Parents ‘broken’ by withdrawal of adoption payments say funding is a ‘postcode lottery’
Michelle Haigh can still remember the first time she saw a picture of her adopted son, Thomas.
Unable to have children, she and her husband Gary had decided they’d like to begin a family of their own, contacting a regional adoption agency nearby, One Adoption South Yorkshire.
She said: “We got profiles sent to us, where you read the background story, and then Thomas’s profile came through our letterbox.
Gary Haigh with two of the three brothers they have adopted
“I knew he was my boy, as soon as I saw him and I instantly said I wanted to proceed.”
Nine years on, the couple have not only taken in Thomas, who is now 10, but also his siblings, Lucas, 8, and Freddie, 5.
However, Michelle says their family unit has been “broken,” by a decision to withdraw their financial support, known as the adoption allowance.
The Haighs claim that, despite encouraging them to keep the boys together and promising to support each boy until they turned eighteen, they received little notice from their local authority before the money was stopped.
Sarah Johal, the National Strategic Adoption Lead for England, said their story is one of a growing number of similar cases, with local authorities, who all set their own adoption allowance policies, trying to save money in a difficult financial climate.
Ms Johal wants ministers to standardise the financial support given to adoptive parents, adding that the current guidance needs to be changed.
Gary Haigh and his adopted sons playing football
She said: “I think essentially, it is left to each local authority to use their discretion as to how they apply the regulations and guidance.
“It’s quite outdated and it doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality of the children and families we currently support.”
As it stands, adoption allowance is a blend of legislation and statutory guidance, set by each local authority at their discretion.
It is designed to encourage people to take in children who might otherwise not be adopted due to the extra costs of looking after them and is usually paid weekly or monthly.
The amount paid is often calculated based on the adoptive parents’ incomes.
Michelle says officials gave them little notice before the money was stopped
Ms Johal is also calling on the government to create a uniform means testing tool, completely waiving the financial assessment in certain cases involving children that wait longer for adoption such as sibling groups, children with complex additional needs and those from ethnic minority groups.
“It feels that if we can get more guidance around how local authorities use that discretion and in what circumstances and get more agreement around that across the country, it would be really helpful.”
The postcode lottery she described is being felt by the Haighs.
Their funding, which was originally around £631 a fortnight has been partially restored, but they are still feeling the financial strain.
The family’s adoption funding has been withdrawn
The pair, who live in West Yorkshire, have been forced to take out loans, cut back on essentials and put their home on the market, changes that have affected them and the children.
Gary Haigh said: “We try and keep them out of it, so they’re not aware of it, but they see arguments all the time from us about money.
“They’re asking: ‘Why can’t we go on holiday when our friends go on holiday, why can’t we go to the park, why haven’t we got this or that?'”
His wife said: “I’m constantly feeling like I’m letting them down because I’m worried about money.
“Every time we get a payment, we’re now feeling insecure at the fact that the next payment might not arrive in the next fortnight. I’m so stressed out that I’m not being the best mum I can be for my boys.
The pressure has left them seeking mental health support for Thomas who worries the house being for sale means he will be sent to another family.
His brother Lucas has cerebral palsy, meaning he already needs additional support.
A recent survey by the charity Adoption UK found adoptive parents are struggling with the cost of living crisis and most have not received more support.
It revealed 26% of adoptive parents said they were in receipt of adoption allowances or other financial support from their agency.
Of these, only 6% said there had been an increase in the amount paid during 2022.
Alison Woodhead, Adoption UK’s Director of Public Affairs and Communications, also called for more consistent guidance on the financial support available.
She said: “For one-off payments and ongoing allowances, we need clear national standards defining under which circumstances these will be awarded, and how much is appropriate in various cases.
“The current situation is vague, subject to too much interpretation and is not centred around the needs of the child.”
Doncaster Council said: “The current guidance was reviewed in early 2022. It outlines that an allowance can be paid to the adoptive parent(s) for sibling groups for every subsequent sibling placed with the family.
“Every adoptive family can request a Statutory Assessment Support Need from their local Regional Adoption Agency… this looks at a range of needs from mental health, and the need for therapeutic services, to additional support during the child’s education.”
UK
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh admits pleading guilty to offence in connection with misleading police in 2014
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has admitted pleading guilty to an offence connected with misleading the police while a parliamentary candidate in 2014, Sky News can reveal.
Sky News understands Ms Haigh appeared at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court six months before the 2015 general election, after making a false report to officers that her mobile phone had been stolen.
Ms Haigh said she was “mugged while on a night out” in 2013. She then reported the incident to the police and gave officers a list of items she believed had been taken – including a work mobile phone.
In a statement to Sky News, the transport secretary said she discovered “some time later” that “the mobile in question had not been taken”.
She added: “In the interim, I had been issued with another work phone.”
The transport secretary said: “The original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning.
