Peabody looks to expand frontline staff while exploring job retention scheme

News14 Apr 2020Luke Cross

Peabody is looking to expand its staff resource across care and support and services for tenants in need of support, while exploring the UK government’s job retention scheme, it said in an update today.

Peabody is looking to recruit more staff across its care and support divisions (picture: Getty)

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The association is actively recruiting support workers and other critical staff for care services across London and Essex as it looks to fill around 100 vacancies, while working to address challenges with personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies across its care and support operations.

It is also seeking to increase its staff volunteer programme to bolster its frontline services after identifying over 3,000 residents in need of support.

Peabody – which has more than 66,000 homes and provides care and support services to 17,500 people across London, Essex and the South East – set out its approach in a COVID-19 update to the financial markets, updating investors and other stakeholders on how it is tackling the pandemic.

It said its priorities include protecting its teams, residents and the people who benefit from its care and support services; continuing to provide essential services; and proactively informing, engaging and supporting the most vulnerable in its communities.

Most of its construction of new homes have been paused in consultation with building contractors and developer partners.

Building safety work, gas safety inspections, fire checks and other essential work is continuing.

The group is carrying out essential repairs only at present, having paused investment in planned cyclical works.

However, like other providers, Peabody is also facing staffing issues and a lack of PPE and other supplies across its care and support operations.

It said: “We are managing this as best we can and are keeping local authorities and commissioners updated.

“We continue actively recruiting for support workers and other critical staff in London and Essex.”

Meanwhile, its community centres are closed, as well as customer receptions and most of its offices.

Peabody has written to every resident to offer practical support and guidance where required, after identifying more than 3,000 residents in need of support, and more than 6,500 residents over 70 years of age.

It said: “To cope with the demand, we are expanding our staff volunteer programme, the Peabody Promise, for those who can safely join our frontline efforts.”

Teams that are not delivering essential frontline services are helping residents in other ways, such as taking welfare, medicine and food packages to people, phoning tenants to check what support they need, virtual befriending and supporting in a care scheme.

The group said it is exploring “a range of ways to support and protect our employees during the period”, including re-assigning and furloughing staff.

“This includes seeing where people can support teams that are under pressure elsewhere in the organisation or take part in our community offer programme,” it said.

“We are also considering how people can take part in the government’s job retention scheme in order to keep roles open even where they are not currently active.

“We would continue for the time being to pay the full salary and benefits to everyone included in the scheme.”

Financial support

Meanwhile, its financial inclusion teams are offering reassurance to people worried about their economic circumstances.

The sector has stopped short of offering blanket rent payment holidays or deferrals.

Peabody said: “We know that people are worried about paying rent, and we are encouraging them to contact us directly to discuss their circumstances.

“We can help them access the financial support they are entitled to and come up with a plan to manage their situation.”

Peabody has also increased its hardship fund, which provides assistance to residents who are struggling and links with the London Food Alliance and the Government Food Delivery Scheme.

It has also made a £100,000 contribution to two large London grant funders that are supporting community groups through these difficult times.

Peabody said the financial impacts of the crisis on the group “are being assessed through detailed monitoring and reporting of cashflows”.

It said: “We have robust measures in place to ensure that systems and payment processes continue with minimal disruption.”

It added: “Our strong financial planning procedures and stress testing mean that we are prepared to manage the impacts and potential impacts, and we can continue to deliver on our organisational priorities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”