Becoming a generous friend and wise mentor wasn’t on the job description when Hugh Burnett became the High Sheriff

(This item first appeared in the Brighton Argus on 10th April 2024)

I had no idea what to expect when I went to meet the High Sheriff of East Sussex. I didn’t have a clue what a High Sheriff did. I later discovered that the High Sheriff is the Monarch’s judicial representative in the county. They have a ceremonial role in overseeing judges, magistrates and others. It is a non-political role and is appointment by the Monarch for one year and is unpaid.

And so I met Hugh Burnett, that year’s High Sheriff. He was waving off charity walkers who were raising money for advice and legal services in Brighton and Hove. He and I went for a coffee while waiting the walkers’ return, and thus began a friendship that has lasted to this day.

Tessa and Hugh Burnett

Hugh has had an extraordinary life. He was born in Monte Carlo and lived in Marseilles until his family were evacuated back to Britain at the outbreak of war when he was six months old. After the war the family returned to France before he was sent to school in England.  Later he qualified as a chartered accountant but never worked as such, finding a niche in early computing where he worked as a salesman and trainer. He worked for various companies in Brighton including Gross Cash Registers and Cash Bases where he was part of a management buyout. In business he specialised in taking companies with a £2 million turnover and building them to have a £15 million turnover.

He has twice been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the first time as part of Cash Bases and then in a personal capacity. In 2001 he was made an Officer of the British Empire for his services to the community in Newhaven. He was a member of the Newhaven Economic Partnership and was vice chair of Lewes Tertiary College.  After his year as High Sheriff, he became a Deputy Lieutenant for East Sussex where he assisted the Lord Lieutenant and his friend, Sir Peter Field, in his role. It is the duty of the Lord Lieutenant to arrange visits of members of the Royal Family. They also seek to promote and encourage voluntary organisations and charities, and to take an interest in the business and social life of their counties.  Both Peter and Hugh excelled in these duties.

The Hugh Burnett I know is a most generous man, giving his time freely and has shared his wisdom with a number of charities, including BHT Sussex where he was a Trustee for almost a decade. He  became my unofficial mentor and I have many reasons to be grateful for his encouragement and wise counsel.

When he became a BHT Trustee it was in response to an article in The Argus.  I explained to him that there was a process that had to be followed, including an interview. He seemed delighted, saying that he hadn’t had a job interview since 1964! At the interview itself, we were assisted by a friend from London, Brenda, a large Jamaican-born woman with an infectious laugh who was a trainer in equalities. In response to an equalities question, Hugh said that in business “one would be foolish not to appoint the best man for the job.” Hugh and Brenda then the most delightful exchange of views. After Hugh had left, Brenda said that we had to appoint him, saying: “That man doesn’t have an ounce of prejudice in his body.”

Hugh has no time for consultants, saying: “Why pay someone to steal your pocket watch so that they can charge you to tell you the time?”  He also was outspoken on the ever-increasing trend of boards to focus on process rather than on entrepreneurship and outcomes, a view with which I wholeheartedly agree.

They used to say that behind every successful man is a strong woman. In Hugh’s case there is Tessa. When my wife and I first went to their home for dinner, we expected the raconteur Hugh to dominate the evening. But we hadn’t accounted for Tessa who kept us royally entertained while Hugh looked on, adoringly. Tessa herself has served the community as a dedicated charity trustee and a longtime volunteer at Citizen Advice. The last year hasn’t been easy for them but they have been sustained by the love and support of their two daughters and their grandchildren about whom both Hugh and Tessa speak with such joy, love and pride.

So when I met the High Sheriff, I didn’t expect to meet such a generous friend and wise mentor. Hugh Burnett was truly the best man for the job! 

David Gauke says that all that is wrong with Universal Credit is that criticisms go without challenge

David Gauke, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has denied that the introduction of Universal Credit is causing hardship. He said: “I strongly believe we have got a really good policy with this that will transform lives, but there is almost a sort of knee-jerk criticism and a temptation in particular with universal credit that you can almost say anything critical about it and it goes without challenge.”

That’s alright, then.  Just the same as when Iain Duncan Smith repeatedly claimed that Universal Credit would be delivered “on time and within budget”. The massive overspend, the wasted millions on a failed IT system, and the massive overrun on its delivery must be Fake News.

And what about the hardship being caused to those claiming Universal Credit. Fake News, Fake News, Fake News.  It just goes without challenge.

What about the excellent and well-researched article by Heather Spurr, once with Inside Housing and now with Shelter.

And what about this item by the Resolution Foundation, or this from the Institute for Government, or this from Citizens Advice, or BHT’s own research following the roll out of Universal Credit in Hastings.

