Agenda Document Pack - Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee - 16/08/2024
North Lanarkshire Council · 16 August 2024
Back to Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee — 16 August 2024 and its agenda
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7 August 2024 Members of the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Chief Executive’s Office Archie Aitken Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk Notice is given that a Meeting of the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee is to be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1AB on Friday, 16 August 2024 at 10:00 AM which you are requested to attend. The agenda of business is attached. Archie Aitken Chief Officer (Legal & Democratic) Members : Clerk Name: Karen Swan Clerk Telephone: 07919 730 272 Clerk Email: swank@northlan.gov.uk C Costello, K Harmon, D Ashraf, C Barclay, B Baudo, H Brannan-McVey, J Cairns, G Currie, P Di Mascio, F Fotheringham, W Goldie, J Jones, P Kelly, J Keltie, A Khan, J Leckie, H Loughran, B McCluskey, A McCrory, L Mitchell, L Nolan, P Patton, L Stubbs, C Williams, G Woods. Page 1 of 60
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Agenda 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 2 Tackling Poverty Team Activity Report 2023 to 2024 Submit report by Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing updates on the continued national programme of Welfare Reform and the impacts, including on the introduction of benefits devolved and now provided through Social Security Scotland. 5 - 16 3 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update - Reduce the Cost of Living Submit report by Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the Reducing the cost of living driver. 17 - 30 4 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update - Income from Social Security Benefits Submit report by Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the driver of increasing income Via Social Security. 31 - 42 5 Financial Education Update Submit report by Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing an update on plans to address Financial Education for children and young people as a key element of the updated Tackling Poverty Strategy. 43 - 60 Page 3 of 60
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 16/08/24 Tackling Poverty Team Activity Report 2023 to 2024 From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary This annual activity report provides details of the income maximisation work carried out by the Tackling Poverty Team and Council Services during 2023/24 which generated £47,935,822 in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire an increase of 35.1% from the previous year. It also highlights the activity of the External Services commissioned by the Council which generated £8,256,352M in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire. Over this reporting period the continuing legacy of the pandemic and most significantly the Cost-of-Living Crisis have continued to impact disproportionately on our most disadvantaged residents and communities, bringing the importance of income maximisation and wider work to tackle poverty into sharp focus, with the impact of low paid and insecure work a particular challenge. Since establishing the ‘Cost of Living Helpline’ in early 2023, supported by additional funding provided through the Joint Integration Board, there had been an increase of 41.2% in the number of benefit checks completed for residents; rising from 18.521 benefit checks completed in 2022/23 to 26,158 benefit checks completed in 2023/24. More broadly local approaches to tackling poverty and reducing inequality in North Lanarkshire, continue to be driven by the ‘Towards a Fairer ‘North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy with activity focused on the key drivers of poverty. The report also updates on the continued national programme of Welfare Reform and its impact, including on the introduction of benefits devolved and now provided through Social Security Scotland and highlights the challenges which the Council, partners and our communities will face over the next three to four years. Recommendations It is recommended that the Committee: (1) Approve the Report and; (2) Remit the report to the Integration Joint Board for information. Item 2 Page 5 of 60
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1. Background 1.1 Due to the complexity of the benefits system, general and specialist welfare rights services are crucial to individuals and families dependent on out of work and in-work benefits. The Tackling Poverty Team provide support and assistance to staff about the range of state benefits and assist service users to claim all benefits to which they are entitled. The main thrust of all welfare rights work is the maximisation of income for individuals, for the Council and for the community as a whole. Given the poverty levels within North Lanarkshire, it is important that the Council mobilises its resources to tackle poverty amongst service users and in the wider community and further innovation in this area forms a critical strand of the Resilient People Programme of Work. 1.2 The Tackling Poverty Team, Social Work Services and Housing Solutions provides service users and members of the public with advice and assistance on a wide variety of benefit-related issues. A full benefits check is offered to all new service users. Income maximisation also plays a fundamental role as part of a holistic offer to those individuals and families who may require ongoing support in areas including Adult Social Work, Children and Families, Kinship Care, Justice Services, Mental Health, and Addictions. 1.3 The Tackling Poverty Team therefore supports income maximisation both directly through the First Point of Contact Team to residents and through pathways from Social Work Services, Education Services and Housing Services and support to staff within these services. Alongside this the Resolution Team represents clients at tribunals and hearings. Successful welfare rights intervention, where individuals are awarded extra benefit, may mean that, as a result of increased income, they are better able to manage their own affairs and often do not require further social work services. 1.4 Over the past number of years, progress in developing local approaches to tackling poverty and reducing inequality in North Lanarkshire, have been strengthening with activity focused on the key drivers of poverty, via the ‘Towards a Fairer ‘North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020 to 2023, and the new refreshed Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026. 1.5 The challenges that the Council and partners have faced in delivering our ambitions with respect to Tackling Poverty over the next three years include the ongoing recovery from Covid-19, the Cost-of-Living Crisis, rising energy costs, fuel increases, highest inflation in 40 years, the impact of the conflict in Ukraine. This is within a context of the continuing programme of Welfare Reform led by the UK Government but also the roll out of changes to areas of benefit support now devolved to the Social Security. 1.6 Since 2011, the Council has succeeded in securing financial contributions from a number of partner organisations to help fund programmes aimed at reducing the impact of welfare reform. These additional resources, which to date amount to approximately The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve economic opportunities and outcomes Ambition statement (11) Increase economic opportunities for adults by understanding, identifying, and addressing the causes of poverty and deprivation and barriers to financial inclusion Programme of Work Resilient People Page 6 of 60
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£3.8m, have been used to; enhance capacity to deal with the significant increase in demand for representation, training, advice, information, and support Most recently in November 2022, the Joint Integration Board provided funding of £300,000 per year 2023/24 and 2024/2025 to allow the Tackling Poverty Team to recruit additional staff and for the Council to establish a ‘Cost of Living Helpline’. 2. Report Income Maximisation 2.1.1 Since establishing the ‘Cost of Living Helpline’ in 2023, with funding provided by the Joint Integration Board, there had been an increase of 41.2% in the number of benefit checks completed for residents; rising from 18.521 benefit checks completed in 2022/23 to 26,158 benefit checks completed in 2023/24. 2.1.2 The additional benefit income generated by the Tackling Poverty Team and other council services increased by 35.1%, with a total of £47,935,822 of additional benefit income generated via claims, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals for benefits 2.1.3 There has been a considerable increase in demand for the Tackling Poverty Team welfare rights service, with the average number of referrals per month received by the team rising from 945 in 2022/23 to 1180 referrals per month in 2023/24. A 25% increase. Whilst the majority of referrals are received directly or via council services over the year the team also received 12,659, referrals from Elected Members, MSP’s/MP’s, NHSL and other agencies, for welfare rights and debt advice. 2.1.4 The increase in referrals has had an impact on response times, with the normal call back of 3-5 working days, moving to 5-7 days to meet that demand. At times it has been necessary to move this to 7 – 10 days again to meet the demand placed on the service. 2.1.5 Housing Services: North Lanarkshire Council is the largest local authority landlord in Scotland with circa 36, 315 houses. In addition, the local Registered Social Landlord sector owns and manages approximately 9,000 properties. It is estimated that around 58.5% of social tenants are in receipt of Housing Benefit (57.3% in the council housing sector). Early intervention with income maximisation assists in the prevention of rent arrears and the sustainability of tenancies. Housing advisors provide basic information and advice to vulnerable tenants and homeless people, concentrating on housing benefit to ensure people can pay their rent. They receive welfare rights training and are supported by Welfare Rights Officers from the Tackling Poverty Team (TPT). 2.1.6 From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, Housing Services generated £18,850,629M in benefits for 7,040 new and existing tenants, making 9,792 claims for benefits of which 5,175 were claims for Housing Benefit (including Supported Accommodation), Discretionary Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Scheme (which is a direct income for the Council and in the longer term contributes to the sustainability of tenancies). 2.1.7 Similarly, the Tackling Poverty Team (TPT) together with Social Work Services completed 26,158 Benefit Checks in 2023/24 generating an income to local residents of £24,863,505M, with additional financial gains of £678,906, (benefits, charities, and energy suppliers etc.) generated via Debt Advisors within the FIT. Page 7 of 60
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2.1.8 The MacMillan Lanarkshire Advice Service is provided by North Lanarkshire Council and provides home visits, telephone interviews, office visits and surgeries in local hospitals. TPT manages this service. Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, there were 700 referrals to the service, of which 52% were for DS1500/BASRiS cases (terminally ill) It should be noted that this is a reduction from previous years, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19 on cancer services nonetheless £3,542,782M of income was generated for those residents referred affected by cancer. 2.1.9 The table below summarises the income maximisation work undertaken throughout the year: Social Work / FIT £24,863,505 Housing Services £18,850,629 Macmillan Lanarkshire Service £3,542,782 Charities, and energy suppliers £678,906 Total £47,935,822 2.1.10 The TPT and Social Work Service generated 56.88% of the Council total, with Housing Solutions making up the remaining 43.12%. In cost/benefit terms, it is worth noting that every £1 invested by the Council in income maximisation during 2023/24 generated £26.30 for residents and the local economy. This compares favourably with the national picture with the Improvement Service Common Advice Performance Management Reporting Framework 2022/23 highlighting that from a Scotland wide perspective for every £1 of local authority funding invested in money and welfare rights advice resulted in £12 financial gain for clients. Appeals 2.2 The Tackling Poverty Team, Resolutions Team provide representation for residents at mandatory reconsideration stage and Social Security Appeals which is a core element of a Welfare Rights Officer’s work. During 2023/24, Welfare Rights Officers represented individuals at 293, mandatory reconsideration stage with a success rate of 64% and at 124 appeals (a significant decrease on previous years due to decrease in DWP activity, mandatory reconsiderations and the legacy impact of Covid-19)). The overall success rate for Social Security Appeal Tribunals by the Tackling Poverty Team was 81%, which is the same as last year and above the national average of 66%. Debt Advice 2.3.1 The Tackling Poverty Team received 1992 referrals for Money Advice/Debt Advice during 2023/24 from residents, elected members, CABx, Health and Social Care Services, Education, Housing Services, NHS Lanarkshire and other Advice and Information agencies. 2.3.2 The Tackling Poverty Team dealt with 19 Debt Payment Programmes (DPP) and 49 Bankruptcies were awarded. The cost-of-living crisis and people’s circumstances continuing to be unstable has impacted on the number of formal debt solutions being accessed. This year saw a further increase in the number of payment/crises breaks, variations and revocations being dealt with by the team for current Debt Payment Page 8 of 60
