Tag: 2022

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 16 November 2022.

• The Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit publishes framework to learn more about the complex causes of homicides
• New framework to help VRU and the Met police to identify where to deliver targeted interventions to reduce violence
• Report shows annual cost of homicides in London is more than £120 million

London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), set up by the Mayor, has today published a new ground-breaking framework that for the first time, analyses police data to better understand the drivers of homicide and identify opportunities to intervene earlier.

In the first of its kind, a framework funded by the VRU has been developed to assist the Met police, the VRU and other agencies to learn more about the causes of all forms of homicide and help to answer complex questions, such as how many homicide victims knew their perpetrator, or the role social media plays in the run-up to a homicide.

The Mayor is determined to continue being both tough on crime and tough on the complex causes of crime, which is helping to reduce violence in London. However, there is still a long way to go and the VRU’s new framework stands to help reduce the spread of violence further by providing greater intelligence to violence reduction experts and helping them to determine where to deliver early and targeted interventions.

It comes as figures in the report published today show alongside the emotional cost caused by the tragic loss of life and misery experienced by families and communities, the economic impact to the capital is also substantial. Each homicide is estimated to cost more than £800,000 to the police and criminal justice services, implying an annual London cost of over £120 million.

The VRU, which the Mayor set up in 2019 and was the first of its kind in England and Wales, commissioned the Behavioural Insights Team to work alongside the Met police to develop the framework using data from 50 homicide cases to capture behavioural and situational factors. Following its initial success in turning complex case notes into consistent data, the framework will now be used to analyse a further 300 cases with a view to it potentially being used more routinely in the capital.

Following development and testing, the framework has uncovered some early insights from the analysis of six factors in homicide:

• Mental health – specific mental health conditions posed a greater risk of homicide. Initial findings identified more cases where mental health was a contributing factor to homicide than were originally flagged by existing police codes. Undiagnosed mental health cases provide a clear opportunity for intervention.
• Drugs – Drug-related homicides were prevalent during testing, with nearly half coded as involving drugs. It meant drug-related homicides overlapped with all of the factors included in the analysis.
• Alcohol – Alcohol was more likely to contribute to homicides at particular times of day or key locations. A recommendation is to identify specific ‘at risk’ locations to target preventative measures.
• Gangs – Gang violence presents a particular homicide risk in relation to young people. It often relates to premeditated homicides, suggesting that there are more opportunities for intervention.
• Social media – Evidence shows that social media usage in homicides was more sophisticated than sharing threats or aggressive language online. It was also used to lure victims into a trap, plan attacks or discuss the incident. The framework also found that the ability to delete messages on Snapchat was known and used by individuals, and may explain why it was favoured in the context of committing violence. The number of touchpoints provided in these escalations is an opportunity to predict and prevent escalation.
• Patterns of escalation – Short-length immediate escalation cases do not provide many opportunities to intervene to de-escalate, however, cases with medium-length escalation could bear more opportunities for “cooling down” interventions, to prevent the escalation from becoming violent.

By looking at how each of these initial six factors interact, the new framework will allow us to have a far more detailed record of the personal circumstances surrounding the victim and perpetrator.

The analysis and insight that this opens up will help practitioners, police officers, policymakers, and researchers to better understand the drivers of homicide in the capital and highlight where to best target resources.

Capturing data and intelligence is key to the VRU’s approach to understanding and tackling violence – an approach that is based on partnership and is rooted in prevention and early intervention.

The report includes a series of recommendations that the VRU will take forward alongside the Met and BIT through the next phase of research and extensive coding of a further 300 homicides.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Tackling violence and making our city safer for all Londoners is my number one priority.

“My approach is to be tough on violence and tough on the complex causes of violence.

“This has led to violence reducing in London since before the pandemic, but one death caused by violence is one too many and it’s clear there is more to do to drive violence down in the capital.

“Part of our approach is better understanding why homicides happen and that’s why my VRU funded and commissioned this ground-breaking framework. If we are to continue reducing violence in London, it’s crucial that we identify more opportunities to intervene early because I firmly believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable.”

