Category: Your Choice Barnet

Cost of Living Crisis: What Barnet UNISON Is Doing — and Why Your Vote Matters

Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Cost of Living Crisis, Equal Pay, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, Local, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

Every week Barnet UNISON speaks to members who are doing essential public service work — and struggling to make ends meet. That should never be normal. Yet in one of the most expensive cities in the world, too many Barnet workers are facing rising rents, higher food bills, increased energy costs, and transport fares that keep going up while pay falls behind.

We are seeing the reality on the ground: members skipping meals, taking second jobs, worrying about heating bills, and telling us they feel worse off now than at any time in their working lives.

Barnet UNISON has not stood back and watched this happen. We have built a coordinated Cost-of-Living response based on organising, bargaining and legal challenge. We are currently running ten separate cost-of-living campaigns across the employers where our members work.

Our 10 Cost of Living Campaigns

1. Equal Pay campaign across three employers

2. Pay claim for housing workers

3. Terms and conditions claim for housing workers

4. LGPS pension claim for housing workers

5. Pay claim for care workers

6. Terms and conditions claim for care workers

7. LGPS pension claim for care workers

8. Holiday payments claim for Barnet Council workers

9. Holiday payments claim for housing and care workers

10. Pay claim for outsourced cleaners

This is one of the most extensive cost-of-living responses our branch has ever mounted. It reflects what members have told us repeatedly: the problem is not one single issue — it is pay, pensions, insecure terms, unpaid entitlements, and historic inequality all combining to squeeze household incomes.

Low Pay in a High-Cost City: The Reality

Low pay is not accidental. It grows when employers hold down wages, delay reviews, outsource services, and maintain unequal pay structures.

Meanwhile, the cost of living in London continues to rise. Housing costs remain among the highest in the country. Inflation over recent years has pushed up the price of everyday essentials. When wages lag behind prices year after year, workers get poorer even while working just as hard — or harder — than before.

That is not sustainable for individuals, for families, or for the services we provide.

What the Union Is Doing — and What Happens Next

Our job as your union is to turn frustration into leverage. That means submitting claims, negotiating firmly, campaigning publicly, using legal routes where appropriate, and — when members support it — preparing for industrial action.

Across all ten campaigns, we are pressing employers to negotiate seriously and settle fairly. Some campaigns focus on immediate pay uplift. Others address structural unfairness that has cost members money over many years. All are about restoring value to your work.

The Most Important Message: Members Decide

There is one point we want to be absolutely clear about:

Members decide.

Ballots matter. Consultations matter. Voting matters. Whether a claim settles, escalates, or moves to the next stage depends on member participation and member votes.

The future of each of these campaigns will not be decided in a boardroom alone — it will be determined by how members vote.

When we organise and vote together, we are strongest.

End.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2026 Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”

Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Disability, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 January 2026

Your Choice Barnet care workers demand fair pay, fair terms and access to LGPS — “time to end this injustice”

Barnet UNISON has submitted a formal Pay and Terms & Conditions claim to The Barnet Group (TBG) on behalf of workers delivering adult social care through Your Choice Barnet, including staff on YCB contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.

The union says the claim is aimed at ending a long-running “two-tier workforce”, where care and support workers delivering publicly commissioned services are not on council terms and conditions and do not have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).



What Your Choice Barnet workers are demanding (from 1 April 2026)


The claim, submitted for the 2026/27 period, includes:


PAY


An increase of £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across pay points/rates


A £15 per hour minimum rate for all staff


Applied consistently to overtime, sleep-ins/unsocial hours payments, enhancements, allowances and other pay-related payments, with no detrimental changes to existing arrangements


TERMS & CONDITIONS


A two-hour reduction in the standard working week with no loss of pay, implemented in a way that protects service users and staffing levels Harmonisation to a standard 36 hour contract


One additional day of annual leave


ENDING THE TWO-TIER WORKFORCE


A commitment to move Your Choice Barnet staff onto equivalent core terms and conditions to Barnet Council/NJC standards


A single, transparent pay structure with clear progression, equality-proofed arrangements, covering all staff including those on TBG Flex contracts


PENSIONS


Access to the LGPS, including a route-map meeting with stakeholders (TBG, Barnet Pension Fund/LBB as administering authority, and UNISON), and no detriment to staff


Barnet UNISON has requested a formal negotiation meeting and has given management four weeks to respond.