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Programme’s. The total debt dealt with was £6,418,776M which was an increase of £506,469.00. Customers Survey 2.4.1 Following the introduction of the Cost-of-Living Helpline the Tackling Poverty Team introduced a text survey for residents referred to the Team. Whilst the numbers of the returned text survey are very low (186) and work is continuing to increase returns during 2024/2025, we are able to report that, 80% of the referrals were self-referrals and the remaining 20% coming from Health, other Council Services and Elected Members etc. 2.4.2 The main reason for referrals was for benefit advice (income maximisation), followed by money advice, food and fuel poverty, mandatory reconsiderations and representation at Social Security Appeals Tribunals. 2.4.3 Overall, 90% of those responding were happy with the quality of advice provided by the team, 90% were happy with the timescales of the Tackling Poverty Team response time and 90% were happy with the ease of access to the team, with the main channel still by telephone and email. Appendix 1 provides the questions asked on the survey which is a free online, text and in written survey for residents. 2.4.4 Online self-referrals are now available on the Council website for Money Advice, but to date numbers using this pathway have been low (28) from November 2023 to March 2024. The new Money Advice casework system also has a survey facility built in but although this system was implemented in November 2023 this feature went live only in May 2024 following ongoing development therefore it is too early to analyse any additional feedback through this route. Training 2.5.1 Throughout 2023/24, the TPT has provided training to Council staff and External Partners, via online video tools and face to face, covering tackling poverty awareness sessions, updates on benefits, welfare reforms and legislation, financial assessments, employment and support allowance, Migrant Workers and other welfare benefits- related subjects. 2.5.2 The TPT also maintains and updates online e-learning training packages for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit, which are available to all council services, elected members and partners via their online platforms. External Services 2.6.1 The Tackling Poverty Team commissions and monitors external services and has carried out monitoring visits of each Citizen Advice Bureaux inline with funding agreements and can provide assurances that each provider is meeting the outcomes agreed. These centre around provision of a quality advice and information service in line with the Scottish National Standards for Advice and Information Providers, their locality profiles, and the Council’s 5 Strategic priorities. 2.6.2 During 2023/24 External Services have received 8,486 welfare rights enquiries, 5,561 Housing Advice enquiries with 4,906 referred to other agencies, 3,846 Money Advice enquiries with 2,289 referred to other agencies and have completed 5,957 benefit checks, generating benefit income to local residents of £8,256,352m. Page 9 of 60
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In cost/benefit terms, every £1 invested by the Council in External Services during 2023/24 generated £17.69 for residents and the local economy. 2.6.3 It is important to reaffirm that the Council commissions the External Services to provide specific advice and information services (not CAB Services) and that they receive other funding from funders including in respect of wider services. The above information relates only to activity supported through the funding that these External Services receive from the Council. Legislative/Policy Changes (Welfare Reform and anti- poverty measures) 2.7.1 The UK Government/DWP have now resumed the welfare reform programme, as previously reported, the full impact of the UK Government welfare reform agenda is not yet known as the reforms are still being embedded into the system whilst the number of claimants being migrated from legacy benefits on to Universal Credit increases on an ongoing basis. Full service Universal Credit went live in North Lanarkshire in April 2018, but it will not be completed until 2026 or indeed later. 2.7.2 UK Government Welfare changes announced at the Autumn Statement include: • Uprating working age benefits in line with September’s CPI index figure of 6.7%. • Uprating state pensions in line with September’s earnings figure of 8.5%. • Expanded jobcentre support including intensive help for those on Universal Credit • Introducing the Chance to Work Guarantee to reduce barriers to try work with no fear of reassessment or losing their health benefit top-ups. • Increasing mental health support for jobseekers by expanding NHS Talking Therapies treatment and the Individual Placement and Support programme. • An aim to match 100,000 people per year with existing vacancies and supporting them in that role through Universal Support. • Rolling out Work Well to support people at risk of falling into long-term unemployment due to sickness or disability. • Reforming the Work Capability Assessment for new health benefit claimants to better reflect the opportunities available in the modern world of work. • Stricter sanctions for people who should be looking for work but aren’t engaging with jobcentre support. • Introducing new Government powers to request data from organisations such as banks when accounts are showing signals of fraud and error. Scottish Social Security Agency and devolved benefits: 2.8.1 A number of benefits have now been devolved to Scotland and the Scottish Social Security Agency are in the process of gradually rolling these out, as detailed below: Job Start Payment Implemented 2020 Scottish Child Payment for under 6’s Implemented February 2021. Disability Assistance for Children & Young People Implemented Summer 2020 Children who receive the highest care component of Disability Assistance Implemented January 2021 Page 10 of 60
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become entitled to Winter Heating Assistance Disability Assistance for Working Age People Roll out Nationally will be August 2022 Additional payments to carers who look after more than one disabled child Implemented early 2021 Pension Age Disability for Older People Implemented 2021 Winter Heating Assistance (to be called Low Income Winter Heating Assistance) Implemented Winter 2022/23 Cold Spell – Heating Assistance Implemented Winter 2021 Scottish Carer’s Allowance Full national rollout Spring 2024 Employment Injury Assistance Implemented Autumn 2022 Scottish Child Payment for under 16s Implemented November 2022 2.8.2 Many of these benefits are replacing existing DWP benefits, but with eligibility criteria being broadened and payments amounts increased, in addition to a number of brand- new benefits being created, this is an import raft of reforms which will have the potential to provide a positive impact on the income of the residents of North Lanarkshire and to provide some counterbalance to cost of living challenges. The TPT will continue to maximise the income of residents, ensuring to check eligibility for these new benefits and support applications where appropriate. Scottish Government – 2024/2025 2.9.1 The Scottish Government has also made a number of changes relating to welfare payments and support to tackle poverty which include: • Increasing the Scottish Child Payment from £25 per week to £26.70 per week from April 2024. • Delivering free school meals for all children in Primary 1 – 5 and special schools; additional investment to support anti child poverty measures, including funding towards the roll out of Free School Meals for P6 and P7 children in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment from February 2025. • Allocation of funding of £1.5 million to Local Authorities to cancel school meal debt, with the expectation that all Local Authorities follow the COSLA guidance on school meal debt thereafter. • Delivering an inflationary increase to the school clothing grant. Future Context and Challenges 2.10.1 Significant changes in the UK labour market and in economic activity/inactivity levels provide a critical context to welfare reform and measures to tackle poverty and the targeted policy measures reflected above. The employment rate remains stuck at its lowest since 2017, while economic inactivity is at its highest in nearly a decade and the last few years have seen the most significant and prolonged contraction in the size of the labour force since the late 1980s recession. This is impacting on growth and undermining improvements in living standards with 900,000 more people out of work Page 11 of 60
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than before the pandemic, continuing to be explained by more people off work due to long-term health conditions, more older people out of work and fewer young people in work. This is happening despite 900,000 unfilled jobs in the economy and continued strong growth in earnings with vacancies now appearing to be levelling off but remaining well above pre-pandemic levels in almost all parts of the economy. 2.10.2 Earnings growth has risen since the turn of the year particularly driven by many lower- paying industries due to rises in the National Living Wage with the number of people either overemployed or underemployed (i.e. working more or fewer hours than desired) at its lowest in nearly twenty years; the number in temporary work because they can’t find a permanent job its lowest since at least the early 1990s; and fewer in part-time work because they can’t find a full-time job. 2.10.3 Whilst these changes may moderate in-work poverty they also suggest an increasing polarisation between those in work and those out of work, whose numbers are growing particularly among older people, young people and those with poor health. 2.11.1 North Lanarkshire Context: The North Lanarkshire claimant count, which acts as a measure of unemployment, was 14,415 (6.6%) people in March 2021 compared with 8,225 (3.8%) in March 2020, a 75% increase on the pre-pandemic level. However, in December 2022 it had decreased to 7,420 (3.4%) and has stayed at this level of 3.4% since then. Whilst positive challenges remain due to levels of economic inactivity. The number reported as ‘long term sick’ in North Lanarkshire has increased from 14,900 in the 12 months up to December 2019 to 22,500 in April 2024 and the number reported as ‘looking after family/home’ in the Council area increased from 8,500 to 11,100 in the same period. While unemployment is lower than pre-pandemic levels the number of people in the workforce in North Lanarkshire has reduced from 174,000 (78.1%) in December 2019 to 164,400 (68.8%) in April 2024. Economic inactivity in North Lanarkshire remains higher than pre pandemic levels but it is moving in a positive direction with real reductions in the last 12 months whilst for those in work a significant positive remains the rise in average wage levels to above the Scottish average. 2.11.2 These areas are the focus of key health check indicators supporting the Council’s programme of work, with the polarisation around those in work and those out of the labour market reinforcing the importance of out local approach to targeting of local employability programmes and holistic approach to supports which sit alongside the range of actions to improve place, investment, training and the quality of employment opportunities which are woven throughout the Council’s wider Programme of Work. 2.11.3 Over the next two years it is anticipated that full local transition to Universal Credit will be realised. Whilst it is problematic to be absolutely accurate based on DWP information and data with regards to Working Tax Credit from HMRC, it is likely that the minimum number of residents who be migrate from their current benefits to UC from 2020 up to 2026, will be 49,200, meaning that nearly 65,000 residents will be impacted by Universal Credit and/or other welfare reform changes over that period with the majority being Council tenants in receipt of Housing benefit/Council Tax Reduction Scheme and/or users of IJB Services. 2.11.4 Despite the potentially positive impact of some of the new benefits listed above the biggest emerging issues from April 2024, is the end of the financial measures and supports for Covid-19, along with elements of financial supports for the cost-of-living crisis, energy costs with fuel prices still higher compared to previous years. These have the potential to result in major issues for our community and council services with Page 12 of 60
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respect to increased issues with rent/council tax arrears, debt, food poverty, fuel poverty, homelessness and impact on capacity of Services. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Ensuring and improving the standardised service to all residents and providing a sustainable, responsive, and effective means of quality advice and support to our communities across North Lanarkshire. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Tackling Poverty Team Customer Survey Questions https://forms.office.com/e/LHXrecpSxm Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 13 of 60
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Tackling Poverty is fully aligned with the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty, its purpose being to reduce the inequalities caused by socio economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 14 of 60
