According to Shelter, a homelessness charity, there are 271,000 people recorded as homeless in England of which 123,000 children. To navigate this month’s Debt Talk podcast with Ripon Ray on: ‘ Debt, housing costs and homelessness ', expert panellists who specialise in the benefits system, policy and debt. Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director of Policy in Practice, spoke about the true meaning of homelessness in the UK, and how the current benefit system that was initially ‘designed ‘to simplify things, as it stands, appears not fit for purpose because the current system does not pay sufficient financial assistance to support vulnerable communities who are homeless or vulnerable to homelessness. Although he was involved in designing universal credit during its initial policy development, there are wider issues that require discussion, such as the number of homes available and the cost of renting and owning a home. Amy Taylor, Debt Adviser and Chair of the Greater Manchester Mon...

Ripon Ray delivered a workshop on universal credit to ESOL students organised by English for Action.  It was wonderful to see more than 25 students  enjoyed learning about their rights in claiming benefits and, at the same time, develop English vocabulary. From this workshop the idea is to share their knowledge to wider members of their local community. If you want to find out more about running a workshop in your locality,  check the YouTube below and get in touch with Ripon.  YouTube Link of the workshop:  ' Ripon designed a two-hour participatory workshop on Universal Credit for English for Action, attended by around 30 ESOL students! It was really engaging throughout, with a complicated subject clearly laid out in a presentation which included videos for variety. He designed breakout activities for people to pool their knowledge and test their understanding. Students felt comfortable in asking their questions and were really happy to have attended. Looking f...

The UK Curry Connect, a leading association for the Indian restaurant trade in Britain, invites Ripon Ray to support its members ask question on their right to claim benefits and if there are changes to their financial position what help is available for their need.  'A lot of our workers do not know where to seek help. Chefs and waiters have lost their livelihood. No one cares about our sector.  The restaurant industry has been built by us: Bangladeshi chefs, waiters and small business owners. We are not sure whether we are going to survive during the period.' Ripon Ray reached out to the industry leaders to support them during a very tough time because they have been left to fend for themselves. Many of these workers are too marginalise to get help from anyone.  If you want to invite Ripon Ray to education your members, don't be shy, just get in touch. Otherwise, get in touch with UK Curry Connect to find out about your rights on issues related to money, benefits and mo...

'Thank you Ripon for speaking at Ealing Covid 19 Mutual aid group on Universal credit.  I had no idea how complex the regime is and now understand how some of my clients have fallen through the gaps and ended up without money or support.  Despite the direness of the subject Ripon explained it very clearly and with good humour. We'll ask you back again!'  Rheian Davies, Winner of Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, and Covid-19 Nurse at Nightingale  Hospital 

‘I had no clue why my universal credit claim was closed. I have not told DWP that my circumstances have changed.  I had taken out a loan for £5000 whilst I made an appeal against the decision of the DWP; otherwise, I won’t be able to pay my rent.’  Mila’s situation raises a number of questions in terms of whether her Universal Credit claim should have been stopped by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), or if she should have obtained the loan in the first place to pay her rent or that the appropriate loan company should have even given Mila the loan.  When I spoke to Mila though, her survival instinct drove her to make the application for the loan. If she had taken it out unethically, that no doubt raises more questions. The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduced a number of changes in the benefit system. One of these changes was the introduction of Universal Credit. Instead of making a number of claims for means tested benefits - such as support for hou...

This is a quick summary of the workings of zero hours contract/or unpredictable hours of employment and its connection with  Universal Credit. Universal Credit Action Network ( UCAN ), founded by Ripon Ray, also covers how CORONAVIRUS would impact your benefit entitlement. 

Not knowing your rights on money when you are you are struggling financially is very difficult.   To make it easy for listeners on Relaks Radio, on  Monju's Hot Seat , Ripon Ray, on behalf of UCAN , provides advice on benefits, debt and money for two hours.   