“My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice.
“The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates.”
Ms Haigh continued: “Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain.
“The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome (a discharge) available.”
It’s understood her conviction is now classified as ‘spent’.
However, three separate sources claimed she made the false report to benefit personally, with two of the sources alleging she wanted a more modern work handset that was being rolled out to her colleagues at the time.
The now cabinet minister had been working as a public policy manager at Aviva, but two sources said she lost her job at the insurance firm because of the incident.
Her government profile states she left this role in 2015 before becoming the MP for Sheffield Heeley at that year’s general election.
Sky News understands the incident was disclosed in full when Ms Haigh was appointed to the shadow cabinet.
In the statement given to Sky News, the transport secretary said: “I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying.”
Conservative Party Chairman Nigel Huddleston told Sky News the revelations are “extremely concerning”.
He added: “Keir Starmer has serious questions to answer regarding what he knew and when about the person he appointed as transport secretary admitting to having misled the police.”
Before entering politics, the transport secretary was a special constable in the Metropolitan Police – serving between 2009 and 2011 in the South London Borough of Lambeth, close to where she was convicted several years later.
Louise Haigh was a special constable from 2009-2011. Pic: www.louisehaigh.org.uk
She was appointed shadow policing minister by Jeremy Corbyn in 2017 and frequently drew on her experience in the Met when challenging the Tory government on the rising demands on officers.
As transport secretary, Ms Haigh appoints members of the board that oversees the British Transport Police.
In 2019 she said that Boris Johnson had “deceived the police” and committed a “serious breach of trust” over claims he politicised serving officers during a speech in West Yorkshire.
Sir Keir Starmer promoted the Sheffield MP to shadow Northern Ireland secretary in 2020 before moving her to shadow transport secretary in 2021.
In this brief she has been an outspoken critic of the mass sacking of 800 workers by P&O Ferries in 2022.
In October, while transport secretary, she accused P&O of being a “rogue operator” and called for a boycott of its services.
The comments caused the firm’s Dubai-based owner to review a planned £1bn UK port investment – something that was re-confirmed after ministers held urgent talks with the company.
Louise Haigh has been the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Heeley since 2015
But she was publicly rebuked by Sir Keir who said her opinions were “not the view of the government”.
With connections to former Downing Street chief of staff Sue Gray, there has been speculation her cabinet role could be under threat in a future reshuffle.
Ms Gray’s son, Labour MP Liam Conlon, is Ms Haigh’s parliamentary private secretary and acts as her “eyes and ears” in parliament, while another of her former employees also worked for the former chief of staff before she was sacked after losing a power struggle within Number 10.
As transport secretary, Ms Haigh was one of a handful of cabinet ministers who complained to the Treasury about impending cuts in the budget.
She is considered to be one of the more left-wing members of the cabinet and has vowed to “rip up the roots of Thatcherism” with her plans for rail and bus reform.
In 2015, Ms Haigh was one of a number of Labour MPs to nominate Mr Corbyn for leader – a decision she later said she regretted.
UK
MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace steps down as Kirsty Wark among 13 who claim he made inappropriate sexual jokes
MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has stepped down over allegations he made a series of inappropriate sexual comments on a range of programmes over 17 years.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
In an interview with the BBC, the Newsnight presenter, who was a celebrity contestant on MasterChef in 2011, claimed Wallace used “sexualised language”.
“There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if it was anyone engaged with this,” Wark said.
“It was completely one-way traffic. I think people were uncomfortable and something that I really didn’t expect to happen.”
Sky News has contacted Wallace’s representative for comment.
Kirsty Wark. File pic: PA
‘Fully cooperating’
Banijay UK said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by “individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows”.
The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the company said.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”
Previous investigation
Last month, Wallace responded to reports that a previous BBC review had found he could continue working at the corporation following reports of an alleged incident in 2018 when he appeared on Impossible Celebrities.
Wallace said those claims had been investigated “promptly” at the time and said he had not said “anything sexual” while appearing on the game show more than half a decade ago.
In an Instagram post following an article in The Sun newspaper, he wrote: “The story that’s hitting the newspapers was investigated promptly when it happened six years ago by the BBC.
“And the outcome of that was that I hadn’t said anything sexual. I’ll need to repeat this again. I didn’t say anything sexual.”
Read more from Sky News:
Davina McCall feeling ‘stronger’ after brain tumour surgery
Robbie Williams says people from the 90s shouldn’t be shamed
Alongside MasterChef, Wallace presented Inside The Factory for BBC Two from 2015.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014. Pic: PA
Wallace has featured on various BBC shows over the years, including Saturday Kitchen, Eat Well For Less, Supermarket Secrets, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals, as well as being a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in 2014.
He was made an MBE for services to food and charity last year.
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Wallace will be transmitted as planned, the PA news agency understands.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports8 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway