Living - Residents' Newsletter - Winter 2017

Opening Doors – Enhancing Lives

www.clwydalyn.co.uk www.tyglas.co.uk

Residents’ Newsletter – Winter 2017

In this issue: Pg 4 - Universal Credit Pg 11 - Help available to pay your water bill Pg 14 - Competition Time!

Pg 8-9 - Our community events

Pg 10 Rent First

Telephone: 0800 183 5757 or 01745 536800 Email: enquiries@clwydalyn.co.uk Clwyd Alyn and Tŷ Glas are charitable Registered Societies

WELCOME

Keep up to date with the latest news and events on Facebook and Twitter Don’t forget to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages, where we update you with everything that’s happening. Post on our wall if you want to ask anything, discover more about what’s going on in your neighbourhood and find out what we’re doing in your community.

We post service updates as well as news from the Group, developments, job vacancies and local events.

Like us: facebook.com/PennafHGroup Follow us: @PennafHGroup

CONTENTS

page

News flash ꢀÃ

3

Universal Credit ꢀÃ Full service is on it's way!

4

Application forms out ꢀÃ now for Extra Care Schemes

5

Need to make ꢀÃ minor adaptations to your home?

6

New roles ꢀÃ

7

Tenant pulse - are you ꢀÃ a Tenant in Wales?

7

Get online ꢀÃ Resident portal

7

Community events ꢀÃ

8-9

Rent first ꢀÃ

10

In house cleaning ꢀÃ taking shape

11

Help available to pay ꢀÃ your water bill

11

From the front line ꢀÃ

12-13

Competition time ꢀÃ

14

CONTACT DETAILS We always want to hear about your local news. If you have any articles you would like to include in the next newsletter, please send them to Gareth on the contact details below.

01745 536843

gareth.hughesroberts@clwydalyn.co.uk

Like us: facebook.com/PennafHGroup Follow us: @PennafHGroup

www.clwydalyn.co.uk

72 Ffordd William Morgan, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, Denbighshire, LL17 0JD.

Payment of Board Members Following an independently prepared business case, it has been agreed to commence the payment of Board Members for their services, in line with the recent permission issued by the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children. This has been common practice for Associations in England for a number of years, but we will be the first Housing Association to do this in Wales, though others are expected to follow relatively quickly.

Experience in England has shown that payment assists in the recruitment of high calibre Board Members with the expertise and skills to manage the highly complex businesses that Housing Associations have become and steer them forward in the more competitive environment that we are having to operate in.

In return we can expect an enhanced level of commitment on the part of Members than if they are present in a purely voluntary capacity.

The actual levels of payment are; Pennaf Chair £8,500 a year, Clwyd Alyn and Tŷ Glas Chair £5,500 a year and a Board Member £3,500 a year. These have been agreed by benchmarking against existing payments within similar associations. They will be fixed for a 3 year period at the end of which, they will be independently reviewed. The overall cost per annum will be around £60,000, representing 0.0016% of our annual turnover.

The Welsh Government Regulator has been informed of the proposal.

Retirement of our Chief Executive Graham Worthington, Chief Executive of the Pennaf Housing Group has announced he is to retire from the organisation in March 2018 after 22 years leading the Group.

Graham has worked in housing for more than 30 years and he became Chief Executive of Clwyd Alyn in 1995.

Following the launch of Pennaf as an umbrella housing organisation leading the way in housing services provision across north and mid Wales in 2003, he has seen the Group expand to currently employ 667 staff and manage a diverse portfolio of 5,900 homes across Powys, Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire, Conwy County and the Isle of Anglesey.

“My time with Pennaf has always been one of taking an innovative approach, finding creative solutions to the changing environment in which we operate. Most of all though, I’m glad to have been part of an organisation which has provided housing solutions for thousands of people across North and Mid Wales and I’d like to thank both past and present Staff Board Members and our Resident Volunteers for their dedication and support over the years.”

0800 183 5757 or 01745 536 800 Out of hours emergency repair call: 0300 123 30 91 2 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

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Application forms OUT NOW for our Extra Care Schemes

Universal Credit – Full service is on its way!

Universal Credit (UC) is a single monthly payment for people in or out of work.

It replaces some of the benefits and tax credits that you might be getting now: Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance • Income Support • Child Tax Credit • Working Tax Credit • Housing Benefit.

Until recently UC has only been available in “live service” areas. However, the DWP have since announced the roll out of their “full digital service”. People currently claiming UC on the live service will be transferred to the full service along with all new claimants.