I know I have had a word or two to say about Universal Credit, such as the blog post entitled “Universal Credit is a disgrace, and those who have advocated it and continue to defend it should hang their heads in shame” or this one “Another day, another report on the disaster that is Universal Credit” or this one “More evidence of the disaster zone that is known as Universal Credit” or this “Should the roll out of Universal Credit continue at this time? Watch the evidence to Parliament’s Work and Pensions Committee”.

Noi doubt it is all Fake News that has gone without challenge.

The problem, Mr Gauke, is not that criticism goes unchallenged.  The problem, in the words of the former Conservative Prime Minister, John Major, is that Universal Credit is “operationally messy, socially unfair and unforgiving” (see here).

The problem, Mr Gauke, is that you, Mr Duncan Smith, the DWP and the government as a whole carry on regardless, in spite of the evidence.  The most modest reforms imaginable announced in the autumn won’t resolve the fundamental flaws inherent in Universal Credit. A lick of paint would not have saved the Titanic after it brushed up against an iceberg.

Universal Credit has become Mrs May’s poll tax. (I vlogged on this recently).  No matter how well Mr Gauke defends the indefensible, Universal Credit remains flawed, it remains operationally messy, it remains socially unfair, and it remains unforgiving.

Universal Credit is a disgrace, and those who have advocated it and continue to defend it should hang their heads in shame

At first there were warnings that the ambitious plans for Universal Credit were not deliverable. But the government dismissed these warnings. There were warnings that Universal Credit could not be delivered in the way it was planned, but Iain Duncan Smith said, time and time again, that it would be delivered “on time and in budget”. It wasn’t and an IT programme was abandoned at a cost of millions of Pounds.

Universal Credit pilots highlighted the rising levels of rent arrears and the hardship being caused to claimants, but the government pressed on regardless. I have written about Universal Credit on more occasions than I can recall, probably on more occasions than on any other social policy issue or government policy.

Advice agencies warned of the increasing numbers presenting themselves with increasing problems with debt, but these warnings fell on deaf ears in the Department for Work and Pensions and in government.

Landlords warned that they would not be able to accommodated those on Universal Credit, but still these warnings were not headed.

Social and private landlords have highlighted the problem of arrears caused by Universal Credit. BHT’s arrears currently stand at 1% other than for those on Universal Credit where arrears are 15% notwithstanding the work we do with our tenants.

Food banks have said that the increasing demands for their services are being caused by Universal Credit.

News reports, over months and years, have highlights individual cases of hardship and homelessness directly resulting from Universal Credit.

Time and time again, warning after warning, the government carried on regardless.

Last month Citizens Advice produced a compelling case for the roll out of University Credit to be paused but the usual platitudes were repeated.

Then today (29th September) came news that Conservative Members of Parliament have called on their own government to think again about Universal Credit over fears about the impact on claimants already receiving Universal Credit in trial areas.

Later in the day, Dame Louise Casey, who has advised successive governments on a wide range of social policy issues, said that pressing ahead with Universal Credit was like “jumping over a cliff” and that it made her “hair stand on end”.

If the government fails to act now it can only be because it and its ministers are deluded about their own righteousness, cruel in their disregard of evidence of suffering and hardship, or too arrogant to listen to those who see, on a daily basis, the impact of this policy.

This policy is a disgrace, and those who have advocated it and continue to defend it should hang their heads in shame.

Should the roll out of Universal Credit continue at this time? Watch the evidence to Parliament’s Work and Pensions Committee

If you want to see reasoned, balanced and constructive discussions around Universal Credit, do watch the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee hearing held last Wednesday (13th September 2017). My thanks to Peter Freeman for drawing my attention to this link.

One very interesting point related to the six to eight week delay before a claimant gets their first payment. The Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) says part of the rationale for Universal Credit is to prepare claimants for the reality of work so that they are ready to live on a budget. It was noted that no one starting work would expect to wait for six to eight weeks before being paid for the first time.

There is assistance available in certain circumstances, but a lack of information from the DWP means that few people know about advance payments. According to Citizens Advice, only 41% of their clients knew about advance payments.

I tried to find information about advance payments on the DWP website. I gave up. Fortunately, Citizens Advice has helpful information on its website regarding advance payments.

By the way, calls to the Universal Credit helpline number can cost up to 9p a minute from a landline, or between 8p and 40p a minute from a mobile. A claimant can ask the helpline to call them back. But if you have no money and no credit on your phone, how do you make the initial call?

More evidence of the disaster zone that is known as Universal Credit

“Universal Credit is designed to mirror the way many people in work are paid, and we have budgeting advice and benefit advances available for anyone who needs extra help”, so says the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

A report published this week by Citizens Advice has found that 57% of claimants are having to borrow money to get by while waiting for the first payment, and that 39% by having to wait for longer than the six weeks it should take before the first payment is made.

