Category: Disability

Barnet Council Proposes Cutting Welfare Team Post During Worst Cost of Living Crisis in 77 Years

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Disability, Local, News, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has today (9 September 2025) raised the alarm over a Barnet Council proposal to cut a vital post in the Welfare Team – the frontline service that supports residents struggling with debt, welfare benefits, and the cost of living.

The Council has opened a 30-day consultation (closing 8 October) on a restructure that would delete the equivalent of one full-time Income Maximisation Officer post. This is a low-paid role that helps residents navigate welfare benefits, manage debt, and access emergency support funds. The financial saving to the Council is minimal, but the human cost to vulnerable residents will be devastating.

Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary said:

“This is the worst cost of living crisis in 77 years. Thousands of Barnet residents are already struggling to pay their rent, heat their homes, and put food on the table. Cutting a frontline welfare advice post at this time is indefensible.

Our Welfare Team does life-saving work. The Council should be investing in these services, not taking them away. This cut will hit the poorest residents hardest, for the sake of a small budget saving.”

The consultation document acknowledges that these posts were originally created in January 2023 to respond to the cost-of-living crisis, delivering targeted outreach in Barnet’s most deprived communities. Despite this proven need, the Council is now proposing to reduce the team’s capacity.

Barnet UNISON will be responding to the consultation by calling on the Council to:

  • Withdraw the proposed cut and explore alternative funding options.
  • Guarantee no compulsory redundancies.
  • Recognise the vital role of low-paid staff who keep essential services running for Barnet’s residents.

UNISON will be engaging with staff, councillors, and the local community throughout the consultation to fight for these vital services.

Notes to Editors

  • The consultation runs from 9 September – 8 October 2025.
  • The proposal would reduce the number of Income Maximisation Officers from 9 to 8.
  • These staff support vulnerable residents with welfare benefits, debt advice, and financial support including the Resident Support Fund, Household Support Fund, and Discretionary Housing Payments.

For further information email the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

 

 

UNISON calls on Barnet Council to scrap plans to close vital mental health service

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Disability, Health and Safety, Local, National, News, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON has today published a report challenging Barnet Council’s proposal to close The Network, a long-standing community mental health prevention and recovery service.

Read our report in the link below

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Barnet-UNISON-Report-The-Future-of-The-Network.pdf

The Council’s own consultation shows 73% of respondents opposed closure — including 100% of carers — yet officers are still recommending that Cabinet votes to shut the service.

Barnet UNISON’s report sets out detailed evidence showing that:

  • The Network prevents crisis: Service users say it has kept them out of hospital, sustained their employment, and reduced isolation. One user told the consultation: “Without The Network, I would have ended up in hospital. It kept me going when nothing else was available.”
  • It is cost-effective: The service costs just £0.5m annually. Preventing as few as ten 14-day hospital admissions saves £280,000, over a third of the budget.
  • Alternatives cannot cope: The officer report lists other providers but gives no evidence of spare capacity or commitments to take additional referrals.
  • Equality impacts are serious: The Equalities Impact Assessment identifies disproportionate harm to working-age disabled women, which has been downplayed.
  • Labour values are at stake: National Labour policy stresses prevention, early help and keeping people in work. Closing The Network contradicts those commitments and risks reputational damage for Barnet Labour.
  • Legal risk: Closure exposes the Council to potential challenge under the Care Act 2014 (s.2 duty to prevent and delay need) and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The report also includes:

  • Appendix E – Practitioner Evidence: authored by the staff who deliver the service. It shows The Network supports 350–500 referrals annually, has one of the shortest waits in Adult Social Care, and plays a recognised role in suicide prevention.
  • An Addendum responding directly to the final Cabinet papers, rebutting claims of declining demand, alternative capacity, and robust transition planning.

UNISON Statement

John Burgess, Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON, said:

“Closing The Network is a false economy. It costs very little but saves the NHS and the Council huge sums by keeping people well, in work, and out of crisis. The consultation shows residents, carers, and professionals overwhelmingly oppose closure. Labour nationally is committed to expanding mental health support. Why would a Labour council do the opposite?”

Christina McAnea, UNISON General Secretary, has said:

“Slashing vital services that keep people well and independent is a false economy. Care should be a human right and a public service.”

Jon Richards, UNISON Assistant General Secretary, has warned:

“Cutting already overstretched services abandons some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

UNISON’s call to Barnet Council Cabinet

Barnet UNISON is urging Cabinet members to:

  1. Reject closure at the Cabinet meeting.
  2. Commission a genuine options appraisal — including integration into the Prevention & Wellbeing Team, joint-funding with NHS North Central London ICB, and service redesign.
  3. Require evidence of provider capacity before any change is considered.
  4. Re-run the EqIA with real evidence and lived-experience testimony.