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5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group Sub Group developed a Communications Plan. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Tackling Poverty has been identified as a Corporate Risk, with the Chief Social Work Officer as the risk lead. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy sets out a planned approach which seeks to eliminate poverty or make very significant reductions in the level of poverty resulting in benefit to the residents and including improvement in the overall level of health and wellbeing of communities. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Page 15 of 60
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Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In North Lanarkshire we recognise that tackling poverty and inequality does not fall to one Service, or one Sector, we must therefore work together to use our resources effectively and efficiently to ensure that all our communities have access to opportunities that will lead to better outcomes for people in terms of employment, wellbeing and inclusive growth. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 16 of 60
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 16/08/24 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update – Reduce the Cost of Living From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary In line with the Plan for North Lanarkshire and new Programme of Work (Resilient People), the purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the Reducing the Cost-of-Living Driver. As outlined within section 2.6 of this report the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group which drives operational delivery of the plan have made a small number of additional adjustment to this area of the plan to remove two actions where funding is no longer available to support and aligning another with a more appropriate area of the plan, Positively however progress on all but one of the broad portfolio of actions under this theme has been assessed as ‘green’ indicating delivery is on course but ongoing. Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: (1) Approve the update of the tackling poverty driver ‘Reduce the Cost of Living’. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Resilient People Item 3 Page 17 of 60
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1. Background 1.1 The Policy and Strategy Committee approved the refreshed ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling - Poverty Strategy for 2023-2026 and the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023, on 28th September 2023. The Strategy and Action Plans sets out our ambition to continue to tackle poverty and child poverty, building on our previous actions and some of the positive foundations achieved through the previous strategy for 2020-2023. The new and refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy encompasses an integrated multi service approach within the Council, alongside an increased focus on working externally with all community planning partners, communities, and people with lived experience of poverty. 1.2 The Tackling Poverty Strategy supports the Plan for North Lanarkshire’s new Programme of Work priorities and ambitions, promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and holistic support intervening upstream wherever possible to prevent the longer-term harms associated with poverty. 1.3 The Tackling Poverty Strategy within the Resilient People programme of work recognises the importance of not only increasing income through employment and maximisation of benefits with supports delivered holistically as set by Best Start, Bright Futures National Delivery Plan but also of reducing the outgoings for those experiencing and at risk of poverty and delivering a comprehensive Debt Advice service across a range of partners. The new Strategy reflects this, being structured around the four key drivers of: - • Increasing income via employment. • Maximising income via social security benefits. • Reducing the cost of living; and • Holistic Supports 1.4 The ‘Reduce the Cost-of-Living’ driver is essential in working alongside the other Drivers to equip people experiencing poverty to cope with increased costs of fuel, food and housing. Those both unemployed and employed but dependent on Universal Credit are living on rates of benefit which research shows are at their lowest in decades as a proportion of average earnings (less than 15% of average earnings, Joseph Rowntree Foundation). Practical ways to reduce outgoings are an important way to ensure low incomes cover life’s essentials and avoid Food and Fuel Crisis becoming a reality for Families operating under increasing financial pressures. 1.5 Whilst maintaining strong links with other elements of the Council’s Programme of Work, Tackling Poverty is a core strand of the ‘Resilient People’ Programme, whose principal aim is to deliver whole family support locally, when families need it, in a way that is consistent with The Promise Principles and The Tackling Poverty Strategy. This will involve an integrated approach, working with partners, to provide an earlier and more effective response to need. This includes promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and emotional support, integrating this family support with the roll out of town and community hubs to maximise opportunities for community-led and strengths-based approaches. Page 18 of 60
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2. Report 2.1 The Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee held on 3rd November 2023, were advised that the TPOAG agreed new monitoring templates for the tackling poverty drivers to allow us to track “How we will know if we are making a difference”, with each tackling poverty driver being the focus of TPOAG meetings, to allow the Group to analyse in detail each action, using national and local data (quantitative and qualitative) to ensure that the Actions within the driver, and the outcomes set by the Scottish Government and our Action Plan are being met 2.2 The TPOAG have created 20 new measures which will be embedded as part of the Strategic Performance Framework approved by the Resilient People Board in January 2024. 2.3 The monitoring of progress will also be supported implemented by the RAGG system first implemented in 2021/22 and which will continue to be applied to the Action Plan, for each of the poverty drivers; the details of which are. • Red – Action remains outstanding. • Amber – Work has started on this action but requires further work to complete. • Green – Action is completed and remains ongoing. • Grey – Action has been completed and requires no further action. 2.4 Using this approach, the Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group will identify tasks which are complete (or ongoing), tasks that are amber or red will be taken to the Resilient People Board for further consideration. 2.5 The ‘Reduce the Cost-of-Living’ driver brings together a diverse range of practical measures of help available locally to people, all contributing to reducing the amounts which Individuals and families must pay out to provide the basics required for everyday life. Provision of high-quality Debt Advice for those who are in Financial Difficulty also sits under this Driver. 2.6 The TPOAG held on 17th May 2024 agreed that the action in relation to Furniture Fund will be removed from the action plan as this temporary fund has now ceased. The action relating to Club 365 will also be removed and the scheme now in place issuing Free School Meal Vouchers paid for holiday periods will be reported on under the related action of Increasing Up take of Free School Meals. It was also agreed that the action in relation to Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Network will be moved to ‘Supporting The Plan’ driver and reported on at a later date. 2.7 Action One – School Clothing Grants – North Lanarkshire Council is responsible for administering School Clothing Grants. Joint applications for Clothing Grants and Free School Meals are processed and those in receipt of qualifying benefits are awarded £120 per child at Primary School and £140 per child at Secondary School. 2.8 The application process is fully automated with joint applications for Clothing Grants and Free School Meals made online or via paper claim form. Applicants can opt to give consent for their data from Council Tax System to be shared and this allows awards to be reviewed and automatically re-awarded for subsequent years. 2.9 12,784 clothing grants were awarded in 2022/23 with a downturn in the number of awards to 11,864 in 2023/24, representing a 7.20% decrease in awards. The reasons Page 19 of 60
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for this downturn are unclear, but its thought that those in receipt of Universal Entitlement to Free School Meals (FSM) have the perception that they do not need to complete an application for FSM but as the claim is a joint one for FSM and Clothing Grant this means they are missing out on Clothing Grant entitlement. 2.10 TPOAG has agreed that Action One is noted as green on the RAGG status although over the next period there will be a further focus on improving uptake. 2.11 Action 2 – Free School Meals (FSM) – As detailed under Action 1 the application is joint with Clothing Grants. 10,683 FSM awards were made in 2022/23 with and 10,401 awards in 2023/24, representing a 2.64% decrease. 2.12 All children in Primary 1- 5 are entitled to FSM regardless of income. The next stage in the roll out of Universal Entitlement is March 2025 when children in P5 & P6 in receipt of Scottish Child Payment will become entitled to FSM, but this number is anticipated to be relatively small – statistical information on numbers is awaited from Social Security Scotland. 2.13 Families who are not entitled to Free School Meals are increasingly accruing School Meal Debts, these are passed to the school to pursue which can often prove difficult. Scottish Government announced in their last budget that a scheme to write off School Meal Debt has been made available to Local Authorities to apply to. All Debt accrued for year ending 31st March 2024 can be written off using this fund. 2.14 In 2023/24 596 pupils accrued over £50 of School Meal Debt. Accruing School Meal Debt is obviously a sign that a family is likely to be experiencing Financial Difficulties and Head Teachers have been encouraged to signpost Families to Tackling Poverty Team who can address underlying debt issues and ensure income is maximised. It is proposed that instead of simply signposting which can’t be measured and has a much lower engagement rate a more robust referral process is put in place which can be monitored and recorded and will improve engagement rates with Tackling Poverty Team. 2.15 TPOAG has agreed that Action Two is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.16 Action 3 – Club 365 – This initiative provided both food and activity sessions for children during school holiday periods. At a meeting of the full Council in February 2024 Club 365 was brought to an end. A scheme to pay meal vouchers to those in receipt of FSM on income levels remains in place. In 2023/24 9999 pupils received total payment of for School Holiday periods. The total figure paid out in School Meal Vouchers was £1, 497, 503. 2.17 TPOAG agreed that action three is removed from the Action Plan and the numbers of School Meal Vouchers paid are monitored via action 2 – Free School Meals 2.18 Action 4 – Educational Maintenance Allowance – claims have risen from 1327 in 2022 to 1537 in 2023. It is however concerning that the rate of award has, over the past 4 years, decreased to 61.41% claims awarded. The Tackling Poverty Team and Education Children and Families will meet to explore potential reasons for this and also to consider any actions which may be taken through Communications or Tackling Poverty Team to increase the number of claims awarded. 2.19 This action is noted as amber on the RAGG status. Page 20 of 60
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2.20 Action 5 – Uptake of Free School Meals in Situ – overall take up of FSM for those pupils entitled remains at 65-70%. Although this compares favourably with the National average take up of 70.4% facilities support service have numerous initiatives underway to increase take up. The focus is on engaging with parents as early as possible, educating parents on the choice and quality of meals available and the financial savings which could be made. A new marketing plan is underway, and a new management system allows insights into choices and menu planning to improve take-up. 2.21 TPOAG has agreed that Action Five is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.22 Action 6 – Fuel Poverty – UK Shared Prosperity Funding allowed NLC to commission Wise Group to Deliver a brand new, North Lanarkshire Energy Advice Service (NLEAS). The service offers energy mentoring to the most vulnerable groups including those who are in fuel crisis and service users receive advice and advocacy to encourage behavioural changes in fuel usage which in turn, will reduce energy costs. 2.23 Targets for service delivery were in the region of 28 referrals per month but numbers accessing support through this route have been lower than hoped initially with 159 referrals received between Feb 2023 – March 2024. Wise Group will look to increase these numbers to full capacity by investigating sources of referrals, re-publicising the service and consulting with other local authorities with similar schemes. 2.24 UKSP Funding for NLEAS has been extended until March 2025. 2.25 Representatives from Citizens Advice Bureaux in North Lanarkshire have proposed that the Action Plan on Fuel Poverty should also capture information on work carried out by CAB Energy Project including referrals made to partner agencies and it is proposed that for future updates the Fuel Poverty Action will be widened to incorporate work carried out by all partners including CABx in relation to Fuel Poverty rather than solely NLEAS. 2.26 TPOAG has agreed that Action Six is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.27 Action 7 – Affordable Credit – Those with the lowest incomes are known to face the least choice and highest rates of interest when accessing credit. The answer to this lies in the use of Credit Unions becoming mainstream for all, not just those who have lower incomes. 2.28 The Scottish League of Credit Unions Ltd has 5 affiliated credit unions in North Lanarkshire with 10,250 adult members (an increase of 608 from 2022/23) and 1,460 junior members (a decrease of 2 from 2022/23) with a total amount of £22.6m in savings and £7.7m in loans. 2.29 The Scottish League of Credit Unions working alongside Tackling Poverty Team is distributing a template survey to its member organisations which will pull together information on all products offered e.g. junior savings accounts, Christmas Savings accounts, mortgages to support promotion of Credit Union use, 2.30 The Tackling Poverty Team are also progressing a model of engagement with local employers promoting credit union payroll deduction among employees. In addition, Financial Education events, including Credit Union Sign up are being gradually rolled out to more targetted groups including NLC Modern Apprentices, Mears apprentices Page 21 of 60
