Poverty – Page 17 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Glasgow has the shortest life expectancy for people aged 40

Residents in Glasgow City have the shortest remaining life expectancy compared to any other UK area
West Dunbartonshire comes in second for females whilst Blackpool is second for males
Inverclyde is third for females, and West Dunbartonshire is third for males

New analysis has revealed that Glasgow City has the shortest life expectancy for both men and women aged 40.

The research, by care experts Guardian Carers, analysed ONS data to reveal the life expectancy from the age of 40 for each local authority in the UK.

A 40-year-old resident of Glasgow City has the lowest remaining life expectancy compared to any other UK area. For women living in this area, the average life expectancy from the age of 40 is 39.3 years more – this is nearly ten years less than their female counterparts in Kensington and Chelsea. Male residents have an average 34.8 years more from the ages of 40.

West Dunbartonshire comes in second for women who, on average have 39.8 years left to live after the age of 40, and Blackpool places second for men at 36 years.

Ranking as the areas with the third lowest life expectancy after the ages of 40 are Inverclyde, with an average of 40.1 years expected for women, and West Dunbartonshire for men, with a predicted 36.04 years. The top three areas with the lowest life expectancy for women are situated in Scotland.

Blackpool comes in fourth for women who, according to the ONS data, have on average, 40.2 years left to live after the age of 40. Dundee City has the fourth lowest life expectancy for men with 36.2 years.

Women aged 40 in North Lanarkshire have, on average, 40.4 years left to live. Inverclyde male residents have 36.5 years, making these the areas with the fifth lowest life expectancy in the UK for women and men.

Knowsley comes in sixth as women living in this area are expected to have 40.6 years left to live. Manchester provides a further 36.7 years for men.

In seventh place, Dundee City’s female residents have an average 40.7 years of life expectancy after the age of 40, while men living in North Lanarkshire have 36.8 years.

Women in Manchester are expected to live for 40.8 more years after the age of 40, and 37.01 years for men living in Kingston upon Hull, making these the areas with the eighth highest life expectancy.

In ninth place, 40-year-old women living in Liverpool are estimated to have 40.8 years to live on average, while the figure is 37.2 years for men living in this area.

Ranking as the areas with the tenth highest life expectancy after the age of 40 is East Ayrshire for women with an average of 41 years left to live, and East Ayrshire for men, who have 37.3 years.

A 40-year-old woman living in Kensington and Chelsea has the highest remaining life expectancy compared to any other UK area. For women living in this borough, the average life expectancy from the age of 40 is 48.6 years more. Male residents in Westminster have an average of 45.5 years more from the ages of 40, the highest amount for men in the UK.

A spokesperson for Guardian Carers commented on the findings: “Women living in Kensington and Chelsea have an extra expected 9.3 years left to live compared to those in Glasgow.

“The disparities seen between areas of the UK in this analysis could highlight major problems in social, economic or health-related factors. It also shines a light on the finding that women across the UK are expected to live longer than men.

“The age of 40 marks the typical midway through an average lifetime, and it is fascinating to see how many years people can expect to live further, in each location.”

The UK Areas With The Lowest Life Expectancy For Women At The Age Of 40
Local Authority	LE
Glasgow City	39.33
West Dunbartonshire	39.83
Inverclyde	40.12
Blackpool	40.2
North Lanarkshire	40.39
Knowsley	40.66
Dundee City	40.74
Manchester	40.77
Liverpool	40.8
East Ayrshire	40.97

The UK Areas With the Lowest Life Expectancy For Men At The Age Of 40
Local Authority	LE
Glasgow City	34.76
Blackpool	35.96
West Dunbartonshire	36.04
Dundee City	36.17
Inverclyde	36.47
Manchester	36.73
North Lanarkshire	36.8
Kingston upon Hull, City of	37.01
Liverpool	37.22
East Ayrshire	37.33

Source: Office of National Statistics

The study was conducted by Guardian Carers, which is an introductory service placing carers, companions and housekeepers all over the UK and beyond; who provide a wide range of premium care services on a live-in, live-out, full-time or part-time basis.