Notes for editors


    

  • Barnet UNISON’s full report “The Future of The Network” (including Appendix E – Practitioner Evidence and Addendum to the final Cabinet report) is attached and available on request.
    • 

  • Appendices also include: Appendix A – Consultation, Appendix B – EqIA, Appendix D – Other Services.
    • 

  • The Network currently supports 165 active service users, processes 350–500 referrals annually, and provides suicide prevention, recovery groups, and employment support.
    • 



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Mental Health Workers and Service Users Unite to Save Barnet’s Network Service
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Disability, Local, News, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Mental Health Workers and Service Users Unite to Save Barnet’s Network Service


We are calling on Barnet Council to protect a lifeline mental health support service—the Network—currently under threat of closure.


The Network provides short-term, therapeutic support and wellbeing workshops to adults experiencing mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Operating from Finchley, the service has offered vital support to vulnerable residents while they await access to NHS Talking Therapies.


If this service is withdrawn, many people will be left without support at a time when demand for mental health care is surging. We are deeply concerned that the closure will lead to increased isolation, greater pressure on overstretched NHS services, and worsening mental health outcomes for some of Barnet’s most at-risk residents.


We urge all mental health professionals, service users, carers, and local residents to stand up and defend this essential service. Your voice can make the difference.


Have your say before the consultation closes on 14 July 2025.


🔗 Respond to the consultation: www.engage.barnet.gov.uk/the-network


📧 Email: CAHConsultation@barnet.gov.uk


Together, let’s show Barnet Council that mental health support matters—and the Network must stay.


 


Notes to Editors.


Contact details: Barnet UNISON on 0208 359 2088 or email: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
“3.2% is not good enough – members deserve better!”
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Demonstration, Disability, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, News, Pensions, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


The news is that the response of the employers to the joint trade union National Pay claim for £3,000 is 3.2%.


Barnet UNISON members can view what 3.2% means to their grade by clicking on the link below


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2025/04/24/national-pay-offer-3-2/


UNISON members know that their pay has fallen behind the cost of living and that they are “all now working one day a week for free.”


If we continue to fail to negotiate a pay award that directly deals with the cost-of-living crisis, soon public sector workers will be working “two days a week for free.”


We are in the worst cost-of-living crisis in 77 years.


Politicians seeking to confuse and defend poor pay talk about inflation rates falling as if that has improved things for our members.


Speaking to some of our lowest paid members in care homes, depots, and schools, they are seriously struggling to survive on poverty wages.


Inflation may go up and down, but prices are not going down and they keep rising:


    

  • 50% rise in local Bus Fares
    • 

  • 41% rise in Water Bills
    • 

  • 22% rise in Stamp prices
    • 

  • 18.4% rise in Energy Bills
    • 

  • 16% rise Rail Cards
    • 

  • 14% rise in Tuition Fees
    • 

  • 4.99% rise in Council Tax
    • 

  • 4.6% rise in Rail Fares
    • 



Whilst the poor are getting poorer, and the rich are getting richer.


We have been here before in 2009 our Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary set out his serious concerns in a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown 24 June 2009 


“Barnet Council has made efficiency savings of £80.9m over 7 years, £58.8m in the last 5 years” 


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/NO_PRIMEMINISTER_0.pdf


15 years ago, Barnet UNISON had concerns about poverty, privatisation and the emergence of the Far-Right politics. In Barnet Council we had hundreds of redundancies for several years as the Council claimed they were not being funded. Things haven’t changed and we had our first round of redundancies last December due to the current financial crisis.


What is clear is that the voices of our members across the Council across workplaces, be it a school, a depot, care home or day centre need to be heard and LOUDLY.


Barnet Council is lobbying the government for more funding, but there needs to be more pressure than that. We all need to add our voices for more funding


We are asking our members to sign the following Petition to Angela Rayner (who used to be a UNISON rep). This petition is not just for our members but can be signed by members’ family and friends or anyone who wants to see an end to the destruction of public services.


https://chng.it/6DSvxfZqhz


 


end.


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
			
	

		
		
Depot workers welcome guest speaker on Injuries at Work
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Disability, Health and Safety, Local, Repairs, Report, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON depot workers welcomed special guest speaker from Thompson’s Solicitors.


The guest speaker spoke about the free services for UNISON members provided by Thompsons.


The main part of the discussion was around reporting accidents at work.


Depot work environment. 


In any depot, where loading and unloading, bending and stretching defines the day, the importance of reporting accidents cannot be overstated.


For depot workers, whose labour is physically demanding, even seemingly minor incidents can have significant consequences. A sprained ankle dismissed as a “little twist,” or a cut brushed off as a “scratch,” can escalate into serious, long-term health issues if left unreported.