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and ACS Clothing. Scottish League of Credit Unions has devised a payroll deduction toolkit for use by employers. 2.31 A “Business Breakfast” event took place on 25th June, hosted by local employer ACS where local businesses were invited to engage with the Council including Enterprise, Employability and Tackling Poverty Team. Assistance available was outlined to employers including with recruitment, employability and business support, financial education, affordable credit options, Debt Advice and Income Maximisation for employees. 2.32 An affordable credit web page has been devised by Tackling Poverty Team and will be sited within NLC Web site to educate and provide choice of local affordable credit sources for residents. 2.33 TPOAG has agreed that Action Seven is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.34 Action 8 – Debt Advice – NLC Tackling Poverty Team received 1992 referrals for Debt Advice in 2023/24, an increase from 1744 the previous year. The total amount of debt dealt with by Tackling Poverty Team was £6,418,776M. Cases continue to increase in complexity with as many as 55% of service users also reporting mental health problems (TPT 1st November 2023 – 23rd May 2024). 2.35 In 2023/24 Citizens Advice Bureaux across North Lanarkshire dealt with 1557 Debt advice enquiries under the terms of the funding agreement in place between CABS and NLC. In addition, they dealt with 2289 Debt advice enquiries out with the funding arrangements in place. 2.36 Both NLC TPT and CABx anticipate an increase in referrals due to the lifting of the evictions ban in April 2024 and engagement with Fuel Providers continues to be extremely difficult and time consuming for all advice agencies. 2.37 TPOAG has agreed that Action Eight is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.38 Action 9 – New Affordable Homes (NLC) – Providing good quality Energy Efficient and Affordable Homes is a long-standing priority for North Lanarkshire Council and since 1st December 2022 – 31st March 2024 381 homes have been built and 160 additional homes have been acquired via the Open Market Purchase Scheme. 2.39 Renewable Technologies are being embraced to achieve new Homes which are highly energy efficient with enhanced levels of insulation and generation of energy is free at the point of use. Battery storage allows energy to be stored and used when the householder requires. Electric vehicle charging points are also provided where capacity allows. 2.40 TPOAG has agreed that Action Nine is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.41 Action 10 – New Affordable Homes (Housing Associations and Cooperative Partners) – NLC working with a range of partners have built a total of 318 homes in 2023/24. More detail can be found in the Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. 2.42 TPOAG has agreed that Action Ten is noted as green on the RAGG status. Page 22 of 60
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2.43 Action 11 – Improved Energy Efficiency (NLC housing) – 99.5% of all NLC Housing Stock are now Energy Performance Rated D or above, an increase from 99.2% from last year. More detail can be found in the Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. 2.44 TPOAG has agreed that Action Eleven is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.45 Action 12 – Improved Energy Efficiency (Privately owned properties) – Energy Efficient Scotland Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS) formerly known as (ECO4) funding is provided as part of the Government’s sustainable warmth strategy and targets vulnerable households on low incomes and/or with health issues. Households in areas of high Fuel Poverty are targeted to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel costs. In 20/21 £0.1m of funding was spent on homes in North Lanarkshire. In 2023/24 it is anticipated that £2m in EES:ABS funding will be utilised to improve Energy Efficiency of those Home Owners most at risk of Fuel Poverty. 2.46 TPOAG has agreed that Action Twelve is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.47 Action 13 – Support Homeowners to adapt their home – The Scheme of Assistance is open to Homeowners for Disabled adaptations grants. 236 grants were made in 2023/24, increased from 187 grants in 2021/22. The Scheme is closed to wider applications for repairs and maintenance. Owner Occupiers can instead be referred to Care and Repair who carry out repairs and maintenance to enable older Homeowners to continue to live safely and independently in their own homes. This service is payable with those on means tested benefits paying reduced amounts. 2.48 TPOAG has agreed that Action Thirteen is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.49 Action 14 – Furniture Fund – provide Furniture items for those Homeless or at risk of Homelessness – in 2022/23 155 households were assisted at an average amount of £690 per household. It was recognised that lack of furniture represented a significant barrier to tenancy sustainment and a surplus amount from the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan was used to provide items out-with the scope of the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). This fund however was only ever temporary and RRTP now has no surplus therefore this fund has now ended. “Fast Furniture Packs” can still be provided, equipping the most vulnerable with basic items to enable them to move from Homeless Accommodation into a Tenancy as soon as possible. Streamlined processes within SWF also prioritise applications from those in Homeless Accommodation, allowing a tenancy to be taken up as soon as possible. 2.50 TPOAG agreed that due to the funding position this action should be removed from the Action Plan 2.51 Action 15 – Support Homeowners to adapt, repair and maintain their homes (within mixed tenure blocks) - Grants are awarded to homeowners to prevent and address disrepair of properties. Funds are limited and spend must allow renovation or adaption of whole blocks of housing. 14 grants were awarded over the past year. 2.52 TPOAG has agreed that Action Fifteen is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.53 Action 16 – Free Transport for under 22’s – Overall uptake has increased from 67% in 2022/23 to 75% in 2023/24, ahead of the National average of 74%. 56, 387 young people in North Lanarkshire are now in possession of an entitlement card, representing 93% of the estimated NL population of 11-21 year olds. Excellent local networks have Page 23 of 60
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been developed by Community Learning & Development to ensure all children and young people can access free travel. The application has been streamlined with applicants also able to gain assistance to make a claim if required. A Campaign of awareness raising targeting the new P1 intake and S3 & S4 who have lower take-up rates is planned in August 2024. 2.54 TPOAG has agreed that Action Sixteen is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.55 Action Seventeen – improved walking, wheeling and cycling network – At its meeting on 17th May TPOAG agreed that this action is important at underpinning many different aspects of the Tackling Poverty Strategy but doesn’t sit specifically under Reducing the Cost-of-Living Driver. 2.56 TPOAG agreed that action seventeen is moved to “Supporting the Plan Driver”. 2.57 Action Eighteen – The Multiply Project – this action was previously moved to “Holistic Supports” Driver agreed at Wellbeing & Tackling Poverty Committee on 26th April 2024. 2.58 Action Nineteen – Address Period Poverty – In 2022/23 399,163 items were distributed. 733,692 items were distributed in 2023/24 representing a significant expansion of the delivery of period products to everyone who needs them. 2.59 A review of 132 drop off points together with a new ordering system will ensure that distribution points are accessible across the whole of North Lanarkshire including more rural and harder to reach areas. Food Banks are supplied with products to include with food parcels and Lanarkshire Food & Health Partnership can also deliver products when delivering Food for those in Crisis. Valuable work with the BAME community has been successful in addressing cultural issues and breaking down stigma has led to Lanarkshire Mosque becoming a distribution point for period products. 2.60 A request for funding for a temporary project officer is being considered and it’s hoped that this post can further address issues of stigma within the wider community including Schools. 2.61 Our marketing approach includes use of all social media to reach women across a wide age range and schools have been surveyed to gain insight into why some schools may not be ordering and distributing period products. 2.62 TPOAG has agreed that Action is Nineteen is noted as green on the RAGG status. 2.63 Action Twenty – Support People to stop smoking to reduce outgoings – In North Lanarkshire 12.7% of pregnant women smoke at 12-week stage. In Scotland the figure is 11%. 2.64 From April 2022 – March 2023 28 women in the 40% most deprived SIMD zones successfully quit smoking by 12th week of pregnancy. This is 4 more women than previous year. NHS target was set at 31 women, so target was 90% achieved. 2.65 From April 2023 – September 2023 5 pregnant women in the 40% most deprived areas successfully quit smoking. NHS target was 15.5 women therefore target was only 32% achieved. Page 24 of 60
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2.66 “Smoking Burns your Money” Campaign and Stop Smoking Training will be further rolled out to educate and inform on both the Health and Financial Benefits of stopping smoking. 2.67 TPOAG has agreed that Action Twenty is noted as amber on the RAGG status. 2.68 Action 21 – recycled bike initiative- North Lanarkshire Council Justice Service have built upon their project restoring bicycles and distributing them to Children and Families who otherwise would not have access to a bike, with an ethos of “No child in North Lanarkshire should be without a bike”. A trailer has been purchased and fully equipped meaning staff are now able to go out into the community not just to repair bikes but to educate people to repair and maintain their own bike. 2.69 Other Bicycle Recycling Initiatives may be operating in North Lanarkshire but a more joined up approach between initiatives would take forward the aim of no child being without a bike. Tackling Poverty Team and justice initiative will make enquiries regarding this. 2.70 TPOAG has agreed that Action Twenty-One is noted as green on the RAGG status. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The successful delivery and outcomes of the 2023 – 26 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan 4. Supporting documentation Appendix One – Updated Action Plan – “Reduce the Cost of Living” April 2023 – March 2024 Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 25 of 60
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Tackling Poverty is fully aligned with the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty, its purpose being to reduce the inequalities caused by socio economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Page 26 of 60
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group Sub Group - Communications Plan 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Tackling Poverty has been identified as a Corporate Risk, with the Chief Social Work Officer as the risk lead. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy sets out a planned approach which seeks to eliminate poverty or make very significant reductions in the level of poverty resulting in benefit to the residents and including improvement in the overall level of health and wellbeing of communities. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In North Lanarkshire we recognise that tackling poverty and inequality does not fall to one Service, or one Sector, we must therefore work together to use our resources effectively and efficiently to ensure that all our communities have access Page 27 of 60
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to opportunities that will lead to better outcomes for people in terms of employment, wellbeing and inclusive growth. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 28 of 60
