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Tackling Poverty in Denbighshire: Action Plan Overview

Detailed overview of Denbighshire's Anti-poverty Statement and Action Plan 2009-2012, including poverty estimates, national responses, and local strategies.

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Tackling Poverty in Denbighshire: Action Plan Overview

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  1. Denbighshire’s Anti-poverty Statement and action plan 2009 to 2012National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers Workshop 5/03/2010 • Poverty Estimates • England and Wales Response • Denbighshire’s Anti Poverty Action Plan • How do WRU’s evidence their Anti-Poverty impact accurately? • New Direction or Original Purpose?

  2. Poverty Estimates (2007/2008) • The following poverty estimates are taken from the Department for Work and Pension’s yearly ‘Households Below Average Income Surveys’ which interviewed 23,121 households in Great Britain during 2007/2008. • Below 60% average median income (after housing costs in Wales) • Pensioner poverty 19% (2 million). • Child poverty increase on 2006/2007 to 32% in Wales. • London 39%, Eng 31%, NI 26%, Scot 25% • Minimum of 5500 children in Denbighshire • 13% in severe poverty • Fuel poverty 30% (England 18%) • These national figures probably underestimate poverty in Denbighshire given the high Wales Index of Multiple Deprivation 2008 rankings.

  3. National Response • UK Govt’s “Ending Child Poverty: Everybody’s Business” + new legislation. • Main levers: Child Tax and Working Tax Credits and/or Disability Benefits. • Welsh Assembly Gov’t Social Inclusion + Fuel Poverty Strategy + Communities First • Welsh Assembly Gov’t Child Poverty Strategy • evolved since 2005 leading to a range of initiatives and legislation e.g. free breakfasts, financial inclusion programme, income maximisation, credit unions, Flying Start, Cymorth funding and projects. Now WAG’s Cabinet top priority. • Welsh Law: Proposed Children and Families Measure May 2009 • National and local plans to reduce and reduce child poverty • Childminding and day care for children • Integrated Family Support Teams • Miscellaneous: Social Work Standards Officers; Play Opportunities : Participation in LA decisions

  4. Denbighshire’s Response • Background and Drivers • Consultation since June 2008 with 30 organisations and 111 contacts. • Drivers: • Experiences of Poverty past and present • Save costs linked to worst consequences – health and care • Better communities and economy • Priorities for local strategic plans- Children and young People + Health Social Care and Wellbeing + Regeneration + Communities First. • National plans and laws • Local: Denbighshire's 3rd statement and action plan since 1996 • Adult poverty: 5 themes and 23 actions • Child poverty: 6 themes and 26 actions • White - established services with anti poverty as a key objective. • Green – new actions based on identified need e.g. Cymorth funded projects Financial literacy. • Pink – new actions agreed in principle but need further work. e.g. programme bending and poverty proofing.

  5. How do I measure poverty in my casework? • The relative income poverty line has been set by the European, UK and Welsh Assembly Governments at 60% of a middle-of-the-range income after taking away: tax, National Insurance, council tax, work pension contributions, maintenance, child support, parental contributions to students away from home and student loan repayments. • The Welsh Assembly Government uses the 60% income poverty line after taking awayhousing costs: rent, mortgage interest, water rates and buildings insurance. • Weekly poverty line amounts for different households in 2009/2010 • e.g. Single adult £118; Couple no children £203 • see table in handout for what this means other types of household • Record pre and post WR assessment income level on WRU database. • Produce quarterly “financial of quality of life” and “out of poverty” reports (see handouts). • Lobby for National Performance Indicators in Wales.

  6. New Direction or Original Purpose? • Loss of charging policy anchor or dwindling significance? • Re-establish anti-poverty and prove original purpose? • “Programme bend” resources - plan Welfare Rights Units to reduce poverty? • All Wales pooling of stats – • “Financial Quality of Life” (traditional Income Generation stats) and • “Out of poverty” stats linked to numbers of children and adults. • WRAC- leadership role in Wales for improving financial quality of life and for reducing poverty? Anti-poverty and Welfare Rights Manager 01824 712346 rick.jonesabbas@denbighshire.gov.uk (2010 02 05)

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