“Care workers are being exploited in one of the most expensive cities in the world”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair and UNISON SGE representative, said:


“Your Choice Barnet staff provide vital care and support to vulnerable adults, yet many are treated as second-class compared to council employees delivering public services. Keeping care workers outside council terms and conditions and excluding them from the Local Government Pension Scheme is unfair — and it amounts to exploitation of a predominantly low-paid workforce.


“This is London, one of the most expensive cities in the world. People who deliver life-changing care should not be forced to do so on worse terms and without a proper public service pension.


“It’s time to end this injustice. Barnet UNISON’s claim is straightforward: fair pay, fair conditions, and access to LGPS for the care workers who keep services going every day. We are calling on The Barnet Group to negotiate seriously and reach a fair settlement.”


Notes to editors


    

  • Your Choice Barnet delivers adult social care services on behalf of the London Borough of Barnet and is part of The Barnet Group.
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents care and support staff across Barnet, including staff employed by The Barnet Group and its subsidiaries.
    • 

  • The claim applies to Your Choice Barnet staff, including those on TBG contracts and “TBG Flex” contracts.
    • 



Contact


For more information, interviews, or to support the campaign:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


End. 


2026.01.07 leaflet (YCB)

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
Equal Pay Update 2026: Complete Your Case Form & Register for Our AGM (Tue 24 February, from 4pm)
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Equal Pay, Local, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Happy New Year to all Barnet UNISON members.


We’re starting 2026 with real momentum on our Equal Pay campaign. More than 550 UNISON members have now completed the Equal Pay case form — an outstanding achievement and a strong sign of the collective determination of our membership.


But there is more to do.


To protect every member’s position and ensure nobody misses out, we need to make sure all eligible members complete the Equal Pay case form, even if you’re not sure whether the claim applies to you.




Why completing the case form matters


Many members have told us they didn’t think the Equal Pay issue applied to them. However, from conversations with hundreds of staff across the council and related workplaces, it’s clear that people’s roles, patterns of work, job histories, and pay arrangements can differ — and that can affect whether an Equal Pay claim applies.


Completing the case form ensures UNISON has the information needed to assess your situation properly and progress the case.


Is there a deadline?


There is no formal deadline at the moment.

However, that could change quickly, depending on how the process develops. The safest approach is: complete your case form as soon as possible.




Barnet UNISON AGM: Guest speaker on Equal Pay


To help members understand what Equal Pay claims can look like in practice — and what happens when they are resolved — we’re pleased to announce a guest speaker at our AGM:


Barnet UNISON AGM

Tuesday 24 February

From 4pm onwards

(Details of venue/online access will be confirmed in the registration information.)


Guest Speaker: David Hughes (Birmingham UNISON)


We will be joined by David Hughes, Birmingham UNISON and SGE representative for the West Midlands on UNISON’s Local Government Service Group.


David is one of many workers who benefited from the Equal Pay award in Birmingham, where thousands of council staff received payments. He will speak from direct experience about:


    

  • How Equal Pay claims are resolved
    • 

  • How payments are calculated and made
    • 

  • What members can expect during the process
    • 

  • A Q&A session so you can ask your questions directly
    • 



This is a valuable opportunity to hear first-hand from someone who has been through an Equal Pay process and received an Equal Pay payment.




What you need to do now (two actions)


✅ 1) Register for the AGM (required to attend)

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barnet-unison-annual-general-meeting-2026-hybrid-tickets-1974770786582?aff=oddtdtcreator


 


✅ 2) To request your Equal Pay case form

Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Need help?


If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, or you need support completing the case form, please contact Barnet UNISON and we will help.


Contact the branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Let’s keep the momentum going. Completing the case form and attending the AGM are two simple actions that strengthen our collective case and help ensure members don’t miss out.


In solidarity,


Barnet UNISON


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
500+ Barnet workers take a stand for Equal Pay — and we’re just getting started
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Equal Pay, Local, National, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Barnet UNISON has now collected over 500 Equal Pay claims from members working for London Borough of Barnet (LBB), The Barnet Group (TBG) and Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS).


That’s a major milestone — and it matters for one simple reason: when workers act together, we protect each other and we win change. Every new claim signed is another colleague saying: “I won’t be left behind. I won’t be short-changed. I’m standing up for what’s lawful and fair.”