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Key TP Strategy Only TP Strategy and LCPAR Action Brief Description How We Measure Success Links to Other Strategies Link to Programme Of Work Baseline Timescales Status Identify if applies to TPS &/or LCPAR Lead Team Monitoring Information Increase uptake of School Clothing Grants Introduce online application form for FSM & CG Continue to automatically award where we have customer consent Use automation to process our auto award caseload The number of School Clothing Awards increases The Plan for North Lanarkshire Brighter Futures 11,864 Clothing Grants awarded from June 2023 - May 2024 For School Pupils. Ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Revenues & Benefits The number of clothing grants claimed and distributed Increase uptake of Free School Meal Awards Introduce online application form for FSM & CG Continue to automatically award where we have customer consent Use automation to process our auto award caseload The number of Children entitled to Free School Meals increases The Plan for North Lanarkshire Brighter Futures 12,151 FSM awards in 2020, 11,176 awards in 2021, 10,683 awards in 2022, 10,401 * No of school meal holiday vouchers issued 9999 pupils total value of £1, 497,503 Ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Revenues & Benefits The number of Children in receipt of Free School Meals * from 2024 no of school holiday vouchers issued will also be monitored Increase uptake of education maintenance allowance (EMA) Ensure full take of Education Maintenance Allowance. Promotion of EMA through Education Newsletter to schools and locally within schools to raise pupil awareness. Review publicity - posters leaflets etc not distributed recently Discussion within EMA and SMT meetings on improving up-take. Young People can access EMA Financial Strategy Brighter Futures in 23/24 1537 applications. 944 awards. 61% award rate (down from 66% award rate in 22/23) Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Revenues & Benefits The number of EMA grants claimed Increase take up of Free School Meals In situ • Trial new methods of engagement with parents and carers, e,g attend parent council meetings and inviting parents for a school meal and information session • New management information system to give insights into trends, most popular choices, which ages take up free meals • Work with other local authorities developing menus, to improve sustainability and better safety and choice for those with special diets (>>ASIST and APSI) • Work with schools around different “sittings”, and overflow areas. • Capital investment Percentage of Children taking up free school meals when they have entitlement is increased Poverty Proofing in Schools Brighter Futures (May 2024) at 65-70% working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Facilities Support Services Take up rates for Free School Meals Fuel Poverty Provision of a short term funded Energy Advice Service to comprehensively alleviate the levels of fuel poverty evperienced by vulnerable households. HES no of referrals from NL. CAB energy project nos of referrals Number of households assisted Local Housing Strategy Sustainable Futures 159 households assisted 2023/24 2 years working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Solutions will be monitored via NLAN and Wise Group reporting. From 2024HES and CAB energ project with be monitored here Affordable Credit To promote credit unions across North Lanarkshire employers and communities to encourage more people to join to increase access to affordable credit. To widen access to payroll deduction for credit unions and access to affordable credit. Establish a Credit Union Forum in North Lanarkshire Credit union membership numbers *Local Employers signing up to CU payroll deductions Plan for North Lan Resilient People 5 credit unions affiliated to the Scottish League of Credit Unions have 10,250 adult members and 1,460 junior members. Unable to get contacts for ABCUL credit unions at present. ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team The number of employers promoting payslip deductions The number of people joining the credit union Debt Advice Advice and support in relation to debt and budgeting advice provided by Council and Externally commissioned advice services assist people out of debt and provide them with the tools to budget accordingly Plan for North Lan Resilient People 1886 referrals received in 2023/24. (NLC TPT) 3,846 referrals (CABx) Ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of referrals to the Debt Advice Team Level of debt assisted New Affordable Homes Deliver 5000 new affordable homes by 2035 reduce the cost of living by increasing the supply of energy efficient, affordable homes Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. Local Child Poverty Action Report. Transforming Places Since 1 December 2023, 541 new homes delivered (381 new build + 160 OMPS) 2035 working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing New Supply Number of new homes built New Affordable Homes Support housing association and co- operative partners to deliver new homes reduce the cost of living by increasing the supply of energy efficient, affordable homes Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. Local Child Poverty Action Report. Transforming Places 318 homes have been built since 1st Dec 2022. 2444 homes have been delivered ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing New Supply Number of new homes built Improved Energy Efficiency in NLC Housing Stock All lettable housing stock is EPC D or above by 2025 all housing stock is EPC D or above by 2025 Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. Local Child Poverty Action Report. Sustainable Futures At 2023/24, 99.5% of the homes are at D or above Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Investment all housing stock is EPC D or above by 2025 Improve Energy Efficiency to owner occupied properties EES:ABS Scottish Government funding if avaliable Provide advice to households on energy efficiency measures supoprted by online information and in person advice provided by council and CVS Reduce the cost of living by increasing the energy efficiency of homeowners housing stock Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. Local Child Poverty Action Report. Sustainable Futures In 2023/24 it is expected that £2m will be spent on private owned properties Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Solutions Number of homes approved Support homeowners to adapt, repair and maintain their homes deliver advice and assistance (including financial assistance) to homeownder through the Scheme of Assistance reduce the cost of living by preventing and addressing disrepair and improving health and wellbeing by suporting owners to adapt their homes Local Housing Strategy 2021-2026. Transforming Places 236 disabled adaptations grant provided in 2023 - the scheme has no funding available for owner grants Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy Only Private Sector Housing reduce the cost of living by preventing and addressing disrepair and improving health and wellbeing by suporting owners to adapt their homes. *Revision of scheme of assistance completed. Other than mandatory (Disabled Adaptation Grants) no funding available for owner grants for disrepair. Current grant funding for Support homeowners to adapt, repair and maintain their homes in mixed tenure blocks Where NLC investment programme includes owners in blocks with NLC tenants liase though voluntary agreement, enforcement where appropriate, EES:ABS programmes as appropriate reduce the cost of living by preventing and addressing disrepair and improving health and wellbeing by suporting owners to adapt their homes Local Housing Strategy Resilient People 14 grants awarded Ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Solutions Number of home owners assisted Free Transport for Under 22's Promote and Maximise uptake of Free Bus Travel for 5- 21 year olds Number of travel cards issued and in use Active Travel Strategy Resilient People 48,579 total number issued. 72% overall uptake Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR CLD number of travel cards provided Address Period Poverty Provide women with access to period products within education and other public buildings Develop Peer Support Programme Expand number of council building access points-expand community group partnerships from 8- 10 areas-develop recording to better understand demand and distribution- consider period card scheme Distribution across all of North Lanarkshire. Number of products distributed The Plan for North Lanarkshire Resilient People 733,692 products were distributed in total. (82,596 to NHS sites & 651,096 to NLC sites) Ongoing working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Enterprise and Communiti es Number of products delivered and taken up Support people to stop smoking to reduce outgoings Stopping smoking can have a positive impact of finances as well as health. Brief intervention and referral to the Quit Your Way service in Lanarkshire can support people to successfully quit smoking. Pregnant women are a particularly key target group. Yearly target 23/24 for 52 pregnant women who live in 40% most deprived areas to successfully stop smoking at 12 weeks (to be reviewed in 2024 after national tobacco control action plan is published). Awareness raising training sessions to be completed with Tackling Poverty staff. NHS Cost of Living Strategy Resilient People 28 pregnant women living in the 40% most deprived areas successfully quit smoking at 12 weeks (April 2023-Dec 2023 data). NL % of pregnant women smoking at booking in appt 12.7% year ending Dec 2022 (scotland rate 11%) Ongoing Task Continues to have ongoing work TP Strategy and LCPAR NHS Lanarkshire Quit Your Way Service Number of Tackling Poverty staff members trained. Number of pregnant women supported to stop smoking. Recycled Bicycle Initiatives Individuals subject to unpaid work work within the bicycle recycling project Bicycles provided to low income families and donated to the Christmas Toy Appeals Justice Partnership Resilient People 320 bicycles recycled 2022/23. ongoing Working as per strategy TP Strategy and LCPAR Restorative Justice Number of bikes restored Tackling Poverty Strategy Action REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING Page 29 of 60
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Wellbeing & Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC Date 16/08/24 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire – Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update – Income from Social Security Benefits From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary In line with the Plan for North Lanarkshire and new Programme of Work (Resilient People), the purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, Local Child Poverty Action Report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the driver of Increase Income Via Social Security. The Policy and Strategy Committee approved the refreshed ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling - Poverty Strategy for 2023-2026 and the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023, on 28th September 2023. The new and refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy is closely aligned with the Resilient People strand of the Council’s Programme of Work and encompasses an integrated multi service approach, alongside an increased focus on working externally with all community planning partners, communities, and people with lived experience of poverty co-ordinated through the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group (TPOAG). As this report reflects support with income maximisation remains a key strength of the approach of services within North Lanarkshire however whilst the majority of actions to support this are progressing well and impacting positively, as outlined in Section 2 of this report a number of actions have also been RAG rated as ‘amber’ on review with additional activities identified to support progress, Amendments also mean that a small number of actions will also now be considered and reported against one of the other three drivers which frame our action plan. Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: (1) Approve the update of the tackling driver ‘Increase Income Via Social Security’. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Resilient People Item 4 Page 31 of 60