Trussell Trust: 1.3 million emergency parcels provided in last 6 months

New figures from the Trussell Trust show more emergency food parcels were given out during the April to September period than ever before
Over the last six months, 320,000 people have been forced to turn to food bank in the Trussell Trust network for first time
New research finds one in five people referred to food bank in the Trussell Trust network are in working households
The charity is urging the UK government to take immediate action as food banks face ‘breaking point’
Volunteers set for busiest winter yet as levels of need outstrip donations

New figures released today by the Trussell Trust reveal that 1.3m emergency food parcels were provided to people between April and September this year by food banks in the charity’s UK network and almost half a million of these went to children.

That’s a third more than were provided during the same period in 2021 and an increase of more than 50% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The Trussell Trust, which supports more than 1,300 food bank centres, says the cost of living emergency has created a ‘tsunami of need’, as people struggle to survive amidst the soaring costs of living.

With need outstripping donations for the first time in its history, the charity has been forced to launch an emergency appeal to ensure that food banks can meet the alarming level of need in their communities.

In the first half of this financial year alone, the Trussell Trust’s food bank network provided more parcels than in a full 12-month period five years ago, when 1.2 million emergency food parcels were distributed.

Over the last six months, 320,000 people have been forced to turn to a food bank in the Trussell Trust network for the first time which represents a 40% increase compared to 2021.

The charity warns that food banks are at ‘breaking point’, both physically and mentally, and are set to face the hardest winter yet as they expect to provide more than 7,000 emergency food parcels a day on average in the next six months.

Josie Barlow, food bank manager at Bradford Foodbank said: “Someone who came to the food bank recently told me that ‘buying milk is a luxury now’. So many people are struggling with bills and food prices. We are fortunate to be able to help people and we work hard to support them in both the short and long term, but we are also facing challenges.

“We have seen a huge increase in people coming to the food bank in the last two months compared to the same period last year and our stock levels are very low for this time of the year.”

Furthermore, new research to be released by the charity next year, finds that one in five people referred to a food bank in the Trussell Trust network are in working households.

The charity is supporting more and more people who are working but still can’t afford the essentials which is leading to food banks having to change their opening times to make sure working people can pick up their parcels outside of work hours.

The Trussell Trust is calling on the UK government to act decisively in next week’s Budget.

Over the last few years, the charity’s network of food banks has seen how the right support, at the right time, can help people out of hardship.

Most recently, the government’s targeted support to people on the lowest incomes via July’s Cost of Living Payment correlated with a small dip in need at food banks.

However, the charity warns that short-term interventions are neither sustainable for government nor dignified for people who are struggling, and they don’t solve the longer-term problem of people having to rely on food banks.

Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “These new statistics show that, even in summer months, people are struggling to afford the essentials and we are expecting that this winter will be the hardest yet for food banks and the people they support. This is not right.

“We know that with the right support and a stable and sufficient income, people don’t need to turn to food banks for support.

“Over the last few years, the government has acted to protect people who are struggling, and this action has had made a difference. They must now act again: with swift support now to help people through the winter, and with vision for the longer-term to ensure that social security is always enough to weather challenging times.

“We are calling for the Prime Minister to act decisively in next week’s budget.

“We urge the UK government to realise their commitment of supporting people on the lowest income with a broad package of support. As well as ensuring that benefits rise with inflation as soon as possible, this must go further to close the gap between price rises and incomes over the winter.”

The Cost of Caring: Report reveals families raising disabled children are ‘struggling to survive’

Stark research findings released today by national charity Family Fund show that families raising disabled, or seriously ill, children and young people across the UK now face serious financial jeopardy and are struggling to survive, due to the scale of the cost-of-living crisis.

“The Cost of Caring” covers research with 4,264 families across the UK, with a disabled child, showing that nine in 10 families are struggling, or falling behind on their regular household bills and many are forced to forego living essentials such as food, heating, basic furniture like beds, flooring, washing machines and fridges, to try to make ends meet.