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April 2017 – Flintshire October 2017 - Wrexham April 2018 – Denbighshire June 2018 – Conwy June 2018 – Anglesey October 2018 – Powys

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If you make a new claim for Universal Credit you will not be paid for the first seven days.

These days are known as waiting days.

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule (see below).

Don’t let this stop you making your claim and apply as soon as you are entitled to do so as it can take up to six weeks after you claim for your first payment to reach your account.

The seventh day after you make your claim is the date of the month on which your Universal Credit Payment will be paid each month. This is called your assessment date.

Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears so you’ll have to wait one calendar month from your assessment date before your first UC payment is made. This is called your assessment period.

You then have to wait up to seven days for the payment to reach your bank account.

This means it can take up to six weeks before you get your first payment.

If you are struggling to manage whilst waiting for the first payment you can request an “advanced payment”. This will be repaid in instalments from your ongoing award.

When the seven-day waiting period won’t apply The seven-day waiting period won’t apply if, for example you: • Have claimed Universal Credit within the past six months

4 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

Are splitting up from or moving in with someone who’s already claiming Universal Credit Are moving on to Universal Credit from another benefit Are terminally ill Are vulnerable, for example you’ve recently been a victim of domestic violence or are leaving care or prison

Hafan Cefni – Llangefni 63 Extra Care 1 and 2 bedroom high quality apartments for rent, with communal facilities.

15 apartments are specifically designed and adapted for people with memory loss or living with dementia.

Claim example

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A few things to know about Universal Credit: If you get help with your rent, this will be included in your monthly payment – you’ll then pay your landlord directly. However, in certain circumstances rent can be paid direct to your landlord.

If you live with someone as a couple and you are both entitled to claim UC, you will get one monthly joint payment paid into a single bank account.

UC is paid monthly in arrears, so it can take up to six weeks after you make your claim to get your first payment.

There are no limits on how many hours a week you can work if you’re claiming UC. Instead, the amount you get will gradually reduce as you earn more, so you won’t lose all your benefits at once.

In UC full service you can only make a claim online.

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Explaining the Universal Credit payment further

Full service time frame: • • • • • •

When in receipt of UC you will have access to a work coach who can help you with things like, finding work, increasing the hours you work, getting more prepared for when you are able to work by learning new work skills or life skills.

Helping you to improve your income is central to the Universal Credit service.

Look out for new changes to UC in 2018, as a result of the Chancellors autumn budget statement in November. More information will follow in due course.

Tŷ Glas Housing Society, part of the Pennaf Housing Group, are developing 3 Extra Care Schemes, Hafan Cefni in Llangefni, Llys Raddington in Flint and Maes y Dderwen in Wrexham, together they’re worth an estimated £26m and represent a major boost to the region’s economy.

Application forms are now available for each of the Extra Care Schemes below, and we strongly recommend applications are submitted as soon as possible as the allocation process has begun.

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Mr Jones has lost his job and makes a new claim for Universal Credit on 15th July.

He must wait seven days before his claim can start.

This makes his assessment date the 22nd July. It means he will be paid on the 22nd of each month.

He needs to wait one assessment period (that’s a calendar month) to 22nd August because Universal Credit is paid monthly in arrears.

He also needs to leave up to seven days for the money to reach his account.

He should expect his first payment of Universal Credit no later than the 29th August If the 29th August is a bank holiday Monday, he should receive payment on the last working day (Friday) before the holiday.

For more information on claiming UC please visit

In partnership with

Llys Raddington – Flint 73 Extra Care 1 and 2 bedroom high quality apartments for rent, with communal facilities.

15 apartments are specifically designed and adapted for people with memory loss or living with dementia.

In partnership with

Maes y Dderwen – Wrexham 60 Extra Care 1 and 2 bedroom high quality apartments for rent, with communal facilities.

In partnership with

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ benefits/universal-credit/ or Contact one of our Welfare Rights & Money Advice Officers on 0800 183 5757.

If you’re 60 or over, have a care or support need, and feel you would benefit from living in one of our Extra Care Schemes, you can contact us in the following ways:

Freephone: 0800 183 5757 Email: enquiries@tyglas.co.uk www.tyglas.co.uk Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017 5

Need to make Minor Adaptations to your home?

If you need to make changes to your home because your needs have changed, or you are a new Resident, you may be able to get a grant through us from the Welsh Government. Minor Adaptations Grants, also known as Physical Adaptation Grants (PAG’s) can only be carried out on our properties.