Reporting accidents is not about assigning blame; it’s about safeguarding wellbeing. It’s about creating a culture where a worker feels empowered to speak up without fear of reprisal. When an accident is reported, it triggers a chain of events designed to prevent recurrence. It allows for a thorough investigation, identifying potential hazards and implementing corrective measures. This not only protects the individual involved but also their colleagues, fostering a safer working environment for everyone.


Moreover, prompt reporting ensures access to necessary medical attention and support. Early intervention can significantly reduce recovery time and prevent complications. Ignoring an injury can lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and even permanent disability, impacting not only a worker’s livelihood but also their quality of life.


Ultimately, reporting accidents is a fundamental act of self-preservation. It’s an acknowledgment that a worker’s health and safety are paramount, and that their wellbeing matters. In the demanding environment of a manual depot, where physical resilience is crucial, reporting every incident, no matter how small, is a vital step towards ensuring a safe and healthy working life.


Barnet UNISON will use our #DepotWednesday meetings to remind and encourage our members to work safely and report, report and report.


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“Withdraw the compulsory redundancies”: £7,804,000
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Disability, Health and Safety, Housing, Local, News, Pensions, Recruitment, Repairs, Report, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Before our members read this article. It is important to note that there is no detriment to the best of our knowledge to the Pension Scheme because of the unlawful actions identified in the report going to Full Council on Tuesday 28 January 2025. This is confirmed in paragraph 10.2 of the report.


“It should also be emphasised that as the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a defined benefit scheme there is no impact as a result of these transactions on members’ benefits.”


 


What has happened?


UNISON has only recently discovered that something unlawful has taken place involving payments to the Council’s Pension Scheme.


The matter was first publicly discussed Pension Fund Committee – Tuesday 14th January 2025 7.00 pm. 


You can listen to the discussion by clicking on the link below. You need to scroll 1 hour and 6 minutes to hear the discussion about the unlawful payments.


https://aisapps.mediasite.com/AuditelScheduler/Player/Index/?id=a1c6cfd1-5311-44ae-94fa-6aff99b35ae6&presID=11f4679ca075408d948fb7b34a51a1811d


 


The next piece of critical information came to our attention when the reports were published for the Full Council on Tuesday 28 January 2025. 


One damning paragraph stands out:


“5.2.1 After taking advice, and based on the information available the Monitoring Officer and the Section151 Officer are of the view that the Additional Payments and the Repayments were unlawful.” 


Source: Report to all Elected members of London Borough of Barnet Under Section 5(2)(a) of the local Government and Housing Act 1989 and Section 114 (2)(a) Local Government Finance Act 1988 By Jessica Farmer Monitoring Officer and Kevin Bartle Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer).


https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s87758/Appendix%20A%20joint%20report%20S5S114.pdf


The report uses the term unlawful ten times unlawfully once and unlawfulness once.


It is a shocking report.


UNISON recommends that members read the above report that is being discussed at Council meeting.


The two paragraphs set out what happened:


“4.2 The Council (acting as a scheme employer) made a one-off prepayment of £20,477,000 to the Fund in April 2020 (“the Prepayment”) instead of secondary contributions for the years 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23. This was because the Council was advised that a Prepayment would save the Council money compared  with making secondary contributions over three years. The Council received leading counsel’s advice, which was taken without reference to the Monitoring Officer, that making the Prepayment was lawful in principle.”


“4.4 After the Prepayment, the Council continued to make periodic payments of (in effect) secondary contributions for the three financial years 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 (“Additional Payments”). These were made contrary to the Rates and adjustments Certificate. In effect, the Additional Payments would duplicate the Prepayment, and so officers also arranged that the Fund would repay most of the Additional Payment back to the Council in three annual repayments (“Repayments”). Because of a lack of documentation and staff turnover, the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer have not been able to understand clearly when or why the Additional Payments and Repayments were arranged. As far as the Monitoring Officer and current Section 151 Officer can tell, the most likely explanation is that, at the time, officers believed that the outcome of these fund flows would be advantageous for the Council in accounting terms, while not being disadvantageous to the Fund. In any event, the Additional Payments were made and two of the three planned Repayments have also been made: £6,508,000 in October 2020 and £7,574,000 in October 2021.”


For those of us who are not financial experts the two paragraphs explain that not only was an unlawful payment of £20,477,000 made into the Pension Fund but that a further three payments were made of the next three years which resulted in effect in a double payment into the Pension Fund. Towards the end of the final paragraph the Council explains that the Council clawed back two payments back but that once the unlawful payments had been discovered everything was put on hold.


Many of our members reading this report will know that they all are expected to follow Council procedures and understand what happens if you don’t follow. Many of our members will be wondering about who has the powers to authorise spend. The responsibilities for senior managers are set out in what is referred to as the Scheme of Delegation which you can read on the Council website here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s24780/Appendix%20D%20-%20Scheme%20of%20Delegated%20Authority%20to%20Officers.pdf


There are a number of questions UNISON has about how this could happen, but our immediate concern is in regard to the numerous redundancy consultations taking place.