Over half of parents and carers (54%) report skipping or cutting the size of their meals because there wasn’t enough money for food (a 9% increase since September 2021) and more than one in ten (13%) say they have had to cut back on items that are essential for their disabled children.

Four in five families (83%) raising a disabled child or young person are in debt, with rising debt levels for two in five families (43%) polled, and over 40% report they can’t afford to keep accommodation warm – a 13% increase since last December.

On average, families raising a disabled child live on £17,000 a year and spend 60 hours a week caring for their disabled children, with one third caring for over 100 hours a week. Families receive only one hour a week of respite and support, on average, and less than one in four parents and carers are able to work full time, with over half not able to work at all.

Family Fund’s report highlights the, now, unsustainable strain on families raising disabled and seriously ill children and young people , as they try to cover sky-high costs on top of severely reduced incomes due to intense caring responsibilities, three times higher costs to look after a disabled child and critical levels of debt.

With sustained cuts to support services, which have not recovered post-pandemic, families are now having to pay, themselves, for therapies and specialist equipment for their children, such as educational and sensory items and toys.

As the UK’s largest grant-making charity for families raising disabled and seriously ill children on the lowest incomes, Family Fund provides essential goods for families including kitchen appliances, clothing, bedding, play and sensory equipment and much-needed family breaks.

Last year, it delivered over 170,919 grants and services, worth over £37 million, to families on low incomes across the UK.

Wider research findings include:

· Almost all families raising disabled children (98%) report paying more than families with non-disabled children due to specialist needs – clothing (74%), food and groceries (73%), technology such as tablets (66%), toiletries and hygiene products (60%) and replacing worn or broken household items (60%);

· In September 2021, families raising disabled children reported an increase in their household bills of, on average, £800 a year. By June 2022, even before current price rises, this increase was over £1,500.

· Three in five families (62%) reported cutting back on play, leisure and recreational activities with their disabled children during the last year;

· In the past year, 50% of families report their disabled children’s physical health has worsened and 68% say their disabled children’s mental health has deteriorated.

· 1 in 5 families report taking on more credit to keep up with existing credit commitments

Cheryl Ward, Family Fund Chief Executive, said: “The outlook for families raising a disabled, or seriously ill, child is now graver than ever. They are unsure how to cope with ever-rising caring costs with winter approaching, they are having to borrow more credit to pay for intense levels of debt and feeling more isolated than ever, with worsening mental and physical health.

“These are families on the lowest of incomes, due to caring for their children round-the-clock and having far-reduced available support services, post-pandemic.

“When caring costs have spiralled so far out of control that families are having to cut back on the very essentials their disabled child needs, something has to change.

“Along with our sector partners, we are urging Government to ensure that family benefits are increased in line with inflation, rather than reducing at a time when the escalating costs of caring are already jeopardising families’ lives.”

West Midlands parent: “How will I be able to keep my disabled child warm for medical reasons…this coming winter when I’m struggling to pay gas and electric in summer?

“How will I afford petrol, which I need as I have two children with physical disabilities including one in a wheelchair. And the cost of food, and availability of safe food for an autistic child if shortages start happening. I worry every day and night over this.”

North West England parent: “Caring for our child is not the issue, she is the light of our lives. Being able to access the right care, education and support in order to provide me the opportunity to work is the key.”

The Cost of Caring features research from the charity’s last four quarterly family polls, from September 2021 to June 2022, ahead of a new September poll coming soon.

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Free meals for people on low incomes

Free Meals on Wheels provided by LifeCare Edinburgh are available for people aged 50 and over, with health and/or support needs, living in North Edinburgh/Leith who are eligible for Pension Credit or Universal Credit.

Contact@LifeCare_ to sign up on 0131 343 0940

Tackling Scotland’s health inequalities requires immediate joined-up action, warns Holyrood Committee

A Scottish Parliament inquiry has concluded by calling for urgent, coordinated action across all levels of Government in the UK to tackle health inequalities in Scotland.