If you need to make changes to your home because your needs have changed, or you are a new Resident, you may be able to get a grant through us from the Welsh Government. Minor Adaptations Grants, also known as Physical Adaptation Grants (PAG’s) can only be carried out on our properties.

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What will the grant pay for?

In order for us to apply for a grant you will need to supply us with an Occupational Therapist’s report, which sets out what changes are needed.

Typical works which can then be covered can include:

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bathroom adaptations - replacing a bath with a level access shower

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stair-lifts / lifts - providing stair-lifts or through floor lifts

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hoists - providing hoists and associated

New roles for the Service Improvement Committee and Quality Partner Scrutiny Group Over the last year, Residents on the Service Improvement Committee and on Quality Partners have spent a lot of time developing their roles at the heart of our Resident Involvement activities.

Now re-named the Quality Partner Scrutiny Group, members will have an enhanced role, scrutinising service areas and recommending improvements to the Boards of Management and the Service Improvement Committee. In turn, the Service Improvement Committee will provide assurance that service quality, value for money and the expectation of you, our customers, meet the Board’s requirements.

Tenant Pulse Want your views on a wide range of subjects to be heard by:

Each time you give your view you could win High Street vouchers.

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Your landlord?

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Your local Council?

We positively encourage tenants from all types of housing.

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Welsh Government?

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Key community decision makers?

How to join Tenant Pulse?

If you do, why not join Tenant Pulse.

You will be asked occasionally via short surveys about important issues e.g. Welfare reform, new housing legislation etc.

works to assist tenants and their carers to move the tenant safely and conveniently around their home

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kitchen adaptations - provision of variable height units

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access aids - ramps, alterations to driveways or paths, hand-rails and grab-rails

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other miscellaneous adaptations - carports, door restrictors, door opening systems.

In some cases, major works can be funded, if required. These could include structural changes to the property such as extensions for ground floor bathrooms or bedrooms

If you think a PAG can help you, please contact your local Social Services Department in the first instance.

6 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

Are you a tenant in Wales?

1. Go to: www.tpas.cymru/pulse 2. Fill out our freepost paper registration form Paper copies available by phoning

02920 237303 or 01492 593046 Joining Offer: Everyone who joins Tenant Pulse will be entered in a prize draw every month to win £20 of High Street vouchers.

Get Online Resident’s Portal Don’t forget to register on the Resident’s Portal.

You will need your tenancy reference number and a unique number to register.

Like us: facebook.com/PennafHGroup Follow us: @PennafHGroup

Please note, once you’ve registered on the portal, you no longer need to use the long, unique number, as once activated, you’ll chose your own password to log-in every time.

If you need any help registering on the Resident’s Portal, please contact us on 0800 183 5757.

Keep up to date with the latest news and events on Facebook and Twitter Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

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COMMUNITY EVENTS It’s been a busy time again, for lots of our residents, a big thank you to everyone who participated in our community events. If you would like to read more about the community events highlighted on the pin board or other events, visit: www.clwydalyn.co.uk/news.

Children from Saltney, enjoying fresh air and fun at a ‘Nature and Wellbeing event’.

Llys Eglwys Residents meeting with Officers to discuss services over a cream tea

Rosehill Residents trip to Dangerpoint

A future career as a fireman

GARDENING

COMPETITION 8 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017 9

Welsh Water – Help available to pay your water bill

Rent First

Contact us today to find out about the range of tariffs we offer which could help reduce your water bill. These include:

HelpU Our HelpU scheme will cap your water and sewerage bill at £190 and is available to customers where the total household income is £15,000 a year or less.

What happens if I am struggling to pay my rent?

WaterSure Wales

Keeping up with your rent payments can be hard, especially at Christmas time, but please remember, paying your rent keeps a roof over your head, it also enables us to provide all the services we do, such as maintaining your home. Your rent must always be the priority payment.

We will support you to stay in your home and pay your rent on time. We will try to help you with money advice and support. You also have dedicated Income Officers to talk to.

We want to understand your situation, so it is important that you keep in touch with your Income Officer, if you feel that you will struggle to pay what you have agreed.

Manageable payment agreements will always be looked at. If you ignore our efforts to help and fail to pay what you have agreed to pay, we may have no alternative but to take legal action which can end with your case going to the County Court and as a last resort it may end up with you risking your home.

Remember: we are here to help.

