Tackling Poverty in Salford

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: tackling poverty in Salford A joint strategy from the Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor February 2017 Contents Foreword from the Salford City Mayor 01 Foreword by the Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor 03 Our vision Salford has ambitious plans to become a modern global city and significant public and private investment over the last ten years has 05 What do we mean by poverty? helped to create more new jobs and opportunities than ever before. But despite the success of the city’s continued growth, it is clear that not 09 Why do we need a new strategy? all of Salford’s residents are sharing in the benefits of this prosperity. The fact remains that significant levels of poverty continue to exist in 2017 17 What are we going to do about it? many parts of the city. 31 Delivering the strategy Poverty blights people’s lives. For young As well as taking action to make things better people in particular, growing up in poverty for the many households struggling to make means they are almost four times more likely ends meet now, we must also look to prevent to become poor adults than their peers1. people from falling into poverty in the first place, building on what we know is already working, as This is clearly not acceptable. But behind well as developing new ways of doing things. all the statistics are the lives of real people experiencing poverty every day. We want our work to become a beacon of These are the people that really matter. best practice in the fight against poverty. This is our opportunity to drive positive Working with the Salford Poverty Truth change and inspire even more people Commission, we have been listening to their A joint strategy from the Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor Mayor Youth and Salford City Mayor the Salford from A joint strategy and organisations to do the same. stories to better understand the challenges they face, as the only way poverty will be truly But no one agency can do this alone. Continued addressed is when those who experience it pressure on public finances will make this task first-hand are at the heart of the process. more challenging. This is why we must co- ordinate what resources and community assets This strategy, therefore, restates Salford’s the city does have more effectively, to improve commitment to tackling poverty and inequality outcomes for as many people as possible. poverty in Salford tackling and sets out the approach we will take over the next few years to give residents the very best chance of a poverty free future. NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: 1. UK Government Child Poverty Strategy 2014-17 Salford City Mayor Salford Youth Mayor Paul Dennett Lewis Nelson 1 ‘Tackling poverty will Our vision not be quick or easy, and “Our vision is for a fairer we are clear that this and more inclusive Salford strategy is just the where everyone is able to start of the conversation reach their full potential 2017 rather than the end’ and live prosperous and fulfilling lives free from poverty and inequality” Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor A joint strategy from the Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor Mayor Youth and Salford City Mayor the Salford from A joint strategy tackling poverty in Salford tackling NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: 2 3 What do we mean by poverty? The experience of poverty can be about more than income alone, although undoubtedly income is still the main resource that people can use to meet their needs. One of the most widely used definitions Although, we will continue to use of poverty is where a household’s income median household income to measure is below 60 per cent of the median after levels poverty (along with others), we housing costs are taken into account. have also developed our own definition The median is the middle number - so half of all that we believe more accurately households earn more than the median income captures the many different factors: household, and half earn less. Those households that earn less than 60 per cent of this middle amount are described as living in income poverty (also called relative poverty). The poverty line is adjusted to take into account how spending ‘Poverty applies to anyone needs differ between types of households. who is denied, through low Whilst this is easier to measure and can income or lack of resources, provide useful comparisons over time, it has also been criticised as somewhat narrow. the opportunity to participate The Salford Poverty Truth Commission, fully in the life of the along with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation both refer to poverty in terms of ‘a lack community and have quality of something’, not just money, but access to education, healthcare things like social participation, access to essential services like decent housing and and leisure activities, as sustainable employment opportunities. well as the necessities of life including good housing and adequate food and clothing’ 4 5 Who lives in poverty? People with a disability or suffering ill health Older people Unemployed Families with at least one disabled person Although the number of pensioners living in The number of people unemployed in Salford is All types of people live in poverty. Key causes are more likely to live in poverty. poverty has dropped over the last decade, 7,800 (6.5 per cent) - higher than the rest of the such as unemployment, ill health, debt or there are still estimated to be over 1.6 million North West (5.1 per cent). Whilst it is true that family breakdown can happen to anyone. It is estimated that around 37,200 people in living in poverty in the UK. Low income in unemployment remains a key factor, poverty Salford aged 16-64 (24 per cent) are unable Although this strategy is aimed at retirement is often linked to earlier low amongst working people in the UK has risen by to work due to illness or disability, or who are reducing poverty for people of all ages pay, or time out of employment. Many more than one million in the last decade alone. work-limiting disabled, whilst 17,710 people (7.6 and personal circumstances, there are older people are also missing out on the per cent) recorded their health as being very bad certain groups that face a much higher entitlements they are due to lack of knowledge Homeless and insecurely housed or bad in the 2011 Census. This is significantly risk of living in poverty than others. or assumptions that they are not entitled. Homelessness both causes and is caused by higher than both Greater Manchester (6.7 many aspects of poverty, including financial This strategy will seek to reflect the per cent) and England (5.4 per cent). In Salford, the number of people aged 65 problems, lack of work, family breakdown and needs of these vulnerable people and and over (currently 35,767) is expected to deterioration in mental and physical health. disadvantaged communities most at risk Lone parents, larger families and carers grow steadily over the next ten years. 352 households were deemed to be of poverty, which according to the Child Lone parents, families with three or more homeless in 2016 (an increase of 73 Poverty Action Group2 and an analysis of children and carers are more likely to Some ethnic minority groups (inc per cent from the year before). national and local evidence3 includes: experience poverty than people without refugees and asylum seekers) children or caring responsibilities. Extra Black and Minority Ethnic groups experience Children and young people costs such as childcare or the loss of higher levels of poverty as a result of a (including those leaving care) 2017 income from the need to reduce working number of reasons such as higher levels There are 12,667 Salford children estimated hours are particularly significant drivers. of unemployment, poorer housing and to be living in poverty in 2016. That’s 23 per low take up and access to services. Although we do not have figures for how cent of children or 7 in a classroom of 30. many of these vulnerable groups are living 20,200 people aged 16 and over in Salford Children growing up in poverty feel more in poverty locally, we do know that there (10 per cent of population) belong to an insecure and anxious witnessing the daily are currently 9,847 lone parent households ethnic minority and 16,085 people do not struggles of parents who are budgeting with dependent children, 5,430 families with speak English as their main language (with on as little as £1.50 per day for food. three or more children, and 4,080 people in over 70 languages being spoken in total). Young people leaving care also face receipt of carer’s allowance living in Salford. This continues to be a significant barrier in particular challenges, as they often find reducing poverty for this vulnerable group. it difficult to secure employment or work experience opportunities and often lack the confidence to access public services. A joint strategy from the Salford City Mayor and Salford Youth Mayor Mayor Youth and Salford City Mayor the Salford from A joint strategy tackling poverty in Salford tackling NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: 2. http://cpag.org.uk/content/who-lives-poverty 3. 2015-16 ONS Annual Population Survey, Salford State of the City Report, NOMIS, ONS Labour Market Profile 6 7 Why do we need a new strategy? Since our last strategy was published in 2011, some good progress has been made in tackling poverty across many areas.

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