A wide-ranging report by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee calls for urgent action to address health inequalities, and for tackling poverty to be considered a major public health priority at all levels of Government in order to address this.

Read the report

The Committee heard evidence that the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapidly rising cost of living have further exacerbated Scotland’s health inequalities.

The Committee is calling for action across the UK and the Scottish governments, and by local authorities, which it says is essential if these inequalities are to be tackled effectively. This includes further public service reform and strategic action across multiple policy areas.

Among its recommendations, the Committee is calling for action on education, employment and housing to improve health outcomes and better tackle health inequalities. It says safe, secure and affordable housing must be available for all and highlights the significant impact planning policy can have on health outcomes and, if implemented poorly, in widening inequalities.

In compiling its report, the majority of the Committee agreed with the recommendation by the Glasgow Centre of Population Health that, within budget constraints, the UK Government should take action to align benefits and tax credits with inflation and to reinstate the uplift in Universal Credit introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report also highlights extensive evidence submitted to the inquiry that informal and unpaid caring has a disproportionate impact on health outcomes and that informal carers face significant health inequalities as a result.

To address this issue, the Committee calls on the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland to provide more targeted support for carers.

Gillian Martin MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “The evidence is clear that health inequalities in Scotland continue to grow, while the pandemic and ongoing cost of living crisis will only exacerbate these inequalities further.

“A number of witnesses contributing to the inquiry argued that, over the past decade, UK Government policies on austerity have also had a negative impact on health inequalities in Scotland.

“We are particularly concerned that the rising cost of living will have a greater negative impact on those groups already experiencing health inequalities, including those living in poverty and those with a disability.

“Government action to date to tackle health inequalities has not been enough in the face of decades-long, major impacts on household incomes. We are calling for urgent action across all levels of government to reduce these stark inequalities which have real life and death consequences.

“There is currently no overarching national strategy for tackling health inequalities in Scotland. Meanwhile, evidence submitted to our inquiry has revealed multiple instances where the design and delivery of public services may be exacerbating inequalities rather than reducing them. We need to deliver further public service reform to ensure this doesn’t continue to happen.

“The reasons why we have failed to make progress in tackling health inequalities are many and varied. Reducing these will require bold and strategic action across all levels of government and by a range of government departments. Tackling health inequalities must be a major public health priority because lives literally depend on it.”

Other key findings in the report include:

The Committee express concern that certain vulnerable families report being excluded from free childcare provision, including those who care for disabled children and those who do not have a standard Monday-Friday work pattern.
A majority of the Committee is supportive of the concept of a universal basic income and calls on the Scottish Government to work with the relevant UK agencies to consider whether a pilot of the policy could take place in Scotland in order to begin to address health inequalities. A Committee majority would also like to see the implementation of a minimum income guarantee in Scotland.

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Living without a Lifeline – a shocking snapshot of the crisis facing single parent families in Scotland

OPFS releases new research report based on survey of 260 single parents

Feedback from 260 single parents highlights their experiences and priorities, which includes cost of living, family finances, social security, childcare, employment, access to education, mental health and wellbeing, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19.

Findings showed:

78% of single parents are in work and the same percentage of single parents receive a social security benefit.
Almost all (97.9%) of participants said they felt the impact of rising costs.
Three in five (61.1%) of participants said they are finding it either extremely difficult to afford or could no longer afford electricity, while 58.1% said the same about gas, and 43.7% said the same about food.
More than one in five participants said they can no longer afford to buy clothes (21.2%), pay for travel (22.3%) or childcare (21.2%) at all.
Most participants in the research were women, which is in keeping with the national statistic that 92% of single parent households are headed by women.

The findings of the research and the proposals for policy change suggested by single parents themselves have been used to produce a series of recommendations.