It is important that you make payments that you owe as debts may stop other social landlords from housing you in the future. We will proactively pursue all outstanding debts and may consider getting a Money Judgment Order against you. This could result in extra costs and affect your ability to get credit in the future.

In House Cleaning Service Taking Shape In 2016 a decision was made by Pennaf to bring the cleaning service in house to improve the service, look for efficiency and ensure value for money.

The Penalyn cleaning team is made up of nine proactive, committed new employees and have now been operating for five months providing both window cleaning and communal cleaning to Clwyd Alyn properties for Clwyd Alyn residents.

Our WaterSure Wales scheme is available to our customers who have a water meter fitted. It helps households on a low income with either a large family or a family member with a certain medical condition. Your annual charges will be capped at £308.

Water Direct Our Water Direct scheme takes away the hassle of paying your bills. It allows those customers who receive certain benefits and are currently in arrears to pay directly through their benefits. If you sign up we will even reduce your bill by £25!

Customer Assistance Fund If you have arrears with us, our Customer Assistance Fund could help. This scheme not only helps you pay your ongoing current charges, but helps you pay off your arrears at the same time. If you commit to a payment plan for 6 months we will pay off half of your arrears, if you then pay for a further 6 months we will pay off the remaining balance of your arrears.

Contact us now and you could soon start benefitting from the help we can give you.

Call: 0800 0520145 Opening hours: 8am -8pm (Monday – Friday) and 8.30am – 1.30pm on Saturday.

Email: water.enquiries@dwrcymru.com Online: dwrcymru.com/money

The cleaning work is undertaken across the whole of Clwyd Alyn’s stock covering all areas from Holyhead to Welshpool, the work is undertaken on a repetitive cleaning rota set out to cover the property specific cleaning requirements.

10 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017 11

From the front line Get online

Welcome to our new feature in which invited Residents and Staff get to tell us about their roles and what motivates them in their work. In this edition we have David Hughes and Yvonne Cole.

David Hughes, Vice Chair of the Service Improvement Committee.

What is the best thing about volunteering with Clwyd Alyn?

You make new friends get a working relationship with staff and Board Members.

You get a chance to get training in many aspects of housing and related issues, and you are made to feel part of the team and have a direct impact on the policies of the association.

Yvonne Cole, Housing Officer

What is the most challenging thing.

Tell us about your involvement with Clwyd Alyn?

I am involved as a Resident of Clwyd Alyn at various levels, from my role within the Service Improvement Committee where Residents seek assurances that the Services the Association provides are working to the benefit all Residents.

I am involved with a range of other groups and Service Panels giving a Resident perspective.

One of the most rewarding things I do is make outbound phone calls to Residents who have recently had repairs done to their property to check on satisfaction and quality. I have also recently been involved in interviews for new Staff, covering cleaning and income collection services.

How did you get into volunteering with us?

I blame our Community Involvement Officer Gareth Hughes Roberts! All I did was attend a session on energy conservation at Flint Leisure Centre and got sucked in, no seriously you can get involved from attending just one meeting a year to give your views, to attending the number I do, but you can opt out at any time. Remember, you are under no obligation and no pressure.

Remembering you have to have an overview of all Resident matters and not on your individual circumstances or scheme. An ability to listen, to take in the big picture, remembering what is going on within welfare reform and housing legislation at this time. You do get to see the relevant paperwork relating to these changes.

Is there anything Clwyd Alyn could do to get more Residents involved?

Communication is the key, I don’t think Clwyd Alyn is getting things right on this front. It is getting better but could still improve, especially with its social media and website, including the Residents Portal.

12 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

I started purely by accident at the age of 41. I had no knowledge of social housing nor had I worked using computers. I quickly learnt both when I began working in the Contact Centre ten years ago. I had previously worked at what was then the Department of Health and Social Security and left there in 1993, returning to work in 2002 working part time in Retail. I eventually applied for a part time job in the Contact Centre as a Customer Service Advisor with Clwyd Alyn and haven’t looked back since.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The best thing is that I actually enjoy coming to work. I enjoy the variety of the role, I like finding solutions to problems and I love working with all different kinds of people from different walks in life. I get real job satisfaction from being part of a team that improves people’s lives by giving them a home or resolving an issue that is affecting their life.

If there is anything you could change in the world at this time, what would it be?

As an ex-serviceman I have seen devastation, poverty and injured people. If I could hammer into those who govern in every country that talking is good, but compassion is better!

How did you get into Housing?

Tell us about your job?

I am a Housing Officer managing rented properties in Denbighshire and Conwy.

