by Dee 
I arrived at Homebase, Harringay, several minutes late for a noon picket against workfare, and was just about to start leafletting when a couple of managers came out to talk to us. One of them was the store manager, and the other was from head office.
The woman from head office said that no one at the store had been on workfare, but when we pointed out that this was the general term for the five government schemes and asked her which scheme they were operating, she was unable to tell us which one - nor did the store manager know (or, if he knew, wasn't telling).
- Details
- Published: 28 May 2013
Council Tax Benefit Cut - anti-poverty campaigner's solidarity stance
This is a statement from Paul Nicholson from Taxpayers Against Poverty:
I am refusing to pay my council tax in support of the many people in the uk suffering under the catastrophic and very unfair benefit cuts and caps, who are also charged a council tax they cannot pay.
This is a personal decision for which I am entirely responsible; it is taken without the prior knowledge of the Church of England or of the NGOs with which I am associated.
- Details
- Published: 30 April 2013
Protest at Landlords Forum - Tues 19 Feb, 5pm!
Bring rents down! No evictions!
Join Haringey Solidarity Group and Haringey Housing Action Group on at the:
Haringey Landlords Forum
Tuesday 19 February, 5pm at Wood Green Civic Centre
High Road, Wood Green, N22 (5 mins walk up the hill from Wood Green tube)
Come and join us at the Haringey Landlords Forum, where up to 100 landlords from around the borough will be meeting with the council. We will have the chance to ask them to reverse their decisions to evict tenants, raise rents, and refuse to rent to housing benefit claimants. If you can't make it at 5pm, feel free to come later.
- Details
- Published: 18 February 2013
21 Families who live at Connaught House, Muswell Hill are being made homeless
The Metropolitan Police are planning to make 21 families homeless by reclaiming the land for profitable redevelopment.
AS YET THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN PLANNING PERMISSION MEANING THESE BUILDINGS COULD LIE EMPTY (AND OPEN TO VANDALISM) FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
By doing this, they will be ripping the heart out of the community that lives here.
Please do all you can to come and show your support at a meeting on:
TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY
7pm, The British Legion, Muswell Hill Road, N10 3NG
Some of the residents, having lived here for over 20 years (and brought up children and raised families), have been informed by Crown Housing Association and Haringey Council that they have no legal obligation to re-house them, thus making them homeless.
In the current climate, where Social Housing is already under extreme pressure, virtually non existent; is making another 21 families homeless, the best solution? Are the financial needs of the Metropolitan Police greater than those of people\'s lives?
BAILIFFS ARE DUE THE 2ND WEEK IN MARCH!
If there is one single thing you do in your life to help someone else...please make it this xx
7pm, Tuesday 12 February, The British Legion, Muswell Hill Road, N10 3NG
Contact \n This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. \"> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.
- Details
- Published: 05 February 2013
Stop the Great Fuel Robbery - Fri 15 Feb, 11am - Wood Green Peoples Assembly
Thirteen of the 19 wards in Haringey are likely to be at risk from fuel poverty. One in four households in the UK are choosing between heating and eating this winter, as fuel bills hit record highs.
But the government keeps cutting and the profits of the Big Six energy companies keep rising.
Meanwhile, the government and Big Six want to generate more of our energy from dirty and expensive gas power, which will send fuel bills even higher and contribute to rising food prices through climate change.
Join us in Haringey as part of a UK-wide weekend of fuel bill assemblies and action!
Friday 15th February, 11am
outside Wood Green Library, High Road, N22
- Details
- Published: 12 February 2013
Homes for Haringey and Groundwork picketed over workfare
On Monday 18 March, North London Solidarity Federation picketed the Homes For Haringey offices in Wood Green and the depot for Groundwork, in Tottenham, who are employed by the Council to provide gardening and improvement services on estates in the area. The demonstration was against Groundwork's use of workfare; unemployed people are forced by Jobcentres to do the work. They are not being paid for it and they can't refuse or they would lose their benefits for two months.
- Details
- Published: 01 April 2013
