Diversity and Inclusion: Governance
Here we focus on how almshouse charities can ensure that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) values, policies and procedures are central to the way they work and how this can contribute to the resilience of each almshouse community.
The 2010 Equality Act in England legally protects people from discrimination, harassment or victimisation. This protection applies in the workplace, in the provision of services such as housing and support and in wider society. All almshouse charities provide housing. Many charities employ staff who provide support services. Some provide other services, including care homes and care services. Some make grants to other local charities and voluntary organisations: grants count as a ‘service’ under the Act.
The Act lists nine Protected Characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. The law says someone is disabled if they have a ‘physical or mental impairment’ and the impairment ‘has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Carers of someone with a disability are also protected under the Act; discrimination can be direct or indirect.
Almshouses have often been founded for older people who previously worked in low-paid manual or service jobs, and sometimes for their dependants, especially widows. Low wages and insecure employment meant that they were more likely to be living in poverty. In the past, many people would have lost their tied housing on retirement and this is still a significant cause of homelessness in later life. Amongst our partner charities, some considered not only the 2010 Equality Act protected characteristics, but also other potential reasons for discrimination, including social class and socio-economic diversity.
The Equality Act 2010 includes a specific exception for charities:
“The charities’ exception in the Act allows charities to restrict benefits to people with a particular protected characteristic … if the restriction appears in its governing document.”
There are conditions attached to these restrictions. Positive action is also allowed under the Act, defined as how service providers “can help people who are disadvantaged or under represented to achieve the same chances as everyone else” and it must be proportionate.
In past centuries, the foundations of some almshouse charities aimed to provide almshouses for people from certain Christian denominations. The governing documents (rules) of our partners’ examples now state only that “preference will be given”, so if there is no-one from the specific denomination, the charities can offer almshouses to people who meet their other criteria (for example age, local connection). Charities can also apply to the Charity Commission if they wish to broaden their criteria, subject to certain conditions.
The Charity Commission regulates all almshouse charities. Some almshouse charities are also Registered Providers of Social Housing, regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. There are two Governance Codes: from the Charity Commission and from the National Housing Federation for Registered Providers. Both Codes were revised and strengthened in 2020 with a much greater emphasis on EDI.
Almshouse charities need to meet regulatory requirements and follow good practice advice to ensure that EDI values, policies and procedures are central to the way they work. Our partners were aiming to improve diversity. One trustee reflected on the learning points from their charity’s journey:
“We looked at diversity: residents, staff, leadership team, the board, and [area of operation] historically and in the coming decade. It gives you some new questions we’re not answering yet. We don’t provide a huge amount of support for BAME [Black and Minority Ethnic] communities. We’re not working with those communities in the right way. They either don’t know of our service, or our service doesn’t fit their need”
(Governance 9).
Some partners have extended their work to provide for existing and potential residents with greater needs for support and sometimes care. One example was widening the area where the charity works to include more disadvantaged localities. Another was training and developing their support staff, so that they can welcome new residents with a wider range of needs:
“We assess all nominations, and we would only not accept somebody if we really, really thought that we couldn’t meet their needs … We’ve tried to widen our network of partners, to work with more excluded groups and minority groups to try and encourage applications“
(Governance 18).
It is difficult to monitor progress unless an organisation collects data on the diversity of its residents, trustees and staff and reviews it regularly: some partners are now starting to monitor each year, and one partner also has set targets.
First impressions count, and there are many opportunities for almshouse charities to show a clear commitment to EDI in all media. This is important for attracting future residents and attracting applications when recruiting trustees and staff. Partner charities displayed their commitment on their websites, by links to policies, by using social media and by logos showing their support for different groups at risk of discrimination. Examples include Pride in Care, the HouseProud Pledge and the Disability Confident employer scheme. Partners’ information sometimes used more inclusive language: for example, application forms for housing that refer to civil partners as well as married couples.