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1. Background 1.1 The Policy and Strategy Committee approved the refreshed ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ Tackling - Poverty Strategy for 2023-2026 and the Local Child Poverty Action Report 2023, on 28th September 2023. The Strategy and Action Plans sets out our ambition to continue to tackle poverty and child poverty, building on our previous actions and some of the positive foundations achieved through the previous strategy for 2020-2023. The new Strategy encompasses an integrated multi service approach within the Council, alongside an increased focus on working externally with all community planning partners, communities, and people with lived experience of poverty. 1.2 The Tackling Poverty Strategy supports the Plan for North Lanarkshire’s new Programme of Work priorities and ambitions, promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and holistic support intervening upstream wherever possible to prevent the longer-term harms associated with poverty. 1.3 This holistic and integrated approach is fundamental to the Plan for North Lanarkshire. Whilst maintaining strong links with other elements of the Council’s Programme of Work, Tackling Poverty is a core strand of the ‘Resilient People’ Programme, whose principal aim is to deliver whole family support locally, when families need it, in a way that is consistent with The Promise Principles and The Tackling Poverty Strategy. This involves an integrated approach, working with partners, to provide an earlier and more effective response to need which includes promoting the strengths and skills of individuals and families, increasing economic activity, and providing practical and emotional support, integrating this also with the roll out of town and community hubs to maximise opportunities for community-led and strengths-based approaches. 1.4 Our Strategy reflects this, being structured around the four key drivers of: - • Increasing income via employment. • Maximising income via social security benefits. • Reducing the cost of living; and • Holistic Supports As agreed at the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee on 3rd November 2023, regular updated on progress of actions linked to each of these drivers will be provided to Committee on a rotational basis creating capacity for additional detail on specific areas of the plan to be considered each cycle. Operationally the multi-agency Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group (TPOAG), continues to provide a key vehicle to drive forward plan delivery. 2. Report 2.1 As advised at the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee held on 3rd November 2023, the TPOAG agreed new monitoring templates for the tackling poverty drivers to allow us to track “How we will know if we are making a difference”, with each tackling poverty driver being the focus of TPOAG meetings, to allow the Group to analyse in detail each action, using national and local data (quantitative and qualitative) to ensure that the Actions within the driver, and the outcomes set by the Scottish Government and our Action Plan are being met. Page 32 of 60
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2.2 The TPOAG have created 20 new measures as part of the Strategic Performance Framework approved by the Resilient People Board in January 2024. 2.3 In 2021/22 the Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group also implemented a RAGG system that will continue to be applied to the Action Plan, for each poverty drivers and support management of the programme; the details of which are; • Red – Action remains outstanding. • Amber – Work has started on this action but requires further work to complete. • Green – Action is completed and remains ongoing. • Grey – Action has been completed and requires no further action. 2.4 Using this approach the Tackling Poverty Officer Action Group will regularly review actions which are completed (or ongoing), with any which are considered amber or red will be taken to the Resilient People Board for further consideration. 2.5 A small number of adjustment have been made to the categorisation of actions associated with each driver with the TPOAG held on 17th May 2024 agreeing that actions in relation to Community Solutions Community Connectors should be moved to the ‘Holistic Supports’ action plan and reported on at a later date. The meeting also agreed that the actions under “Rent Assistance Fund” and “Universal Credit Assistance Fund”, whilst reported on at this meeting, should be moved to ‘Reduce the Cost of Living’. Update – Income Via Social Security Benefits 2.6 Whilst we are limited in our ability to lift people out of poverty through social security, it can provide people with a steady, sustainable income. The cost-of-living crisis has made it more important than ever to claim benefits to which individuals are entitled and to challenge unfavourable decisions to ensure people’s income is fully maximised. 2.7 Information relating to Income maximisation for individuals is recorded internally within the social work MySwis system and changes have been made to allow the source of the referral to be identified, thus providing more detail to the Action Plan. 2.8 Action One – Maximising Income of North Lanarkshire Residents – This action concentrates on the work done by the Tackling Poverty Team and other council services to maximise the income of the residents of North Lanarkshire through our No Wrong Door approach. 2.9 There has been an increase of 41.2% in the number of benefit checks completed for residents; rising from 18.521 benefit checks completed in 2022/23 to 26,158 benefit checks completed in 2023/24. 2.10 The additional benefit income generated by the Tackling Poverty Team and other council services also increased by 35.1%, with a total of £47,935,822 of additional benefit income generated via claims, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals for benefits. 2.11 In parallel there has been a considerable increase in demand for the Tackling Poverty Team welfare rights service, with the average number of referrals per month received by the team rising from 945 in 2022/23 to 1180 referrals per month in 2023/24. A 25% increase. 2.12 The increase in referrals has had an impact on response times, with the normal call back of 3-5 working days, moving to 5-7 days to meet that demand. At times it has Page 33 of 60
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been necessary to move this to 7 – 10 days again to meet the demand placed on the service. 2.13 Whilst this demand can currently be supported service sustainability will require to be closely monitored as 29% staff within the service are on temporary contracts, reliant upon external funding from IJB, NHS Lanarkshire, the Improvement Service, MacMillan and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with current contracts expiring in March 2025. 2.14 At this time Action One has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2.15 Action Two – Maximising Income of Social Work Service Users – Social Workers can refer people and families to the Tackling Poverty Team to ensure that income is fully maximised, and that people have access to budgeting/debt advice as well as financial education. 2.16 The Tackling Poverty Team have a dedicated “support services team” for referrals from social work and other council services which may be complex and require more than initial advice offered by First Point of Contact. Referrals for Kinship Carers and those people entering residential care are amongst thos sent directly to the Support Services Team. 2.17 Considerable work has been done to promote this within social work localities and referrals have almost doubled in numbers to the team, with 4888 benefit checks being carried out via referrals received from social workers last year to 9639 benefit checks completed in 2023/24. 2.18 In total £5,062,066 of additional benefit income was generated for people receiving social work services, £743,199 of this is attributed to kinship care families, £895,191 generated for people accessing Justice and children and families’ services, with the remaining £3,423,676 for those accessing adult social work services. 2.19 Action Two has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2.20 Action Three – MacMillan Service – The Tackling Poverty Team host the MacMillan Advice Service which offers income maximisation to those people and their families who are affected by a cancer diagnosis. 2.21 The Tackling Poverty Team received 700 referrals from MacMillan in 2023/24, the same number of referrals as the previous year. 52% of those people referred to the service had a terminal illness diagnosis. 2.22 The work carried out by the Tackling Poverty Team generated £3,542,782 in additional benefit income for patients and their families. 2.23 Action Three has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. 2.24 Action Four & Five – Food Poverty – Action four and five relate to both the food poverty referral gateway and the associated action group, mitigating the need for foodbanks by ensuring access to advice services and claims to crisis grants. 2.25 North Lanarkshire Council has led the way since 2014 in promoting a Cash First approach to tackling food poverty, by ensuring that people do not only have access to Page 34 of 60
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crisis grants for the immediate need, but also access to information and advice services to ensure sustainable solutions to food crisis. 2.26 Referrals to the Tackling Poverty Team for people who are presenting in food crisis have generated £1,211,758 in additional benefit income, with people receiving assistance to claim benefits such as adult disability payment, council tax reduction, Scottish child payment, pension credits and others. 2.27 The service were also successful in a bid to the Scottish Government to enhance Cast First approaches. The funding will provide people referred to the tackling poverty team who have been assisted with a crisis grant, an interim payment until the crisis grant decision has been made. 2.28 The Scottish Government funding will also allow for work to be done with emergency food providers, to allow for more uniform reporting, therefore allowing us to better measure the impact this approach is having on demand for emergency food and the wider project embedded in the Resilient People programme will also support scoping of all other such direct support payments across services to ensure a coherence of approach. 2.29 Action Four has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. 2.30 Action Six – Welfare Reform Group – The purpose of the welfare reform group is to ensure that services, elected members, and the public are kept fully abreast of welfare reform changes and their impact on our communities. 2.31 The North Lanarkshire Advice Network (NLAN) have taken on the role of the welfare reform group. The group have sent out social media messages to advise the public on benefit changes, these have been well received with a marked increase in referrals following their release. 2.32 The Group wish to do more campaign work; however, this has proven difficult due to having no central referral point for all the agencies within NLAN. This is an area that the Group will need to progress with IT. 2.33 Action Six has been given an amber on the RAGG status, as this is an area that requires further development. 2.34 Actions Seven, Nine and Ten – Health Input – For the purposes of this report, actions seven, nine and ten will be reported on together, as all relate to partnership working in this area with Health Services. 2.35 NHS Lanarkshire fund 3 posts within the Tackling Poverty Team, however, via the referrals have access to the full team of welfare rights officer, income maximisers and money advisors. 2.36 General health staff referrals to the team have increased by 50% from 2022/23 with 591 referrals received in 2023/24. The additional benefit income generated via these referrals has been £872,366. 2.37 Referrals from Health Visitors and District Nurses are relatively low in comparison to other areas of health. The total income generated from the 119 2023/24 referrals is £144,251. Page 35 of 60
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2.38 Discussions have already taken place between Health Improvement Leads and the Tackling Poverty Team to plan sessions to improve the work in this area. 2.39 NHS Lanarkshire employ Community Link Workers who will take referrals from GPs in respect of social prescribing. Temporary funding has been provided to both the Tackling Poverty Team and external partners to provide income maximisation and money advice services. 2.40 Referrals from the GP Link Workers have however fallen with 482 welfare rights referrals received in 2022/23 and 333 in 23/24. The 333 welfare rights referrals to the tackling poverty team generated £252,504 in additional benefit income. (debt advice referrals 146 2022/23 and 133 in 2023/24) 2.41 There has been a number of staffing changes within the Financial Link Workers, and this may be the cause of the decline in referrals therefore this will be addressed by all parties involved in delivering this work. 2.42 Action Seven, Nine and Ten has been given an amber on the RAGG status, as these are areas that requires further development. 2.43 Action Eight – Improvement Service Project (Wealth & Health Project) – Temporary funding has been provided by the Improvement Service to install a welfare rights officer within 4 GP practices in North Lanarkshire (Bellshill, Coatbridge x2, Wishaw). 2.44 This project has proven to be very successful, with a 70% increase in referrals from the previous year to 608 this year. The total additional income generated for patients from these four practices is £1,738,154. 2.45 The funding for the Wealth and Health Project is temporary, with funding in other local authorities being withdrawn. However, due to the success of the Project within North Lanarkshire, the Improvement Service has continued funding until 2025. 2.46 Action eight has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. 2.47 Action Eleven – Commissioned Services – The CABx provide information and advice services across the six main towns in North Lanarkshire to ensure all residents are offered income maximisation and we continue to approach the “no wrong door” approach. 2.48 The CABx receive funding from North Lanarkshire and NHS Lanarkshire, which the Tackling Poverty Team monitor, however, it should be noted all CABx also receive funding from other sources including for advice work outwith the parameters of the commissioned service. 2.49 The six CABx in 2023/24 have generated additional benefit income of £8,259,352. 2.50 The Service Level Agreement for the commissioned services is due to expire in March 25, this will mean that the commissioning process will begin at the latter end of 2024 to ensure continuity of support. 2.51 Action eight has been given a green on the RAGG status, as this is ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. Page 36 of 60