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “The foundation of the VRU’s approach to tackling violence is to build an evidence base for what works and what doesn’t.

“It is the bedrock for identifying opportunities for the VRU and partners to intervene earlier to prevent violence from happening in the first place.

“This framework gives us the opportunity to do just that, and it shows the real value of the VRU working in partnership with the Met police to tackle violence through enforcement and prevention and early intervention.

“This report lays bare not only the crippling impact homicides have on families and communities, but the huge economic impact for our public services. It’s crucial we double down and build on the progress we have made in partnership to drive down violence across London.”

Detective Superintendent David Kennett from the Metropolitan Police Service said: “Homicides have a monumental effect on families and communities – one murder on the streets of London is one too many.

“We have been working closely with the Violence Reduction Unit, to get a better understanding of the driving factors behind homicides. This new framework shows tremendous promise, and means for the first time we can truly influence the criminal justice system by identifying where the risks lie.

“There are many contributing factors to each homicide – this new framework will help us work towards preventing homicides from both a policing and partner perspective.”

Ed Bradon, Director at the Behavioural Insights Team, said: “Understanding homicide is hard. Each individual case is complex, and patterns are difficult to spot when data is limited.

“Sometimes the best data is hiding in plain sight: it exists in some form already, but painstaking work is needed to make it really useful. Homicide case files presented one such opportunity.

“We are very excited about the potential of this framework to shed new light on a crime that blights our city. We hope it will give the Met police, the VRU and other agencies a powerful new tool, and one that can keep getting better over time.

“Improving our data so that we can really understand what’s happening – and which responses work – is at the heart of modern policing. London’s VRU and the Met deserve great credit for pursuing this vital and path breaking work.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 14 November 2022.

• Mayor holds summit as new polling finds a shocking 40 per cent of Londoners think they will struggle to meet rent payments in the next six months 
• London average rental prices are now nearly £2500 a month – more than double some other parts of the UK
• Mayor repeats call for the Government to freeze rents in London
• Sadiq calls on the Government to act now to urgently protect renters increasingly at risk of losing their homes 
• Mayor to host emergency summit  on issues facing London’s renters and join in a call to action urging Ministers to tackle the capital’s rental crisis 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today revealed that 40 per cent of Londoners think that they will struggle to meet their rent payments as he brings together private renters, charities, advocacy groups and politicians to call on the Government to urgently tackle London’s spiralling rental crisis.

The Mayor has also revealed today that the average advertised London rent has hit £2343 a month – more than double other parts of the country.

It comes as shock new polling of Londoners by YouGov finds that 40 per cent of London’s private renters are likely to struggle to make their rent payments in the next six months.

London’s renters are facing multiple crises from escalating rents, insecure tenancies and unsafe homes. The Mayor and sector leaders will today join in a call to action, urging Ministers to immediately implement long-promised renters reform legislation to give renters the security and safety they so urgently need and to take action to make rents more affordable for Londoners.

A comparison of rental prices across the UK highlights the gravity of the situation in London. According to Rightmove, the average advertised rent in London is £2,343 a month. This is £1,000 more than the average advertised rent in the South West, £1,300 more than in the East Midlands, and £1564 more than in the North East.

For example for £2,500, you could rent a six-bedroom Grade II family home in Birmingham with a sprawling garden or a five-bedroom houses in Liverpool with an electricity and gas allowance

For £1750 a month, you can rent a five-bedroom detached house rent in Wolverhampton, and in Burnley, a three-bedroom terrace house is just £750 a month.

Meanwhile, for £454 less than the monthly average advertised London rent, you could move to Cyprus and rent a five-bedroom villa with a sauna, private pool, and two-car garage.

The average London tenant can expect to spend nearly 40 per cent of their income on renting a typical property and the latest figures show that asking rents for new rentals in London are growing faster than anywhere else in the UK, up more than 16 per cent in the last year.

This situation is unsustainable, which is why Sadiq has repeatedly called on the government to urgently introduce a two-year rent freeze, to ease the burden on renters as the cost of living crisis worsens. Scotland has recently introduced such a freeze.