£7.8million is a lot of money that is owed to the Council.


At this moment in time the Council is coming to a close on a number of redundancy consultations which, if confirmed, are going to mean staff will be made redundant. Vacancies will be deleted in teams where there is already increasing pressure on the workforce to deliver more with less resources and to work in a job where their pay has failed to keep up with the cost-of-living crisis.


It is UNISON’s understanding, and we would be happy to publicly correct it if we have misunderstood the report above, that Barnet Council is attempting to find a way to retrieve £7,804,000 back from the Council’s Pension Fund.


£7,804,000 is a lot of money and it is UNISON’s view that if this money were back in the Council’s bank account, then it could be used to mitigate some of the redundancies/cuts to public services which are about to be signed off by Barnet Council.


In the meantime, we have several questions.


    

  1. Was there a scheme of delegation for the Pension Fund?
    2. 

  2. If not, why not?
    3. 

  3. Who made the decision to make the prepayment?
    4. 

  4. Who decided to make the decision to subsequently carry on with payments that the prepayment was intended to cover?
    5. 

  5. Who can authorise a payment of up to £20million
    6. 

  6. What was the cost of the initial legal advice in 2020?
    7. 

  7. Who has authority to seek counsel’s opinion
    8. 

  8. Who did seek counsel’s opinion in this case?
    9. 

  9. Was counsel’s opinion seen by the monitoring officer?
    10. 

  10. If yes what was their opinion, if not why not?
    11. 

  11. Was the scheme was initiated by the council acting as the fund or as the employer i.e. did the pension fund ask them to do it?
    12. 

  12. What has been the total cost of legal advice and tax advice taken so far?
    13. 

  13. Has anyone been subject to a disciplinary investigation?
    14. 



 


Recommendations: 


As a result of the breaking news UNISON is demanding the following:


    

  1. The redundancies are withdrawn in anticipation that the monies owed can mitigate the need to make the redundancies in this year.
    2. 



 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
UNISON response to Barnet Council’s Restructure Proposals 2024/25
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Disability, H&S, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Barnet UNISON has, since September 2024, proposed financial savings which we believe should be tried before any of these other posts are deleted. To date we have had no response and instead our members’ jobs and services are now at risk.


Please see our budget saving recommendations below:




To view our report please click on the link below


UNISON response to Barnet Councils Restructure Proposals 2024


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/UNISON-response-to-Barnet-Councils-Restructure-Proposals-2024.pdf


 


 


 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
“No stone left unturned” Number 13: Economies of scale.
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Disability, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Day two of redundancy consultation across the Council workforce and still no responses from the employer to the UNISON proposals where the Council could and should be taking control of its spend.


This article is about economies of scale and how they could make savings which could prevent redundancies and service cuts.


Read on.


30 years ago, there was on Council with one Chief Executive and a smaller senior management team.


It was a larger Council because all the services that are currently outsourced such as Housing (Barnet Homes) Social Care (Your Choice Barnet) Parking Enforcement (NSL), School Catering (ISS), Cleaning (Norse) Education Services for Schools (BELS) Customer Services, Revs and Bens, Payroll, IT (Capita) used to be part of the Councils workforce.


12 years ago, Barnet Council under the Tories Administration created a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) which is 100% owned by Barnet Council.


They named it The Barnet Group (TBG).


The purpose of the company was to exploit workers by using their labour to provide essential services but deny those workers of the terms and conditions of a Council worker including the right to join the council Pension Scheme.


There are two companies within TBG. Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet.


In 2020, Barnet Council created another LATC for education services for schools called Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS) following the contract failure of a contractor who pulled out during Covid.


Both these LATCs are owned by Barnet Council.


The UNISON economies of scale proposal were for Barnet Council to conduct a review of back office services across all three organisations.


UNISON knows from some simple research published in our article “No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room. https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-10-barnet-homes-the-elephant-in-the-room/ that savings were inevitable with the ending of the outsourced Housing Services. UNISON has continued to campaign for an end to the appalling employment practices of both organisations by bringing services in-house which is in line with UNISONs National Policy ‘Bringing Services Home’.


If the Council is determined to maintain the two organisations it at the very least should end the waste in terms of running three back offices and run only one.


Whilst the deliberate underfunding of Councils rests solely with Tory Governments there are still opportunities for Barnet Council to take responsibility for things they do control, and this is one of them.


Barnet UNISON is now representing members across the workforce who are at risk of redundancy. In redundancy consultations the employer must demonstrate they are making all efforts to control spend to avoid redundancy.


To date we have not heard anything back.


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