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2.52 Action Twelve – Rent Assistance Fund (RAF) – The RAF is to assist people who have experienced or are experiencing financial difficulty due to the cost-of-living crisis. 2.53 £400,000 was allocated to the RAF via the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which has been divided equally between North and South areas. The fund is for council tenants only and is payable to a maximum of £2250. 2.54 In 2022/23 522 grants were awarded, this has risen to 1060 grants awarded in 2023/24. 2.55 The TPOAG agreed that whilst Action Twelve is given a green on the RAGG status, due to the ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy, this action should be moved to the Reduce the Cost-of-Living driver. 2.56 Action Thirteen – Universal Credit Assistance Fund (UCAF) – The UCAF is to assist tenants who have fallen behind with their rent due to the 5-week waiting period for those tenants moving to universal credit for payment. 2.57 The UCAF was awarded £600,000 from the HRA, which was divided equally between North and South. The fund is for council tenants only. 2.58 North Lanarkshire Council tenants will be able to access both the RAF and the UCAF. 2.59 In 2022/23 522 grants were awarded, this has risen to 1908 grants awarded in 2023/24. 2.60 The TPOAG agreed that whilst Action Thirteen is given a green on the RAGG status, due to the ongoing work as part of the Tackling Poverty Strategy, this action should be moved to the Reduce the Cost-of-Living driver. 2.61 Action Fourteen & Fifteen – Uptake of Scottish Child Payment / Uptake of Bereavement Benefits – The Tackling Poverty Team through working with other services will promote the uptake of these benefits, this action was specifically around work with the Registrars in North Lanarkshire making literature available for people registering both births and deaths. 2.62 Discussions have taken place and whilst leaflets have been made available in the Registrar rooms. 2.63 The Scottish Child Payment uptake has increased nationally for those children aged 6 and under rising from 77% to 95%. The take up however, remains only around 77% for those children aged 6 and over. 2.64 There are no figures available regarding uptake of Bereavement Benefits, and the Tackling Poverty Team have only assisted 4 people in this area in 2023/24. 2.65 A targeted communication focus is required to improve awareness and uptake in these areas and this is something that will be addressed by the Communications Group. 2.66 Action Fourteen and Fifteen were both given amber on the RAGG status by the TPOAG, as these are areas that require further development. 2.67 Action Sixteen – Community Solutions / Community Connections – it was agreed at the TPOAG held on 17th May 24, that this action should be moved to the Holistic Support Driver, and as such will be reported on at a later date. Page 37 of 60
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2.68 Action Seventeen – Universal Credit Campaign – an action was given raise awareness of Universal Credit and the migration process that is taking place for people on legacy benefits. 2.69 NLAN through the Welfare Reform Group (as at 2.30) have carried out a number of communications around this. 2.70 North Lanarkshire have assisted 2354 people in relation to Universal Credit, generating over £8.6 million in benefit income for residents. 2.71 Managed migration from legacy benefits continues and with it complexities, around the benefit system for people. As a result the TPOAG gave this action an amber, as this is an areas that requires further development. 2.72 It was agreed that an additional action of mandatory reconsideration and appeals, should be included in the Increasing Income from Social Security be included in the action plan. 2.73 It is important that this is an action in itself, to highlight the need to raise awareness of challenging unfavourable decisions with both the public and our partner organisations. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The successful delivery and outcomes of the 2023 – 26 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix One – Updated Action Plan “Increase Income Via Social Security” – April 23 to March 2024 Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer Page 38 of 60
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Tackling Poverty is fully aligned with the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty, its purpose being to reduce the inequalities caused by socio economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Page 39 of 60
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Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group Sub Group have a Communications Plan. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Tackling Poverty has been identified as a Corporate Risk, with the Chief Social Work Officer as the risk lead. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy sets out a planned approach which seeks to eliminate poverty or make very significant reductions in the level of poverty resulting in benefit to the residents and including improvement in the overall level of health and wellbeing of communities. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In North Lanarkshire we recognise that tackling poverty and inequality does not fall to one Service, or one Sector, we must therefore work together to use our resources effectively and efficiently to ensure that all our communities have access to opportunities that will lead to better outcomes for people in terms of employment, wellbeing and inclusive growth. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☒ No ☐ Page 40 of 60
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Key TP Strategy Only TP Strategy and LCPAR No Action Brief Description Baseline Current Status May 24 RAGG Identify if applies to TPS &/or LCPAR Lead Team Monitoring Information 1 The Tackling Poverty Team and other council services to continue to maximise the income of the residents of North Lanarkshire All residents are offered income maximisation and we continue to promote the "no wrong door" approach 18,521 benefit checks carried out in 2022/23 - £35,480,020 generated in addtiional income 26,158 benefit checks carried out in 2023/24 - £47,935,822 generated in addtiional income Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 2 Work with all social work services to ensure income maximisation is carried out for all vulnerable client groups Social Work staff refer people to the Tackling Poverty Team who will carry out all income maximisation work 4888 benefit checks carried out in 2022/23 9639 benefit checks carried out in 2023/24 £5,062,066 generated in additional income Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 3 MacMillan Advice Service Maximise the income of cancer patients, their families and carers 700 referrals in 2022/23 700 referrals in 2023/24 £3,542,782 generated in additional income Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 4 Food Poverty Referral Gateway Mitigate the need for foodbank use by ensuring access to advice services and claims to crisis grants not available monitoring information to be reconsidered (£1,211,758 additional income for people accessing emergency food) Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of referrals to foodbanks Number of Crisis Grant applications 5 Food Poverty Action Group Group to consider uniform recording across all emergency food providers n/a work being carried out to introduce uniform recording across all emergency food providers Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of foodbanks recording 6 Welfare Reform Group The welfare reform group to ensure services, elected members etc are kept fully abreast of welfare reform changes and their impact on our communities Ongoing amber TP Strategy and LCPAR North Lanarkshire Advice Network Issues raised / campaigns 7 Health Staff refer to income maximisation and debt advice services Health Staff will ensure money issues are addressed and referrals are made to the tackling poverty team 394 referrals 22/23 591 referrals 23/24 £872,366 additional income generated Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated / Number of health teams or services referring 8 Improvement Service Project - GP Practices GP Practices identified by the Improvement Service have a welfare rights officer in situ, with access to GP records 357 referrals 22/23 608 referrals 2023/24 £1,738,154 in additional income generated Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 9 Relaunch Health Visitor & District Nurse Referral Pathway Poverty Awareness Training and pathway training to take place n/a 119 referrals in 2023/24 £144,251 in additional income generated amber TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team number of referrals to the tackling poverty team 10 GP Community Link Worker Programme community link worker embedded within GP practices across North Lanarkshire making referrals to information and advice services 482 welfare rights referrals (22/23) 146 debt advice referrrals (22/23) 333 welfare rights referrals (2023/24 - £252,504) 133 debt advice referrals (2023/24) amber TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 11 Commissioned Services - Income Maximiation via Benefit Uptake All residents are offered income maximisation and we continue to promote the "no wrong door" approach £5,267,650 income generated for north lanarkshrie residents 2022/23 Ongoing Green TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 12 Rent Assistance Fund Rent Assistance Fund – to assist people who have experienced/are experiencing financial difficulty due to the increase in the cost of living. If tenant has received a previous award of funding from SG – TGF or SC Lacer Fund – they will not be eligible. Tenants can receive a maximum award of £2250 and this funding is not re- payable (fund allocation £1,000,000) 522 tenants awarded in 22/23 1060 tenats awarded in 23/24 Green - however moving to Reduce the Cost of Living driver TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Number of people Assisted 13 Universal Credit Assistance Fund UCAF award is to assist tenants who have fallen behind with their rent due to the 5 week waiting period, and tenants who are in receipt of Universal credit are eligible to apply 522 grants awarded in 22/23 1908 tenats awarded in 23/24 Green - however moving to Reduce the Cost of Living driver TP Strategy and LCPAR Housing Services number of loans provided / loan repayments 14 Uptake of Scottish Child Payment Work with the Registrar Offices throughout North Lanarkshire to promote the Scottish Child Payment when registering the birth 77% national uptake national uptake 95% for under 6s, 6 and over uptake at 77% amber TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 15 Uptake of Bereavement Benefits Work with the Registrar Offices throughout North Lanarkshire to promote Bereavement Benefits when registering a persons' death n/a Ongoing amber TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of Benefit Checks / Benefit Claims / Resolutions Income Generated 16 Community Solutions Community Connectors 10 Community Connectors working across North Lanarkshire to refer residents to sources of income support as part of a wider support package n/a Autumn 2023 for two year pilot MOVED TO HOLISTIC SUPPORTS TP Strategy and LCPAR VANL Number of people referred 17 Universal Credit Campaign Awareness raising campaign re changes to Universal Credit widening entitlement to benefit 7420 people claiming in work benefits (Dec 2022) No figure available amber TP Strategy and LCPAR The Tackling Poverty Team Number of people claiming in work Universal Credit Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan 2023 - 2026 INCREASE INCOME VIA SOCIAL SECURITY Page 42 of 60
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref AG/JC/AM Date 16/08/24 Financial Education Update From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) E-mail gordonal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary This report provides an update on plans to address Financial Education for children and young people as a key element of our updated Tackling Poverty Strategy. On 26th April 2024, an update was provided on the Holistic Driver of the Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan. At this point Action Seven – Financial Education (children and young people) had been assessed as having a RAGG status of ‘red’; reflecting that previous programme delivered in schools had been paused since the pandemic period, with work on the roll out of a revised programme still to be finalised and alternative models being explored with an aspiration that this be implemented in the new term. In view of this Committee requested a further update be provided in the next committee cycle. The proposed new approach is outlined in Section 2 below. Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: (1) Approves the update of the action in relation to Financial Education previously provided The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements Programme of Work Resilient People Wellbeing & Tackling Poverty Committee Item 5 Page 43 of 60