City Hall analysis shows a rent freeze in the capital over two years would save renters an average of £2,988. In the first year alone the saving would be £881 – money that could help families cope with the increases in energy prices we’ve seen this year.

Last May, more than 1.2m Londoners re-elected Sadiq on a manifesto that expressly called for the introduction of rent control powers. It is time ministers recognised his mandate for change and gave him the tools to do this vitally important work.

Government must also urgently double the notice periods for private rental evictions to four months. to give tenants extra financial breathing space to access support and advice, pay arrears or save for a move before their tenancies end.

London’s struggling private renters need more council and social rented housing, more homes for first-time buyers, a welfare system that reflects the high costs of renting in London and fundamental reform of the private rented sector to rebalance it in favour of renters.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The fact that 40 per cent of Londoners think that they will struggle to make their rent payments in the next six months shows the scale of the housing crisis in London.

“London’s private renters are facing a triple whammy with rising rents, bills, and the cost of household essentials putting a major strain on their finances. Ministers must take this crisis seriously and act now.

“There is no time to waste so we have come together today to speak with one voice. Our demands to ministers are simple: implement your long-promised renters reform legislation and take action now to make rents more affordable for Londoners, using all powers at the government’s disposal.

“As we continue working to build a better, fairer London for everyone, it’s vital that we stand up for renters in our city and find common ground on the action that needs to be taken to support them through the cost of living crisis, pay their rent and keep their homes.”

Alicia Kennedy, Director of Generation Rent, said: “When rents are rising on new tenancies, no private renter is safe. It is too easy for your landlord to demand a higher rent when they know they can evict you and re-let to someone else who is willing to pay it. People who don’t want to move are being priced out of their homes and forced to compete in this hellish market. And the cost of living crisis is making it even worse.

“The government can alleviate rising living costs for renters immediately with a freeze on rents on existing tenancies and suspension of Section 21 evictions so landlords can’t evict simply to re-let at a higher rent.”

Advice for Renters’, Head of Policy, Jacky Peacock OBE, said: “Private renters are among the hardest hit as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.  Most are struggling to pay unaffordable rents for properties that are often in poor condition and hard to heat. They face the stark choice of huge energy bills or a cold home with all the health risks this entails. Renters were promised a reform of the sector in December 2019.  Three years’ later, they are still waiting. The Government really must take action now.”

Kiran Ramchandani, Crisis Director of Policy and External Affairs, said: “Across London, spiralling rents are leaving thousands priced out of private renting and struggling to find homes. Through our own services we’re seeing the difficult positions people are in as they face cutting back on food and energy to try and make their rent payments and how, if nothing is done, this will likely force them and many more into homelessness this winter.

“The solutions are simple – increasing housing benefit so it covers the cheapest third of rents will ensure that people can afford to keep their homes this winter. Alongside this, we need to see no-fault evictions banned for good so that no one is uprooted from their home without reason. Taking this decisive action will give people the security they need and head off a surge in homelessness that will have devastating consequences on people’s lives.”

Kyron’s story: 

Kyron lives in Hammersmith

Kyron and his girlfriend have been fighting a Section 21 eviction for the past few months. The flat they live in has had issues with disrepair and the landlord and letting agents have been in a tussle over responsibility for the flat. Kyron has found the experience understandably stressful and has been fighting the Section 21 because he believes the landlord hasn’t fulfilled his obligations and because of the high price of rental properties in London. As he lives in Hammersmith and also cares part-time for his grandmother who lives nearby, he wants to ensure he is near her to continue helping to care for her and so doesn’t want to be forced to be moved miles away.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 11 November 2022.

• Sadiq calls for urgent and decisive action from Chancellor next week
• Nearly half of Londoners using less water or energy
• Half of Londoners are ‘financially struggling’ or ‘just about managing’
• Black Londoners and disabled Londoners twice as likely to fall behind on bills

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is demanding immediate help for the least well off in next week’s Autumn Statement as he today revealed that half of Londoners are using less water, energy or fuel and are ‘financially struggling’* or ‘just about managing’ financially.