OPFS is calling on the Scottish Government to:

Increase support to families with young parents who are the poorest in Scotland through a top-up to the Scottish Child Payment.
Double the planned “bridging payments” for families with children in receipt of free school meals from £130 to £260.
Uprate Scotland’s 8 social security payments by the rate of inflation – 10% in August 22 and predicted by the Bank of England to hit 13.3% in October.
Widen eligibility for school clothing grants and free school meals to all families on Universal Credit by legislating to remove all income thresholds.
Increase the value and widen eligibility to the new Scottish Carer’s Assistance payment so it reaches many more Carers.
Raise increased finances through devolved taxes. Since 2017, the Scottish Parliament has had the ability to set income tax rates and bands, apart from the personal allowance. We also support IPPR’s call for radical reform of council tax to make it fairer and to raise extra finance for public services.

OPFS says the UK Government should:

Introduce progressive tax measures to reduce inequality.
Tackle the immediate cost-of-living crisis for low-income families with emergency interventions.
Introduce single parents’ rights and protection from discrimination into law.
Invest in a social security system that prevents child poverty, treating single parent families with dignity and respect.
Make childcare work for single parents by enhancing support for childcare costs through Universal Credit.
Support single parents into well paid, family friendly employment.
Make the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) fairer and fit for purpose.

Satwat Rehman, OPFS CEO said: “Living without a lifeline is exactly what so many single parents who took part in our research and who reach out to our services every day say they are doing, which is why we chose this as the title for our report.

“Women who are single parents have been particularly hard hit by the economic storm that has engulfed us and, with women’s poverty being inextricably linked to child poverty, we are living amid a rising tide of family hardship.

“Single parents described the day-to-day struggle to afford food and fuel, and the need to make sacrifices to ensure that children’s basic needs were met. In some cases, mothers go without food and struggle to pay essential bills. Isolation, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts were described.

“The parents responding have also forcefully described the policy areas which must be prioritised by government to tackle poverty and support family wellbeing and the priority areas where we at OPFS need to focus our energies. Over the coming year, these priorities will be our priorities.”

One key theme raised by participants was the difficulty in meeting the demands to pay for uniforms, school trips, and the many other requirements for daily school life. While costs are rising across the board, support for families in these areas is not increasing, leading to an even greater drain on household budgets.

A single mum who took part in the research said: “There is always something extra to pay for – sponsored events, book fairs, craft fairs, Christmas fairs, Halloween costume, Red Nose Day, Christmas jumper, wear a certain colour for sports day, world book day costume, etc …

“Parental events are held either during working hours or in the evening so I feel excluded as I can’t afford a babysitter- shame online events aren’t continuing.”

The research also found that single parents were struggling to afford to pay for essentials regardless of whether they were in paid work and that support through social security did not go far enough.

One single parent commented: “I just feel that I’m totally on my own financially. We can’t claim free school meals or any grants because I’m not on benefits (except Child Benefit).

“Outgoings are increasing, I am as frugal as I can be, my pay was frozen for 3 years and now I have a 2% cost of living increase, better than nothing! Children’s father has not contributed a penny for years now.

“Feel forgotten about. I cut my own hair, I skip meals, I scrimp on heating etc so I can pay the mortgage etc. There is no support for us from anyone.”

Some single parents contributing to the research shared their experiences of living with unmanageable levels of debt, often as a result of losing their job, illness or economic abuse following a relationship breakdown and not having savings to act as a buffer.

One single mum said: ““Father used to pay maintenance when he felt like it, but now has a limited company to avoid declaring his actual income.

“I can’t afford anything and feel like I’m stuck in debt forever. Utilities went from £90 to £160 and is only going to rise.”

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Planning vital to stem rising child poverty, says Audit Scotland

Longer-term joint planning is needed to address child poverty in Scotland, which has increased since targets were set in 2017, according to a new Audit Scotland report.

The Scottish Government’s policies and spending remain more focused on helping children out of poverty rather than long-term measures to prevent it. Over a quarter of children in Scotland – 260,000 – were living in poverty before the Covid-19 pandemic. And the current cost-of-living crisis risks making the situation worse.

