Universal appeal

Understanding the complexities of the Department for Work and Pensions new IT system for universal credit is not an easy task.

Fortunately, the DWP helped Closed Circuit come to terms with it at a press briefing last week by putting on a mini play.

The role-play starred a civil servant as ‘Tom’, an employee disappointed by a reduction in his working hours. He finds out about universal credit and logs on to the new IT system to make a claim.

Closed Circuit was enthralled and hopes a similar role-play service will be available to benefit claimants if requested.

Anyone who thinks social housing is going to the dogs is about to be proven right - at least in north west London.

Arm’s-length management organisation City West Homes is embracing the idea, however, by running a ‘Pup Idol’ show to find a prize pooch on the Mozart estate, in Queen’s Park.

Closed Circuit hopes it is the start of a pun-based trend for social housing’s take on popular entertainment formats. The government’s version of The Secret Millionaire - in which wealthy people who have been living undercover in social housing donate some of their money to the Treasury - is apparently the most likely to see light of day.

So to Closed Circuit’s hero of the week. And the award goes to the partner of Soho Housing Association chief executive Joe Chambers.

Mr Chambers announced his partner’s derring-do to the twitterati at the weekend with the breathless: ‘OMG, my partner just apprehended a man doing a runner from the Little Chef.’

This went beyond the call of duty because as Mr Chambers added ‘she doesn’t even work there’.

Closed Circuit loved this press release headline from the British Property Foundation: ‘Developers welcome bishop’s view of intelligent design.’

Unfortunately its substance had nothing to do with the prevalence of creationism among house builders, but with the BPF’s response to a Design Council report (by a Mr Bishop).

Send your juicy housing gossip to closedcircuit@insidehousing.co.uk