Sadiq says the shocking new findings increase the need for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, to take urgent and decisive action when he delivers his crucial Autumn Statement next Thursday.

The Mayor has today published a new representative YouGov poll commissioned by City Hall that reveals what life is really like in London as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.

The polling also reveals the disproportionate impact that the squeeze on finances is having on Black and disabled Londoners.

City Hall polling reveals that:

• Almost half of Londoners (49 per cent) are using less water, energy or fuel
• Half of Londoners are either ‘financially struggling’* (18 per cent) or ‘just about managing’ financially (32 per cent).
• Half of Londoners (51 per cent) have cut back on non-essentials.
• 14 per cent of Londoners say they have regularly or occasionally been unable to buy food or essential items or relied on outside support in the last six months.
• 44 per cent of Londoners say they will either definitely (15 per cent) or probably  (29 per cent) struggle with their energy bills.
• 80 per cent are worried about increases to energy costs and 79 per cent about increases to living costs in the next 12 months.
• Black Londoners (14 per cent) and disabled Londoners (17 per cent) are twice as likely to have fallen behind on their bills.

The Mayor is once again urging the Chancellor to help those who need the most support during the worst cost-of-living crisis we have seen in decades. He wants the Chancellor to provide free school meals to all primary school children, introduce a ‘Lifeline Tariff’ which will allow a minimum floor of domestic energy use before charges begin for the most vulnerable people in London, and grant City Hall the power to freeze private rents in London, which would save people £3,000 over two years.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This shocking new polling highlights the realities of the worst cost of living crisis in generations.

“With spiralling inflation and soaring interest rates meaning many Londoners are struggling to make ends meet – a situation made worse by the Government’s failed Mini Budget – the Chancellor has a duty to take decisive action on Thursday to support vulnerable Londoners. This must include increasing benefits in-line with inflation to protect living standards.

“The Chancellor must also introduce a genuine windfall tax on energy companies to help pay for exorbitant energy bills, rather than placing a further burden on the public.”

The Mayor also wants to see the Chancellor to announce support for businesses next week, particularly those in sectors still recovering from the pandemic, including the hospitality and cultural sectors, which are particularly at risk as households cut spending to cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

In addition, he is calling on the Government to commit to driving economic growth in the capital and across the country by bringing forward investment for transport schemes, such as the Bakerloo line extension.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 11 November 2022.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 8 November 2022.

• Mayor invests £1million in new education toolkit – available to every secondary school in London – to help them recognise and tackle sexist and misogynistic behaviour.
• The innovative resource forms part of the Mayor’s public health approach to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) and builds on the success of his  #HaveAWord campaign which urges men and boys in particular to play their part.
• Mayor’s multi award-winning #HaveAWord campaign film to be shown in schools to encourage young men and boys to identify, call out and stand up against sexist behaviour.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that a new ‘allyship training’ package will be available to every secondary school in London to educate and empower young Londoners to take a stand and help prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Lessons on building healthy relationships, calling out sexism and discussions on attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls will feature in interactive workshops funded by the Mayor in the capital’s secondary schools. This ‘allyship training’ is part of the Mayor’s wide ranging public health approach to ending the epidemic of VAWG.

Today the Mayor visited Rokeby school in Newham to see first-hand how the VAWG prevention toolkit is helping boys understand why their words and attitudes towards women and girls matter.

Every single one of London’s secondary schools, colleges, community groups and faith groups will be able to access the VAWG prevention toolkit – which is now online and funded as part of Sadiq’s [Khan] record investment of more than £100million* in tackling violence against women and girls.

The Mayor will also be writing to every secondary school in London to inform them about the VAWG prevention toolkit and encourage teachers to use it from today.

This is the first toolkit for schools focusing on healthy relationships and tackling misogyny to be launched by a Mayor and this latest announcement builds on the success of the award-winning #HaveAWord campaign which launched earlier this year and encouraged men to reflect on misogynistic behaviour and call it out when they see it. The Mayor’s new VAWG prevention toolkit will take this a step further and is designed to empower the next generation of Londoners, including young boys, to stand up and prevent violence against women and girls.

