Trust for London’s London Living Wage initiative has been shortlisted from hundreds of entries in the Grantmaking and funding category alongside just two other charities. The campaign was initiated by London Citizens in 2001 but by 2008 had lost momentum mainly due to limited resources. Trust for London viewed the Living Wage as a good vehicle for tackling low pay and felt that by making a significant investment (of around £1 million) it could re-energise the campaign.

It funded London Citizens to establish an accreditation body for employers. This new body, the Living Wage Foundation ensures employers pay a living wage and continue to pay it. Over 200 employers are now accredited and independent evaluation has calculated that the campaign has generated income of £177m for 114,367 workers the Trust provided additional resources for this work.

The living wage now has far wider recognition among employers and politicians and the term is more commonplace and better understood by the public. There has also been increased evidence of the costs and benefits of the living wage. Research commissioned by Trust for London has found that in living wage workplaces staff leaving rates have fallen by 25% and over half feel more positive about work. Analysis also shows the government could make annual savings of £2.2bn if everyone was paid a living wage and four million people would benefit.

Daniel Phelan, organiser of The Charity Awards comments:

"In being shortlisted Trust for London has demonstrated exceptional performance against as many of the ten hallmarks of excellence as possible. I wish them the best of luck on the night."

John Low, chief executive of Charities Aid Foundation, overall sponsors of the Charity Awards, comments:

"I would like to congratulate and commend all the shortlisted charities this year, as well as everyone who took the time to submit an application. Once again the calibre of entries was very impressive - at a time when the sector, indeed the country, is under such financial pressure, The Charity Awards gives us all the opportunity to step back, reflect and be inspired."

Trust for London won a Charity Award in the grant making category in 2004.

8th May 2013

Charity Property Matters is the largest national survey of property issues affecting the charity sector. Commissioned by property advisers the Ethical Property Foundation, it found that in London:

• 41% of charities consider their building is the greatest risk facing their organisation
• 18% of charities fear that they will fail to deliver services due to property constraints
• 11% of charities have found rent and lease costs rising unreasonably in the last three years
• 55% of charities experience unforeseen maintenance costs
• 48% of charities have experienced difficulties in obtaining funding for their premises in the last three years

The survey found that London-based charities are facing very similar property challenges to their peers outside the capital, though some key differences stand out:

• Lack of long term security of tenure affecting access to funding is a bigger concern in London, affecting a third of charities
• 55% of charities in London experience unforeseen maintenance costs, compared to 44% of charities nationally
• 10% fewer London charities are confident that local authorities understand their premises-related challenges

Charities can access free advice on property matters from the Property Advice Service.

The survey shows that significant numbers of London-based charities are experiencing serious property problems that threaten their services or their very existence, unless these are managed properly.

The survey found that many charities do not take a strategic approach to property, often because they lack the in-house expertise to appreciate or act on its significance. Typically, property issues will be addressed by a busy chief executive or trustee, rather than by a staff member with the necessary time and expertise.

Yet the financial impact of property problems can be disproportionate. In addition handling of property issues by personnel with inadequate information diverts charities’ resource and time away from frontline services. Free advice is available to charities from the Property Advice Service.

Giving Back to Communities of Residence and of Origin: An Analysis of Remittances and Charitable Donations in the UK shows that:

• 42% of UK households who send money overseas also give to British charities
• Compared to just 29% of the general UK population

The research has been conducted by Cass Business School's Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy, which examined patterns of remittance and charitable giving among UK migrant and minority groups.

Based on the spending habits of more than 63,000 households, the study reveals how the often-overlooked giving culture of remitters, now widely regarded as making a significant contribution to international aid, is strongly linked to financial support for UK charities.

Co-author of the study, Professor Cathy Pharoah of Cass Business School, said:

"The findings of our study indicate that there is a relationship between remitting money overseas and donating to UK charities which cannot be explained simply in terms of the age, educational, or spending characteristics of the household involved. A common generosity may be driving all such behaviours."

In 2012, the World Bank estimated total UK remittance transfers hit $23.16 billion, a figure expected to rise by 8% this year.

According to the study, 5% of households in the UK send money overseas. Among these households, overseas remitting is worth an average of £31 a week, or 3.9% of household budget, and households that remit money are also more likely to donate to UK charities. Charitable giving represents around 1.6% of donor household budgets in the UK.

The findings show that remittances and donations are often made at considerable personal cost. Over 1 in 10 households who sent money overseas were at risk of poverty, surviving on a typical weekly budget of under £166 for two adults.

Black or black British populations were found to be at the highest risk of poverty, and were also the most likely to send money abroad. They also gave the highest share of their budget to charity, 2.5% compared to the average of 1.6%. A quarter of all households who sent money overseas lived in London.

23rd April 2013

The awards recognise the outstanding contribution that a new generation of campaigners are making towards achieving social, environmental and economic justice here in the UK and abroad. 

Winners of an SMK Campaigner Award will receive a tailored package of support to help them campaign more effectively. They will also attend a special ceremony hosted by Channel 4 newscaster and SMK Patron Jon Snow.

For more information, please see the application criteria and FAQs.

Potential applicants also have the opportunity to book a short one-to-one application guidance session (telephone or face-to-face) with SMK staff.

To download an application form, please click here.

Alternatively, to nominate someone to apply, please click here.

An initiative of Commonweal Housing, the Peer Landlord project is backed with investments from the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Trust for London.

The Peer Landlord project is funded through Capital for London a Trust for London programme to fund investments that can offer both financial and social returns. Entirely separate from the Trust for London's grant programme, Capital for London does not affect the amount of funding available for grants.

The funding will be used to buy houses that are sub let, via a housing charity, to support those at risk of homelessness or moving on from supported accommodation. Each household will be:

• Made up of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• One of the tenants will be someone who is a further along in their journey from homelessness and who can provide advice and support to their housemates - known as the ‘Peer Landlord’

With social housing shortages reaching record highs, this new model will house those who do not need the level of care provided in supported accommodation but who are not ready to live without any support services at all. In addition, with the costs of traditional supported housing models escalating, it is hoped the Peer Landlord scheme will demonstrate a more cost effective solution to local authorities and charities.

York University have been commissioned to undertake an independent evaluation of the project and will examine whether living in a Peer Landlord supported household can achieve positive social outcomes for the beneficiaries by:

• Improving their confidence
• Developing independence and key life-skills
• Eventually helping them secure and maintain meaningful employment

The Peer Landlord project is a social impact investment providing a guaranteed return of 4.32% to the investors plus a proportion of any increase in the value of the properties purchased.

Speakers included Sunder Katwala, director, British Future; Catherine Fieschi, director, Counterpoint; Nigel Warburton, philosopher and author of Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction; and Kirsty Hughes, chief executive, Index on Censorship.

The debate follows a series of practical workshops which explored effective ways of changing deeply entrenched racist attitudes; with the aim of moving beyond the prevailing norm of 'zero tolerance', which excludes and ostracises young people.

A summary of the discussion about 'what is at the heart of racism, and what can we do about it?' is in a report which can be accessed here.

The findings from the day are particularly relevant to youth workers, teachers, community safety managers, policy-makers and those working with young people.

• Gain a voice
• Wield influence
• Effect change
• Lead organisations

The course will be delivered by London Metropolitan University. It will be coordinated by John Eversley, Senior Lecturer in Voluntary and Community Organisations and lead on the Master's degree 'Organising for Social and Community Development'.

For further information or an application form contact Sarah Menzies.

Duration: 10 sessions over 3 months (8 evenings, 2 Saturdays) March 2013 - June 2013.

Timing: There is some flexibility but approx. 6.00pm - 9.00pm and 2 full day Saturdays (excluding holidays).

Location: Islington or Aldgate East (to be voted on by students).

Learning style: Taught lectures, seminars, and assessed course work.

The report, International Lessons in the global context - part funded by Trust for London - shows that the UK has experienced the fastest rise in youth unemployment of any country in the G8 since the start of the recession and now has the third worst levels in the OECD, with only Spain and Greece experiencing higher levels.

The report argues that the UK's youth unemployment problem cannot be attributed solely to the recession, particularly as other major economies have consistently outperformed the UK in this area. Drawing on policy responses from other countries, the report identifies a range of key lessons for the UK:

• From Germany, the report makes recommendations for the UK apprenticeship system, calling for greater employer engagement and urging the government to push for all large employers to sign an agreement to offer places, with a widening of the model to include more occupations and greater academic content.

• From Denmark, the report calls for the government to focus on early intervention and an 'education first' approach for young unemployed people without qualifications. Policy should also encourage more opportunities for private sector on-the-job training, which is likely to have more long-term benefits compared to unpaid work experience.

• From Australia, the report raises major concerns about work-for-your-dole schemes, with evidence showing them to be largely ineffective at getting young people into employment. It warns that while voluntary schemes can have a small positive impact, forcing people to take part in schemes - such as the government's Day One Support work experience programme - can actually reduce a person's chances of getting into work. The report also recommends improving and reintroducing the Key Stage 4 work experience programme and developing a range of other initiatives to better integrate education with work.

The report received wide media coverage on BBC Radio 4, BBC News at One, ITV News, the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Metro, the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Evening Standard, Sky News, Reuters, The Daily Mail (again), The Scotsman, Huffington Post, Personnel Today, BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio London and LBC Radio.

The research was launched at an event chaired by Mubin Haq, Trust for London's Director of Policy & Grants. Speakers included: Angela Constance - Minister for Youth Employment, Scottish Government; Stefano Scarpetta - Deputy Director, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD; and Joanneke Balfoort - Head of the Economic Section, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in London.

A full copy of the report can be found here.

The report from the Resolution Foundation and IPPR think tanks - funded by Trust for London - calls for a series of "Living Wage city deals" which would transfer some of the estimated £2.2 billion annual saving to the Treasury of a UK-wide living wage, to the private sector. The move would release cash to cities or regions where local authorities and businesses come together to increase the number of living wage employers. The Labour Party said that the proposals were an "extremely valuable contribution", as reported in the Observer this weekend.

Companies could use the money to help with the transition to a Living Wage, the level of pay deemed the minimum for a basic but acceptable standard of living and currently set at £8.55 for London and £7.45 outside London.

Cities or regions would have to draw up a plan showing how the money from government would be used to encourage small and medium enterprises to become Living Wage employers. This could include both straightforward financial support, the costs of staff training and expert advice on how to open up more profitable markets in higher-skill, higher-value industries.

Living wage cities could apply to renew their deal if they could show that a target number of companies had begun paying a Living Wage.

The proposal is just one of a series of policy recommendations in the new study,
Beyond the Bottom Line which also represents the most thorough analysis conducted of the economics of the living wage.

The study also calls on the government to require listed companies to publish a figure for the proportion of their staff paid below the Living Wage and to make it a legal duty if firms do not comply.

This report has been funded as part of Trust for London's £1 million London Living Wage Special Initiative.

In light of such developments, a panel of high profile public figures will be be debating whether now is the time to try a different approach and whether racists have a right to be heard. You can watch the live debate here on 30th January at 6.30pm.

The event, taking place at the RSA, follows research carried out by the Runnymede Trust as part of the Trust for London Special Initiative on Preventing Racist Violence. The research shows that many institutions and practitioners are fearful of engaging with racists.

Should racists participate in the public arena, so as to be openly challenged on their views? Or by abiding by sacred liberal values and the rights to freedom of speech, do we risk normalising repugnant attitudes? Should those who espouse racist views be shunned or reasoned with? Is it time to re-assess the limits of free speech? Is zero-tolerance the best defence, or does it foster resentment, drive racism underground and store up trouble for the future?

Speakers to include Sunder Katwala, director, British Future, Catherine Fieschi, director, Counterpoint and Nigel Warburton, philosopher and author of Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction.

You can watch the debate live here at 6.30pm on 30th January and you can listen live here.

The Commission's work will cover: asylum, benefits, community care, debt, education (including special educational needs), employment, housing and immigration.

The Commission is now inviting evidence from experts and users at a series of meetings and roundtables and welcomes written submissions of evidence to help inform its work. Trust for London is one of the funders of the commission.