Covid-19’s impact on data collection means child poverty statistics are only available up to 2019/20, the half-way point in the Scottish Government’s first child poverty plan. But even with the data it would not be possible to assess the plan’s success. This is because the Scottish Government did not set out what impact the 2018-22 plan was expected to have on levels of child poverty.

The government’s second child poverty delivery plan takes a more joined-up approach to tackling child poverty, spanning central and local government and their partners. But detailed joint planning is now needed to ensure policy actions are delivered and progress measured. Policy development also needs to meaningfully involve the views of children and families with experience of poverty.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Poverty affects every aspect of a child’s wellbeing and life chances and has wider implications for society.

“The Scottish Government needs to work with its partners to quickly set out the detail of how the second child poverty plan will be delivered, monitored and evaluated.

“Government policy takes time to have an impact on child poverty and so it is essential ministers also act now to set out options for reaching their long-term targets in 2030.”

William Moyes, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils have a key role to play in tackling child poverty through measures such as housing, education, childcare and employability. But there is limited information available across councils about what they are doing and its impact.

“Better collection and sharing of information about councils’ child poverty work will help support learning and improvement across Scotland.”

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Charity acts to support homeless people as services close their doors on day of state funeral

‘shocked to the extreme to hear that Scotland’s homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time’

In response to the closure of frontline services and businesses for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday, Homeless Project Scotland opened an emergency Soup Kitchen which served warm food and other provisions from 8pm on Argyle Street under the ‘heilanman’s umbrella’.

This provision was in addition to the charity’s 24/7 free helpline for those at risk of homelessness or are homeless.

Raja Rani in Bearsden and Tantrum Donuts were among the local businesses to support the project’s initiative.

Speaking on the eve of the state funeral, a spokesperson for Homeless Project Scotland said: “We appreciate that tomorrow will be an emotional day for our country, however we also must recognise that tomorrow will bring challenges for those who are vulnerable and homeless in being able to source and access warm and nutritious food, in addition to support given tomorrow’s closures of food banks and other homeless charities closing their doors at this time.

“It is disappointing and we are shocked to the extreme to hear that throughout Scotland homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time. It must be recognised however that Homelessness does not stop tomorrow, and as such we must uphold our principles at this difficult time and ensure that nobody goes to bed with an empty stomach .

“This is particularly going to be felt in Glasgow especially given that those who are homeless and in the city’s hotels used for accommodating the homeless will only be able to provide breakfast, consisting of a cereal bar, due to the removal of evening meals from all hotel based accommodation since May this year.

“This service will not affect our normal Soup kitchen operations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.“

Scottish Child Payment pays out £84 million

Child poverty benefit helping 104,000 children

A total of £84 million has been paid to families since it was introduced less than 18 months ago.

The payment of £20 per week, unique to Scotland in the UK, began in February 2021 as a direct measure to tackle child poverty. It provides regular, additional financial support to parents and carers to help with the costs of caring for a child.

As of 30 June 2022, it is estimated that 104,000 children were actively in receipt of Scottish Child Payment and 1.4 million payments have now been made.

By the end of this year the payment will increase to £25 per week and extend to include all eligible children under the age of 16 when it is expected that over 400,000 children will potentially be eligible.

Responding to the latest official statistics on Scottish Child Payment published today Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We are taking a number of urgent actions to address the current cost crisis.

“This includes efforts to maximise financial support to those most in need so that they get all the money they are entitled to. The ongoing work to extend eligibility for and increase the value of the Scottish Child Payment is a vital part of these efforts.

“We created our game changing Scottish Child Payment to provide direct financial support to tackle child poverty. Every penny of support is absolutely vital at the moment, which is why we are using our devolved powers and resources to make a difference for as many households as we can.

“We doubled the payment to £20 in April and will increase it to £25 when we extend it to under 16s by the end of the year – a 150% rise in this important benefit which is one of five family benefits we are now delivering.

“The Scottish Government want to support families during these difficult times.”

Scottish Child Payment is part of a wider package of five family payments including: Best Start Grant Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment, Best Start Grant School Age Payment and Best Start Foods