This involves helping Tenants to sustain their tenancies. The role is varied and very enjoyable. I deal with low level anti-social behaviour issues, voids and allocations and all manner of queries and expectations.

Sometimes it’s knowing where to signpost for the correct support working with partnering agencies. The changes in Welfare Reform are having a major impact on our Tenants and the future will be challenging. I also work closely with the Community Development Officer and carry out various community events to help build sustainable communities and improve the lives of our tenants.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

The most challenging aspect of my job is continuing to manage peoples’ expectations and requirements in a world of budget cuts and welfare reform.

If there is anything you could change in the world at this time, what would it be?

If I could change anything in the world at the moment (apart from knowing next week’s lottery numbers) it would be that we had a world where children were safe from fear and violence and didn’t live in poverty.

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017 13

Protecting you and your household: The easiest way to protect your home and family from fire is with a working smoke alarm.

A smoke alarm can provide an early warning of a fire and allow you to make your escape – but only if it is working. You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm.

You can prevent fire from happening by taking a few simple steps • Don’t leave cooking unattended, and avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone with cooking on the hob.

• Smoke alarms are installed within your flat • Test your smoke alarms regularly • Never disconnect your smoke alarm

KEEP SAFE and plan your escape Always leave if your flat is affected by smoke or heat or if told to by the fire service.

DO NOT put yourself at risk.

REMEMBER: • Test your smoke alarm once a week.

• Keep the exit route from your flat clear so you can escape in an emergency.

• Close doors at night, especially the doors to the lounge and kitchen to prevent fire spreading.

• Plan your escape NOW. Be prepared and don’t wait until it happens.

Your stairway is designed to be safe for escape throughout the course of a fire.

FIRE ACTION if fire breaks out in your home:

Always use the stairway to descend to ground level if escaping.

• Leave the room where the fire is straight away, then close the door.

• Tell everyone in your home and get them to leave. Close the front door of your flat behind you.

• Don’t overload electrical sockets.

DO NOT leave your belongings or rubbish in corridors, the lift lobby or the stairway.

• Turn off appliances when not in use. Don’t even leave them on standby.

This could affect you and your neighbours if there was a fire.

• Raise the alarm by using a ‘break glass’ call point.

• Keep matches and lighters out of reach and sight of children.

If you are in a corridor, lift lobby or stairway and you notice a fire, if the alarm has not already operated press the nearest break glass red box on your way out, leave the building immediately and, if safe to do so, alert other residents in the immediate vicinity on your way out (knock on their doors).

• Call the fire service.

• Be especially vigilant when cooking with oil.

• Don’t overfill chip pans and NEVER throw water on a chip pan fire.

• Make sure cigarettes are put out properly, use a proper ashtray and don’t smoke in bed.

• Make sure candles are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – like curtains. Children shouldn’t be left alone with lit candles.

14 Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017

TO CALL THE FIRE SERVICE: • Dial 999 or 112.

• When the operator answers, give your telephone number and ask for FIRE. • When the fire service reply give the address where the fire is.

• Do not end the call until the fire service has repeated the address correctly.

• Do not stay behind to put the fire out.

• Wait outside, away from the building.

• The evacuation plan for this building requires all residents to proceed to the assembly point when the communal fire detection and alarm system sounds.

Clwyd Alyn Housing Association Residents’ Newsletter - Winter 2017 15

Competition Time!

Complete the word search, spot the difference and answer the questions, cut them out and simply post them to us, along with your full name and address to be entered into a prize draw to win a £25 shopping voucher. Three winners will be selected.

All entries must be in by Friday 6 January 2018.

See the contents page for the full address to send your entries to.

Word Search S U P P O R T N T S I B

Y T I N U M E R A C N Y

Y F R I E N D S T L D R

T E L Y T S E F I L E A

I X C F C I B D T F

R T H A A A V V L K P E I L

U R E O R I V W

F R N I

C A R F M E R I N T D C

E O R E A E U Q R V E I

S S A M T S I R H P N M

S T N E M T R A P A C O

F E X T R A C A R E E D

WORDS TO FIND ARE: SUPPORT PRIVACY APARTMENTS INDEPENDENCE HOME EXTRA CARE FRIENDS SECURITY DOMICILIARY CARE LIFESTYLE

Spot The Difference

There are five differences – can you spot them? Circle the five differences on photo two.

Name …………………………………………………..............

Address …………………………………………………..........

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Email …………………………………………………....................

Tel/Mob................ …………………………………………....