Helen Davies, Barnet UNISON Branch Chair, said:

“Reaching 500 claims shows the strength of feeling among Barnet workers and the power of members standing together. Equal pay is a legal right — not a bonus and not a ‘nice to have’. This campaign is about fairness, dignity, and making sure people—especially those in undervalued roles—aren’t asked to carry on accepting less than they’re lawfully entitled to. If you haven’t submitted your form yet, please don’t wait: it takes less than 10 minutes, and Barnet UNISON will support you every step of the way.”


A growing campaign — powered by members


The momentum is building because more members are hearing the message, asking questions, and talking to colleagues at work. People are realising this isn’t “someone else’s issue” — it’s about protecting your rights and making sure you don’t miss out on what you may be owed under the law.


This campaign is about equal pay for work of equal value. Across local government and related employers, many roles dominated by women have historically been undervalued, while other roles have been rewarded differently — even where the work is comparable in responsibility, effort, skill, and impact. Equal Pay is not a favour. It’s a legal right.


Others are winning — and we can too


Across England and Wales, workers like us have been organising, submitting claims, and winning improved pay and compensation through equal pay campaigns. That’s not happening by accident — it’s happening because union members are doing exactly what Barnet UNISON members are doing now: getting informed, getting organised, and getting their paperwork in.


We’re building the same kind of strength here in Barnet: member by member, workplace by workplace, school by school.


Don’t miss out — act now


If you haven’t completed your case forms yet, this is your moment.


Please don’t lose out. Completing the forms takes less than 10 minutes, and it could make a real difference. Barnet UNISON can support you through the process — and we can also visit workplaces and schools to help members sign up and talk colleagues through it.


✅ To get support, just email: contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Let’s keep building this campaign — and make sure nobody is left behind.


Complete your forms. Encourage a colleague. Protect your lawful rights.


End.

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Barnet UNISON pushes for immediate London Living Wage uplift — “our members can’t wait six months”
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


London, 31 October 2025 — Barnet UNISON is relentlessly pursuing the urgent implementation of the new London Living Wage (LLW) of £14.80 for all workers delivering Barnet Council services — now, not in six months’ time.


The union has formally written to every Council officer responsible for outsourced contracts — including Cleaning (Norse), Social Care (Your Choice Barnet), Security (Blue Nine), Parking Enforcement (APCOA), and Schools Catering (ISS) — urging them to instruct their contractors to uplift pay with immediate effect in line with the Living Wage Foundation’s new London rate.


Helen Davies, Branch Chair, Barnet UNISON, said:

“Delaying the £14.80 London Living Wage until April means months more of avoidable hardship for low-paid staff who keep services running for Barnet residents. Our members are already making impossible choices — cutting back on heating, skipping meals, falling behind on rent — in one of the most expensive capital cities in the world. The uplift is needed now to protect health, dignity and service quality.”


Barnet UNISON says the case for immediate action is overwhelming. Households are still facing elevated energy bills, rising rents, and ongoing increases in food prices. Implementing £14.80 now would provide urgent relief, help retain experienced staff, reduce agency churn, and protect continuity of frontline services across Barnet.


Barnet UNISON’s call to action


    

  • Apply £14.80 LLW now across all relevant contracts and subcontractors.
    • 

  • Confirm a short, time-bound implementation plan and back-pay arrangements.
    • 

  • Work with Barnet UNISON to resolve any operational barriers quickly.
    • 



ENDS


Media contact:

Email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Notes to editors:


    

  • The Living Wage Foundation announced the 2025–26 London Living Wage of £14.80 on 22 October 2025 and expects accredited employers to implement as soon as possible (deadline 1 May 2026). (livingwage.org.uk)
    • 

  • Energy bills: Ofgem’s price cap for 1 Oct–31 Dec 2025 is £1,755 for a typical dual-fuel household — up on the previous quarter and still well above pre-crisis levels. (Ofgem)
    • 

  • Rents: ONS reports UK private rents up about 5–6% year-on-year; London’s rental inflation was 5.3% in the 12 months to September 2025. Average rent remains highest in London. (Office for National Statistics)
    • 

  • Food prices: The annual inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was 4.5% in September 2025 (ONS). Prices are still rising year-on-year even as the rate eases. (Office for National Statistics)
    • 

  • Cost of living in London: Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living City Ranking places London 8th globally, underscoring persistent affordability pressures in the capital. (Mercer)
    • 


			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON urges The Barnet Group to implement new London Living Wage now
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


London, 31 October 2025 — Barnet UNISON has written to The Barnet Group (TBG) calling for the immediate implementation of the new London Living Wage of £14.80 for all eligible staff, rather than waiting until 1 April.