The new toolkit will be delivered by teachers and supported by specially trained workshop leaders from Tender – an arts and education charity that acts to end abuse by engaging with young people in healthy relationships education. The workshop leaders will provide online support to secondary school teachers in London to deliver sessions, which are designed to educate all young people about the real impact of mistreating women empowering them to spot and challenge sexist and misogynistic behaviour. They will also be on hand for advice and support related to the toolkit.

The Have A Word campaign film – which asks men of all ages to reflect on how they can help tackle violence against women and girls – will now also be shown to students and discussed in schools across London as part of the new VAWG prevention toolkit. The multi award-winning short, which has already been viewed more than 15 million times, will be used as part of the action by the Mayor to ensure the next generation of men are positive allies against VAWG and feel confident, educated and empowered to call out sexist, misogynistic behaviour and attitudes.

The Mayor’s latest action is part of his refreshed strategy to tackle violence against women and girls and comes as NSPCC research shows that a third of all sexual abuse that children experience is committed by other children – with the majority of abuse from teenage boys to teenage girls [1]. Latest ONS figures also reveal that police-recorded sexual offences increased to their highest level over the last 12 months [2] and it is still tragically the case that in the UK, a violent man kills a woman every three days.

The toolkit will also be made available in schools already committed to delivering a new £2 million programme funded by the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to tackle school exclusions and help young people better develop healthy relationships. The VRU’s inclusive and nurturing programme begins in 70 schools in seven boroughs across London with the highest rates of suspensions, children in need, persistent absenteeism and domestic violence incidents. It is centred around the importance of healthy relationships and skilled practitioners will deliver targeted domestic abuse education and training for pupils, teachers and staff.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “In London and across the country we face an epidemic of violence against women and girls. As well as taking action against the perpetrators of violence, I’m determined that we do more to prevent and end the violence and misogyny too many women face on a daily basis.

“That’s why today I have launched a new VAWG prevention toolkit that will be available to every secondary school in London to help teach our next generation of men about becoming allies and building positive and healthy relationships with the women and girls they see and interact with every day.

“We must put the onus of responsibility on men and boys to change the way they perceive, treat and talk about women if we are going to truly fix the problem of violence against women and girls and build a safer, fairer London for everyone.”

Susie McDonald, Chief Executive, Tender, said: “As a charity that has been acting to end abuse by engaging with young people in healthy relationships education since 2003, we know that there has never been a more pressing time for children and young people to learn about healthy relationships and gender equality.

“Schools create the perfect environment in which young people can learn about these issues in a safe, non-judgemental and age appropriate way. But for teachers, it is essential that they feel confident and equipped with the correct knowledge and skills to deliver this type of education. Therefore Tender is delighted that this toolkit will be accessible to schools across London.

“The toolkit offers teachers lesson plans, ideas for exercises and information to deliver teaching that is accurate and addresses difficult and sensitive subjects in an accessible, proactive and positive way.”

Jo Doyle, Headteacher, Rokeby School, said: “Rokeby School has worked alongside Tender since 2018. Throughout our partnership, in each healthy relationship project and during the RE:SET programme, we have been committed to preparing our boys to be active citizens and allies to ending violence against women and girls.

“We are incredibly proud to be one of the UK’s first Healthy Relationships Champion Schools and will continue to promote the importance of healthy relationships across the school and in the wider community. We will always Dare To Be The Best”.

Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union, said: “The NEU welcomes this new toolkit. Our members have identified preventing sexual harassment and violence against women as a key professional concern and so we are pleased to see this practical support from the Mayor of London.

“Our own research identified that sexism and sexual harassment begins early We know prevention work to change attitudes to gender inequality and address violence against women and girls works and offers the next generation a chance to be the change they want to see in the world.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 7 November 2022.

• More than a quarter of London homeowners say they will struggle to meet mortgage payments this winter
• 400,000 London mortgages are up for renewal between now and December 2023

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called for immediate action to protect lower-income homeowners who are increasingly at risk of losing their homes because of rising mortgage costs. New YouGov polling for City Hall reveals that one in four (26 per cent) of Londoners think they will struggle to meet mortgage payments in the next six months.

