Reducing poverty key to improving health

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Newcastle City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Healthy, Caring City, reiterated the council’s commitment to reducing poverty levels in the city as she delivered her annual Healthy, Caring City portfolio report to Wednesday’s (January 24) meeting of the council.

Tackling poverty remains one of the council’s core priorities, alongside reaching net zero carbon emissions and creating an inclusive economy in the city.

The comment comes as a national study last week found places with worse health also had lower levels of household income and higher rates of poverty. Analysis of ONS statistics found that people living in England’s most deprived local authorities were more likely to report economic inactivity – meaning they were not working, studying or job seeking – and twice as likely to be in poor health.

“We know that growing up in poverty can have a significant and long-lasting impact on health and wellbeing,” said Cllr Kilgour.

“With almost 4 in 10 (38%) children living in poverty across Newcastle, our city-wide action plan 2023-2027 will be instrumental in preventing and reducing the impacts of poverty on our residents and making a real difference over the next 12 months, setting ambitious action for the welfare and wellbeing of our residents, who are at the centre of everything we do.”

Newcastle City Council launched its anti-poverty strategy in 2023, which aims to create a fair and inclusive city where everyone can lead full and happy lives free from poverty and inequality.

The council received a huge number of requests for support in response to its cost-of-living support service introduced during the 2022/23 winter with more than 20,000 telephone and online requests made. As a result, the service has again been in place this winter, while the council also continued to work with and support partners across the city to build a network of Wellbeing Hubs to offer a safe and welcoming place for people to go.

Like all local authorities and the services they provide, one the biggest challenges the council faces is funding. Since 2010, Newcastle City Council has experienced more than £335million in cuts to its core funding from central government. As a result, funding for adult social care services in the city has reduced by £71m between 2011/12 and 2021/22, with a further reduction of £4.45m to come this year.

The Healthy, Caring City report delivered by Cllr Kilgour to members also highlighted the range of services the council delivers across adult social care and public health. It covers the progress being made to recruit and retain carers in the city, the council’s commitment to paying the Real Living Wage and encouraging partners to do the same, the progress made on tackling social isolation through digital inclusion, an update on a pilot project that has provided care leavers with free travel and leisure passes, and much more.

Cllr Kilgour added: “Despite the challenges that we continue to face, our fantastic workforce and dedicated partners remain absolutely committed to providing effective adult social care and public health services and reducing health inequalities so that residents can live as healthily and independently as possible, for as long as possible.”

Read the Healthy, Caring City report here.