Barnet UNISON says the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to hit low-paid workers hard and that bringing in the uplift now would provide urgent relief for key frontline staff who support Barnet residents every day.


Helen Davies Barnet UNISON Branch Chair, said:

“Delaying the £14.80 London Living Wage until April means months more of avoidable hardship for the lowest-paid staff in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Our members are telling us they’re choosing between heating and eating. Implementing the new rate now is the right, fair and practical step—and it will also help retain experienced staff and sustain services for residents.”


In its letter to TBG’s Chief Executive, Barnet UNISON requests:


    

  • Applying the £14.80 London Living Wage with the next available payroll; and
    • 

  • A clear timetable to uplift relevant contracted workers within TBG’s control in line with Living Wage commitments.
    • 



Barnet UNISON has asked to meet urgently with TBG to agree the implementation plan.


ENDS


Media contact:

Barnet UNISON contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Notes to editors:


    

  • The London Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate based on the real cost of living in the capital.
    • 

  • The new rate is £14.80, up from £13.85.
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents workers across The Barnet Group delivering housing and support services to residents.
    • 



 

			

		

		
		


	
		
			
	

		
		
Barnet launches major Equal Pay action spanning council and LATCs — ‘EasyCouncil’ faces first London-wide test case
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, National, News, Schools, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release: 


Barnet launches major Equal Pay action spanning council and LATCs — ‘EasyCouncil’ faces first London-wide test case


Barnet UNISON has today submitted three collective grievances triggering a borough-wide Equal Pay claim across the London Borough of Barnet, The Barnet Group (TBG) and Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) — the council’s two wholly owned arm’s-length companies (LATCs).


Branded “EasyCouncil” during its peak outsourcing years, Barnet now faces an Equal Pay challenge that cuts across council services and its LATCs, echoing the ground-breaking 2023 Glasgow decision confirming that local authority trading companies are not a shield against Equal Pay liability where the council is the single source capable of rectifying pay inequality.


Helen Davies, Branch Chair, Barnet UNISON, said:

“Women in Barnet’s schools, care and community services have waited long enough. We’ve now filed Equal Pay grievances with all three employers because the evidence is overwhelming — and because LATC status doesn’t make discrimination disappear. If Southampton, Sheffield and Birmingham can settle multi-million-pound claims, so can Barnet.”


Barnet UNISON’s case covers multiple strands including task-and-finish uplifts, Christmas bonus payments, DLO payments, and pension access issues for LATC staff. The union is seeking a negotiated, borough-wide settlement framework that treats council and LATC workers consistently, rather than siloed processes.


A fast-growing national picture


Barnet’s action lands as councils across Britain confront Equal Pay liabilities:


    

  1. Southampton City Council – Settlement agreed (July 2025) for ~800 staff; task-and-finish disparity.
    2. 

  2. Sheffield City Council – Agreement (Sept 2025): ~3,600 staff / ~260 roles; ~£36m redress.
    3. 

  3. Birmingham City Council – Framework to settle (Dec 2024) following Section 114.
    4. 

  4. Coventry City Council – ~680 claims ongoing (2025); >£30m exposure; ET listed Nov 2026.
    5. 

  5. Brighton & Hove City Council – Claims lodged/flagged (2024–25), thousands indicated.
    6. 

  6. Bradford MDC – Legal action launched (July 2025) for female-dominated roles.
    7. 

  7. Knowsley Council – Union warns of “tens of millions” exposure (Oct 2025).
    8. 

  8. Leeds City Council – Unions inviting case forms (2024–25).
    9. 

  9. Derby City Council – Ongoing disputes; >£1.5m spent defending cases.
    10. 

  10. BCP Council – Corporate papers flag equal-pay litigation risk (2024–25).
    
Scotland:
    11. 