It seems as though what is being mirrored is the struggle that many ordinary people have to make ends meet and that universal credit has created a culture where borrowing is necessary to get by.

I have written, time and time again, about the failures of universal credit and how it is being implemented.

When Ian Duncan Smith was the Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions he repeatedly said that universal credit would be delivered “on time and within budget”. I think he should apologise and until he does, nobody should take seriously anything he says.

Universal credit has been an unmitigated disaster. The Citizens Advice report says that some claimants are having to call the helpline more than 10 times to sort out the mess of their claims and it is not uncommon for people to have to wait more than 30 minutes to get through on the phone.

Gillian Guy, the chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Universal credit is already failing too many people, pushing them into debt and leaving them without the means to make ends meet. The government needs to pause plans to accelerate the roll-out of full-service universal credit this autumn and devote the time and resource needed to tackle the key problems which mean the system is not working.”

I am reluctant to quote anyone from the DWP because, frankly, I am tired of it providing assurances that all the complete travesty of reality, but in the interest of balance (!), I will.

The DWP said the study did not reflect the experiences of the 500,000 people claiming universal credit. “The vast majority of claimants have told us they are satisfied with universal credit. We are rolling out universal credit in a gradual, safe and secure way, and in the rare cases where issues arise, we work closely with local authorities and landlords to support people when they need it.”

You decide who to believe, Citizens Advice or the DWP which has consistently failed to provide the full facts, tried to suppress reports, and whose Minister assured us that universal credit would be delivered “on time and within budget”.

Citizens Advice has called on the government to remove the seven-day waiting period at the start of a claim, introduce an online system for booking appointments, and make the helpline free of charge before the large scale roll-out of universal credit.

Someone close to government recently asked why people constantly mention food banks. Is it any wonder when the system provided to help those in the most financially desperate situation are not getting the service or financial support they need and are having to turn to food banks to feed themselves and their families?

Changes to Legal Aid come in to force today

Today is a sad day. For the first time in many years our advice centres in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings may have to turn people away.

While changes to the NHS, welfare reform and the ability of Iain Duncan Smith to live off £52 per week are dominating the headlines, changes to who has access to legal advice and representation come into force.  The CAB has on its website a clear summary of the changes to legal aid

Of course, everyone has the right to access the law, but as Judge Sturgess once said, “Justice is open to everyone in the same way as the Ritz Hotel”. The reality is that many people who might need advice and representation might, as of today, not get it.

If you feel you might need advice, do find out whether you are eligible. Thanks to support from Brighton and Hove City Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, and Hastings Borough Council, we may still be able to help.

You can find contact details for our advice centres here.

What’s in a name?

Today BHT changed its name. Well, sort of. We changed how we are known on Twitter, from @BrightonHT to @BHT_Sussex. Now I doubt this will make the front page of the Argus. Nor will it even get a brief reference in the Hastings Observer or the Eastbourne Gazette. But it should.

The reason for this change is to reflect more acurately who we are and where we work. @BrightonHT gives the impression that we are a Brighton-centric organisation. I guess that comes from our actual name being Brighton Housing Trust!

But on Twitter we have changed our name. BHT started in Brighton and it remains the area where we do most. But other areas are increasingly important, not least Eastbourne (where we have been delivering services for 20 years or more) and Hastings where, in spite of being the new kid on the block, we now have services turning over almost £2.5 million each year. There is an excitingly development in Hastings, we are now setting up, in partnership with the Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC) and Citizen’s Advice (CA1066) an advice and community hub.

So the change in name isn’t something earth shattering, but it is important that we are not seen in the wrong light outside Brighton.

Family homes could be lost if benefit claimants aged up to 35 are forced to share

One aspect of the government’s proposed reforms of housing benefit that has yet to receive much publicity relates to the accommodation for which single people up to the age of 35 will be able to receive housing benefit. Currently, those up to the age of 25 are eligible for the ‘shared room rate’ which is lower than other housing benefit payments. The amount is based on the rental charge for a single room with shared use of the rest of the house. Under the proposals, this will now be extended to those up to the age of 35.

A group of London-based charities (including Broadway, Citizens Advice, Crisis, the National Housing Federation, the Salvation Army, the Chartered Institute of Housing, and Thames Reach), have written to government warning that this plan to extend shared room rate payments could increase homelessness. They say that there is not enough shared accommodation available to meet the increasing demand that raising the age limit for payment from 25 to 35 will create.

My concern that in Brighton and Hove we will see yet more family homes being used to house groups of single people, thus exacerbating the shortage of family accommodation locally.