The Mayor is calling for the same level of support seen in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, which avoided the high level of home repossessions seen in the early 1990s crash. Inflation is at a 40-year high and interest rates are being raised to the highest level for 14 years, meaning urgent action is needed to protect Londoners from potential homelessness.

City Hall analysis of Bank of England data from 2021, the latest available, suggests that more than half of Londoners who had fixed term mortgages at that time face their deals ending by the end of 2023. This equates to around 400,000 households who could soon be facing dramatically higher mortgage costs due to increased interest rates. The average rate for a two-year fixed-rate deal rose to 6.53 per cent on 18 October 2022, the highest rate since August 2008.

The Resolution Foundation estimates that the impact of rising interest rates will translate into an additional annual cost of £8000 a year by late 2024 across all households in London whose mortgage costs are going up

The cost-of-living crisis is already fuelling a rise in homelessness in London with the number of people seen sleeping rough in London increasing by a quarter in the last year. More than half of the people spotted sleeping rough were doing so for the first time, amounting to 1,844 people – a rise of 35 per cent on the same period last year.

Sadiq [Khan] believes this situation is so serious that the Government should now implement measures similar to those put in place following the 2008 financial crisis and at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the households affected vary greatly in their circumstances, the Government should:

• Reverse the cuts to the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme –  In 2018 this was changed from a grant to an interest-bearing loan and required a nine month wait for those who fall on hard times and need to rely on benefits. The scheme is designed to help protect claimants on qualifying benefits with mortgages from repossession when out of work, retired or sick by contributing towards the interest payments on the claimant’s mortgage and certain home loans. Given the scheme is currently only available to those on certain benefits, as the cost of living crisis worsens, the Mayor believes ministers should also explore making this support available to low-income homeowners not in receipt of benefits but who are now facing unsustainable mortgages payments.
• Reinstate the Mortgage Rescue Scheme in England which was abolished in 2014 and which is currently only available in Scotland (under the title of the Home Owners’ Support Fund) – This scheme targets households within certain income bands and makes two options available: the Mortgage to Rent scheme allows households to stay in their home by selling it to a social landlord and living there as tenants, and through the Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme, the Government buys a stake in the property, which means that households carry on being the owners but they pay a mortgage for a reduced amount.
• Reinstate mortgage payment holidays – Learning from the recent experience of dealing with the financial fall-out from COVID-19, sometimes households need a short-term break from mortgage commitments due to illness, the loss of a job or another sudden change in circumstances. Payment holidays were put in place at the beginning of the pandemic so that households could have the option not to make payments or to make reduced payments for a period of time. The Government should work with lenders to ensure that this is done in such a way that it does not affect people’s credit scores nor future lending decisions.
• Consider reinstating the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme to further support struggling homeowners who are not in receipt of benefits – This scheme helped homeowners who were experiencing a temporary reduction in income and struggling to pay their mortgages by allowing them to defer part of their mortgage payments for up to two years. The scheme was launched in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis but ended in 2011.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:

“Many London homeowners already face sizable monthly mortgage payments, alongside rising costs and stagnant wages. With re-mortgaging rates now hitting levels not seen in more than a decade due to the economic chaos created by this government, it is essential that ministers act to ensure Londoners do not pay the price by losing their homes.

“The measures I’ve set out today would be the right and proportionate approach to tackling a problem that is only going to become more significant and dangerous the longer ministers ignore it.”

Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of HomeOwners Alliance said:

“One thing is clear – the shocking mortgage rate trend alongside surging food and energy costs spells a gloomy winter for homeowners, with those on lower-incomes particularly hard hit. We need a government plan to support these households coming off fixed-term mortgages and this needs to be communicated sooner rather than later to reduce their financial anxiety.  We support the mayor’s call for action and remind homeowners struggling with increased rates that they are not alone. Their first port of call should be to speak to their lender about options, such as extending the mortgage term to reduce monthly payments, reducing what you pay for a short period, mortgage holidays or changing temporarily to interest-only payments.