Tackling Poverty in Portsmouth – Needs Assessment Refresh 2015 - 2018 [Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Contents Contents ...................................................................................................................................... i Executive summary .................................................................................................................... 4 Conclusions/Recommendations ............................................................................................ 5 Needs Assessment - Summary of Needs ............................................................................ 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 21 Aim of the Tackling Poverty Needs Assessment .................................................................. 21 Why is reducing poverty important? ....................................................................................... 21 Outcomes for children, families and adults ......................................................................... 22 Costs to society .................................................................................................................... 23 Legal responsibilities to tackle child poverty ....................................................................... 23 Defining and measuring poverty ............................................................................................. 24 A picture of Portsmouth .......................................................................................................... 28 Who lives in Portsmouth? .................................................................................................... 28 Portsmouth the place ........................................................................................................... 30 Detailed research and analysis – children and families ........................................................... 32 Portsmouth demographics ................................................................................................... 32 Extent of child poverty in Portsmouth – how much and where? ........................................ 35 Children and families most at risk from poverty ................................................................. 45 Groups identified by HBAI data ........................................................................................ 45 Children in need and/or at risk ......................................................................................... 48 Young people who are not in Education, Employment or Training (known as NEETs) ... 48 Children’s general wellbeing ................................................................................................ 52 Children’s educational attainment and links with Free School Meals data ........................ 54 Children’s Expectations and Aspirations .............................................................................. 61 Childcare ............................................................................................................................... 64 The ‘Heat or Eat’ Dilemma – Fuel and Food Poverty experienced by families .................... 66 Detailed research and analysis – the Adult population ........................................................... 69 Portsmouth demographics ................................................................................................... 70 Extent of poverty for working age adults in Portsmouth – how much and where? ........... 73 Adults most at risk from poverty ......................................................................................... 77 i [Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Groups identified by HBAI data ........................................................................................ 77 People with learning disabilities .......................................................................................... 82 People with mental health issues ........................................................................................ 88 People with alcohol and substance abuse issues ................................................................ 90 Alcohol misuse .................................................................................................................. 90 Substance misuse ............................................................................................................. 93 Domestic Abuse ................................................................................................................ 94 Detailed research and analysis - Older People (65+) ............................................................... 96 Portsmouth demographics ................................................................................................... 97 Extent of poverty for older people aged 65+ in Portsmouth – how much and where? ...... 99 Older people most at risk from poverty ............................................................................ 104 Groups identified by HBAI data ...................................................................................... 104 Factors that have a strong relationship with poverty for all residents ................................. 107 Welfare Reforms ................................................................................................................ 107 Housing ............................................................................................................................... 112 Food poverty ...................................................................................................................... 117 Financial inclusion .............................................................................................................. 117 Addressing the ‘Poverty Premium’ for people in financial hardship ............................. 118 Knowledge of and access to financial products ............................................................. 119 Debt ................................................................................................................................ 122 Fuel Poverty .................................................................................................................... 131 Digital Exclusion .............................................................................................................. 137 Wider knowledge and understanding around money management ............................. 140 Employment and worklessness .......................................................................................... 141 (see also Low Pay and Underemployment sections) ......................................................... 141 Income ................................................................................................................................ 145 Benefits............................................................................................................................... 147 Benefit take-up ................................................................................................................... 149 Low pay .............................................................................................................................. 150 Underemployment ............................................................................................................. 153 The Living Wage ................................................................................................................. 154 In work poverty .................................................................................................................. 158 ii [Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Adult Skills, Qualifications, Education and Training .............................................................. 159 Literacy and Numeracy ...................................................................................................... 162 Crime and anti-social behaviour ............................................................................................ 166 Health and Wellbeing ............................................................................................................ 169 Life Expectancy ................................................................................................................... 172 Low Birth Weight ................................................................................................................ 174 Obesity ............................................................................................................................... 175 Alcohol and Substance Misuse .......................................................................................... 178 Mental illness ..................................................................................................................... 178 Teenage Conception........................................................................................................... 178 Learning Disabilities ........................................................................................................... 179 Carers ................................................................................................................................. 179 Wider learning about the needs of people in Portsmouth ................................................... 181 Learning from Portsmouth's Local Welfare