Wigan Council becomes first LA in the UK to sign the ‘Workplace Charter’ concerning Gambling Related Harms

Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT) and its partner Learn with Unite (Unite the Union) are extremely pleased to announce that Wigan Council have become the first national Local Authority within the UK to sign a ‘Charter to Reduce Gambling Related Harm in the Workplace’.

The Charter, developed collaboratively by BCT and Learn with Unite, has been endorsed by the Gambling Commission, and seeks to encourage workplaces and employers to actively support their employees who may be at risk due to gambling related harms. Not only does the charter offer support to employees, if required, from a safeguarding perspective but it actively encourages employers, employees, and their families to discuss gambling related harms, reducing the stigma of being open about this issue, whilst creating a safer environment. In addition, the charter seeks to address gambling harms through clearly defined policies and secure parity with other issues and policy guidelines such as mental health and substance misuse.

The charter sets out 7 key principles that provides a framework for action to help employers and trade unions build good practice in health and work in their organisation. The charter supports all types of employers, large and small, from the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Wigan Council Assistant Director of Customer and Culture Lesley O’Halloran said “I want to give a big shout out to Ian Riding of Wigan Council and Neil Platt of BCT who have provided massive support with this great work. I am proud to work for Wigan Council pledging their support in this way.”

Unite ULF Construction Learning Manager Keith Lewis commented “Wigan Council are the first local authority to sign up to the harmful gambling workplace charter. It is important now to build on this commitment through education and training and develop a culture and safe place for members and staff to access information, support and, if necessary, referral to treatment. The next stage is to discuss training for union representatives and managers and identify workplace and community connectors.”

Unite the Union National Development Officer Steve Craig added “Unite’s Harmful Gambling Workplace Charter initiative with Wigan Council is a great example of collaboration between the joint trade unions and the employer. The charter allows us tackle the issues and impacts associated with harmful gambling more effectively by providing targeted support for individuals (and affected other), training across the workforce and signposting and referral to external support agencies such as Beacon Counselling Trust.”