UCAN and Positive Money Tower Hamlets organised a public meeting to support Tower Hamlets residents in East London to raise awareness of Universal Credit.  There are a number of myths and pitfalls members of the public need to know about Ian Duncan Smith's flagship policy. Ripon Ray also spoke about managed migration and what the policy implication looks to local residents in practice. 

Is there a way for you to save money on energy if you are hard up? It will get to a stage when cold weather will become unbearable.   You may have to make a decision and turn the central heating on to keep yourself sane in such long nights and short days.  In Britain the average temperature in winter had been 5c. Last winter it was 3.5c. Protecting yourself from cold weather is going to be a challenge even in current winter especially when it's below 0 degrees. If you have children, elderly or health conditions, you and your household could be further in need of a warm home. Putting aside double or triple glazing, or anything else expensive to install,   I want to give you a few simple tips to save you  money on energy which may, at the same time, prevent you from catching   a cold, asthma, or even a heart attack in this winter. Payment in winter: The cost of gas and electricity is significantly high during winter. It’s also a ...

43% of children in Tower Hamlets are living in poverty according to Trust for London. 7.7% of the working population are unemployed in the borough. Whether to claim universal credit or not would be a big question for a lot of people.   In order to raise public awareness of universal credit in the local community, Universal Credit Action Network (UCAN), have organised a public meeting. You can hear from local campaigners and advice charities on the impact of welfare reform on the local community. If you are free on 18th  December at 6pm, pop over at Brady Centre, Whitechapel. Refreshment provided!

'Is there a link between shortage of housing, homelessness and   the welfare reform in the UK?', asks Ripon Ray 'Is there a link between shortage of housing, homelessness and the welfare reform in the UK?', asks Ripon Ray. 'I made a claim for universal credit over 5 months ago. Nothing has come through yet. My landlord has just sent me a letter. I am in rent arrears.  Am I going to be homeless again?’ Joanna Smith is nine months pregnant. She is living in temporary accommodation in Hackney, London, having been placed there by Westminster Council.   Housing benefit is not going to cover her rent in Westminster.  Her situation made me think about the state of the housing crisis, the underlying causes of such a crisis and its link with welfare reform. In 1976 there were over 5 million local authority tenancies on social rent. Social renters on overage pay 50% of the market rate. In 2017 the number of cou...

Unity News By   Lucy Wood   May 3, 2019 64   views Clacton Unite Community branch held an event to help people with Universal Credit on Tuesday 30 th  April. Special guest, Community Money Matters blogger, debt and money specialist, Ripon Ray spoke about what Universal Credit was and sought to inform people of how it works and what claimants’ rights are. Ripon presented an informative speech, but it was obvious that the people attending were anxious to have their voices heard about the issues they were facing, it became a much more conversational meeting. Topics discussed were the introduction of welfare reform and the reasoning for this. Ripon highlighted the Economic crash caused by the banks in 2008 and the introduction of austerity policies in 2010 by the Conservative/Lib-Dem coalition government. The five-week wait was discussed and how this left people in destitution, requiring food banks and loans...

If you want to get involved with the campaign get in touch with me...I am one of the leading campaigners on welfare reform and universal credit!

PUBLISHED:  09:02 13 March 2019 |  UPDATED:  09:03 13 March 2019 Emma Bartholomew Ripon Ray: Picture: Rukya Khan ​Debt advisor and radio talk show host Ripon Ray tells Emma Bartholomew how he’s seeing more and more people who are unable to just pay the basic bills Ripon Ray: Picture: Nick De Marco Self-confessed “arty-farty creative” Ripon Ray originally set out to be a fashionista in life, when he “found his calling” and changed track to become an activist. He’d been studying at the London School of Fashion, but going on an anti-fascist protest “triggered a couple of things”. “I dumped my studies and went to Kingsley College where I was doing full-on activism, and organising protest marches,” he told the  Gazette . “I loved it but I got kicked out of there because I was too much of an activist and I wasn’t focusing on my studies.” He knuckled under, bagged a history degree and started out in the charity sector as a housing advi...