  11. Glasgow City Council – Continuing settlements/updates (2023–25); key LATC precedent.
    12. 

  12. Fife Council – Tribunal success reported (July 2022); further claims lodged.
    13. 

  13. Falkirk, Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire – Equal-pay disputes/strikes (2024).
    14. 



Helen Davies added:

“This could be the first of several London Equal Pay cases. Barnet helped pioneer outsourcing; now it should lead on putting pay equality right — across the council and the companies it owns.”


Call to the employer


Barnet UNISON has invited the Council, TBG and BELS to enter a Memorandum of Understanding for structured negotiations covering data disclosure, scope, timelines and remedies, so staff don’t wait years for justice.


Media contact:

Barnet UNISON – contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


Notes to editors:


    

  • Recent settlements referenced include Southampton (UNISON South East), Sheffield (Sheffield City Council), and Birmingham (City Council/union statements).
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents staff employed by Barnet Council, The Barnet Group, and BELS.
    • 

  • The Glasgow (2023) Equal Pay outcome reinforced that council-owned LATCs can fall within the single-source test for Equal Pay liability.
    • 


			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
PRESS RELEASE: Equal Pay Momentum Builds in Barnet – Care and School Staff Sign Up in Their Hundreds
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, National, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
 




Barnet UNISON has revealed a surge of support for its Equal Pay campaign, with hundreds of care workers and school support staff already signed up and hundreds more contacting the branch to join the claim.


Across Barnet’s schools, care homes, and community services, women workers are taking action to protect their legal rights to equal pay.

UNISON says that the growing number of sign-ups shows the level of frustration among staff who have seen their real pay fall while the cost of living continues to rise.


Helen Davies, Branch Chair of Barnet UNISON, said:

“Our members have seen what’s happened in Southampton and Sheffield — ordinary council workers winning millions in back pay.

Now Barnet’s care workers and school staff are saying loud and clear: we deserve fairness too.”


The Equal Pay campaign has seen record engagement, with UNISON visiting schools and care workplaces across the borough to help staff complete their case forms and understand their rights under the Equality Act.


Helen Davies added:

“This is just the beginning.

Every week more members are signing up because they know that in a cost-of-living crisis, no one can afford to miss out on what they’re owed.”


📅 Equal Pay Surgeries: Every Tuesday in October

📍 UNISON Office, Colindale

📧 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


END. 


 


 


 


 


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
	

		
		
For immediate release Equal Pay Storm Builds in Barnet – Hundreds Join the Claim
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Local, Membership, News, Schools, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


Union says Barnet must follow other councils who’ve settled multimillion-pound Equal Pay cases


Barnet UNISON has confirmed that hundreds of council and school staff have already signed up to join its growing Equal Pay claim, as pressure mounts on the Council to follow the lead of other local authorities who have recently reached multi-million-pound settlements.


The branch reports an overwhelming response from members, with workers across the borough requesting UNISON visits to their schools, offices, and depots to sign up and protect their legal rights.


Recent settlements at Southampton City Council (£49.2 million) and Sheffield City Council (£36 million) have inspired Barnet staff to demand action on long-standing pay inequalities.


Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON, said:

“The message from our members could not be clearer – if Southampton and Sheffield can settle, then so can Barnet.

Hundreds of mainly low-paid women have already joined this claim because they want fairness, respect, and justice. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, they shouldn’t have to fight to be paid equally for work of equal value.”


UNISON has announced weekly Equal Pay Surgeries every Tuesday in October at the Colindale UNISON Office, where members can get advice and complete their Equal Pay case forms.


The branch is calling on Barnet Council to work with the unions to reach a fair settlement and avoid a protracted legal battle.


UNISON added:

“Barnet workers have waited long enough. Our members are organised, determined, and ready to see this Equal Pay claim resolved.”


Notes to editors:


    

  • The Southampton settlement (July 2025) involved 800 staff and was valued at £49.2 million.
    • 

  • The Sheffield settlement (September 2025) involved 3,600 staff in 260 roles and was valued at £36 million.
    • 

  • Barnet UNISON represents staff employed by Barnet Council, The Barnet Group (TBG), and Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS).
    • 



📅 Equal Pay Surgeries: Every Tuesday in October

📍 UNISON Office, Colindale

📧 contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


ENDS

			

		

		
		


	

			  

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