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1. Background 1.1 The Tackling Poverty Strategy was approved at the Policy and Strategy Committee on 28th September 2023, it was agreed that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee would receive updates on the action plan of each of the drivers throughout the year, noting any achievements, challenges or changes that had to be made to the Action Plan. 1.2 At the Committee meeting on 26th April 2024, feedback was provided with updates on the Holistic Driver. 1.3 The Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee were advised that as part of the consultation process informing the revised Tackling Poverty Strategy, children and young people across 21 schools (6 secondary and 15 primary) were asked to participate in “the three questions” exercise, focusing on. • How is the cost of living affecting you? • How is the cost of living affecting others in the community? • What can the council do to help? 1.4 This provided rich information on both how children and young people experience poverty and financial pressures within their families and communities but also their view on what was they believe is needed to help alleviate the pressures of poverty on them. In response the last question “what can the council do to help”, second to “free school meals for everyone”, the children’s most popular responses were around financial education. 1.5 Children and young people from both primary and secondary school expressed that they believed that teaching them about money would help them, responses such as; “learn more about money and how to budget for when we leave school”, “teach pupils how to manage our money”, were replicated across all schools and all cohorts. 1.6 At the point of the previous Committee this action had been assessed as having a ‘red status’ on the action plan, as the young people did not recognise that financial education is embedded within the numeracy and maths curriculum pathway. Children and young people wanted a discreet financial education programme. Therefore, a range of delivery options continue to be explored with a view to roll out within education during the 2024/25 school year. 2. Report 2.1 Prior to the pandemic financial education was carried out within primary schools across North Lanarkshire via the MACA (money advice/consumer advice) programme, which was designed to raise financial awareness in an interactive and enjoyable setting. 2.2 The MACA programme was developed in 2011 for Primary 4-7 children by the Tackling Poverty Team in conjunction with teachers to ensure the sessions were in line with the Curriculum for Excellence. Page 44 of 60
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]2.3 The sessions were delivered in person by members of the Tackling Poverty Team to those schools who opted into the service and were resource intensive. The programme received excellent evaluation from both staff and pupils who had taken part. 2.4 Post pandemic the demand from referrals on the Tackling Poverty Team and the need for the 2011 programme to be revamped meant that resources were directed away from this, and the MACA programme without considerable funding and resources, was no longer available to schools to deliver financial education in this format. 2.5 As outlined above in the innovative consultation work which informed our current Tackling Poverty Strategy children and young people in schools across North Lanarkshire identified financial education as a priority for them when answering the ‘Three Questions’. 2.6 Children and young people from both primary and secondary from rural to main town schools expressed that they felt that help with money management would be an essential tool for them. 2.7 The delivery of financial education across our schools has been identified as an action for Education within our Local Child Poverty Action Report. In recognition of the costs involved in developing and delivering stand-alone face to face sessions across all schools through the Tackling Poverty Team, education leads have identified a programme by Young Enterprise Scotland which can provide an alternative vehicle to deliver financial education senior phase workshops and also provides other materials available for teachers to access and use in the class. 2.8 This Young Enterprise Scotland programme has been adopted by schools in other areas in Scotland and comes with valuable teaching aids offers the universal support that is required to meet the action identified by the children and young people as part of more integrated approach within the curriculum. 2.9 To provide assurance that this can meet out local needs staff from Education and the Tackling Poverty Team have attended events held by Education Scotland where schools who are currently using the Young Enterprise Scotland programme were able to present their experiences and value of this. 2.10 To ensure this universal approach to financial education is robust and maximises opportunities to embed financial education across the core curriculum for all learners, education leads have also begun auditing existing NLC pathways and programmes to highlight to teachers’ core and additional opportunities to teach financial knowledge and skills. This information will be disseminated by the numeracy coaches within each establishment and will ensure that tools and learning available through the Young Enterprise Scotland programme are enhanced by opportunities to integrate financial education across the curriculum. 2.11 A further audit will be undertaken across all schools in September 24, to identify any other current financial education work being done and to identify any gaps in delivery, which they can then address through training, programmes and/or partnership working. Appendix 2 to this report provides an indicative timeline for progressing this work. 2.12 The Tackling Poverty Team will continue to work closely with education colleagues to support this process and will attend meetings with the Numeracy Coaches in September to provide more detailed background information on the needs identified by children and young people through the consultation process. Page 45 of 60
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2.13 The choice of strengthening the universal offer of financial education in schools rather than relying on an opt-in model for schools who are prepared to dedicate resource to the effective purchase of the MACA programme has the potential to ensure children and young people across North Lanarkshire benefit from this input. This will also allow Tackling Poverty Team more time and flexibility to focus on additional targeted support to identified groups, and to respond to self-evaluation evidence and emerging feedback. 2.14 Regular collaborative planning meetings scheduled across the 2024/2025 school year will support the monitoring of progress and allow the implementation plan to be developed further in response to feedback from children, young people, and schools. 2.15 Following implementation of the plan, updates will be brought back to future committees. 3. Measures of success 3.1 The successful delivery of financial education across schools in North Lanarkshire. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix One – Young Enterprise Programme 4.2 Appendix Two – Financial Education Overview and Timeline Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) Page 46 of 60
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Tackling Poverty is fully aligned with the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty, its purpose being to reduce the inequalities caused by socio economic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ Page 47 of 60
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5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Tackling Poverty Officers Action Group Sub Group have a Communications Plan. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Tackling Poverty has been identified as a Corporate Risk, with the Chief Social Work Officer as the risk lead. Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy sets out a planned approach which seeks to eliminate poverty or make very significant reductions in the level of poverty resulting in benefit to the residents and including improvement in the overall level of health and wellbeing of communities. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Page 48 of 60
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Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The delivery of financial education has the capacity to impact positively both directly and indirectly on the children’s rights both with respect to voice and participation, preventing poverty related stigma and discrimination (Article 3) and supporting adequate standards of living (Article 27) A full CRWIA will be undertaken during the coming school year as part of the ongoing evaluation of the impact of this approach and will inform future delivery. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? - See above commentary Yes ☐ No ☒ Page 49 of 60
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Appendix 1 Course Title: Scotland's Financial Schools Session 1- Introducing financial education across the curriculum Session 2 - Embedding financial education through IDL Target Audience: Early Years/Primary/Secondary (sessions are tailored to specific sector) --:. "6 YOUNG Vo_,UNG . .... pi,:;e ... Dates: Term 1 Sector Session 1 Session 2 Early Years 03.09.24 10.09.24 Primary 04.09.24 11.09.24 Secondary 05.09.24 12.09.24 Term 3 Sector Session 1 Session 2 Secondary 25.02.25 04.03.25 Early Years 26 02.25 05.03.25 Primary 27.02.25 06.03.25 Time: All sessions will run from 16:00-17.15 Staff Delivering: SFS Team Term 2 Sector Session 1 Session 2 Primary 05.11.24 12.11.24 Secondary 06.11.24 13.11.24 Early Years 07.11.24 14.11.24 Term 4 Sector Session 1 Session 2 Early Years 12.05.25 19.05.25 Primary 13.05.25 20.05.25 Secondary 14.05.25 21.05.25 Subject(s): Financial Education, Health and Wellbeing, Skills based learning, Learning for Sustainability, Developing the Young Workforce Course Overview: Young Enterprise Scotland aims to equip all young people with the skilts to thrive in life, learning and work. Our Scotland's Financial Schools professional learning programme is designed to support teachers build their confidence in delivering financial education learning experiences to ensure our young people are equipped with appropriate financial skills. The course runs four times throughout the year and consists of two CLPL sessions. We would ask practitioners attend both. Session 1- Introducing financial education across the curriculum • To raise awareness of what financial education is and why it is essential for developing skills for life, learning and work • Learning for Sustainability contextualisation with links the Sustainable Development Goals, DYW agenda, Career Education Standards 3-18, Curriculum Entitlements and the Attainment Challenge. • To encourage a cross curricular approach to financial education going beyond numeracy and maths • Overview of 'Scotland's Financial Schools' website- includes access to free lesson plans, a whole school reflections tool and a Financial Education Scottish Progression Pathway which is linked to Curriculum for Excellence • Overview of financial workshops delivered by our SFS team (secondary schools only) Session 2- Embedding financial education through IDL • Encouraging a sustainable approach to embedding financial education into teaching and learning • Examples of delivering financial education through interdisciplinary learning opportunities • Examples of case studies to inspire and motivate • A practical session to encourage discussions and the sharing of examples and ideas Cost All our training and resources are free. Page 50 of 60
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Young Enterprise Scotland - Scotland's leading charity for enterprise and financial education - is excited to offer FREE financial education workshops to secondary school pupils. Please see below for more details: My Money Talks (S6 and S4&55 leavers) This programme consists of two workshops (Making the Most of your Money and Borrowing) which cover themes that develop essential financial skills for pupils moving on from school. They are in line with the 'Your Money Matters' textbook which has been endorsed by Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis. The workshops last approximately SO minutes, to accommodate school timetables. If you wish to read more, please visit our website What We Do I Young Enterprise Scotland (yes.org.ukl 'r My Money Talk Learn to Earn (S3 pupils) This year we are piloting our updated Learn to Earn programme for 53 pupils. This programme lasts a double period (although can be adapted to suit timetables) and focuses on the reality of earning money and what you would prioritise when spending, setting goals for the future, keeping to a budget and saving. It also links to the world of work by looking at payslips and tax 'rlearn toeam and NI. If you wish to read more, please visit our website What We Do I Young Enterprise Scotland (yes.org.uk) If youare interested in booking either of these workshops for 2023-2024, please contact our project manager gillian.darroch@yes.org.uk or programme executive for North Lanarkshire Faizah.rauf@yes.org.uk Page 51 of 60
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-Mi(i!hj YOUR MONEY MATTERS I I YOUR MONEY MATTERS CONTENTS 9 HOW TO USE THIS TEXTBOOK 121 SECURITY & FRAUD 75 11 i-t411@cci 76 Next steps: apprenticeship 12 Savings 76 Next steps: employment 15 Interest 78 Next steps: university 20 Savings accounts 79 Student finance 24 Ways to save 81 Earnings 28 Maney and mental health 82 Payslips 29 What hove you learnt2 84 Tax and National Insurance 30 Further your knowledge 87 Self-employed 122 What is fraud? 123 Identity theft l 25 Key terms 126 Fake emails 127 Online fraud 131 Haw ta protect yourself 132 Online security 134 Help available l 36 Money mules 137 What have you learnt? 33 El!!■III 88 Methods of payment 89 Why do we pay Income Tax2 91 Pensions 138 Further your knowledge 141 GLOSSARY 34 Spending 94 Help far people an law 38 Ways to pay incomes 40 Budgeting 95 What have you leornt2 43 Keeping track of your budget 96 Further your knowledge 45 Value for money 48 Know your rights 99 1 11;1 fn+i •I 49 What have you learnt? 100 Types of personal financial risk 50 Further your knowledge 53 l t•l9;t•ffil@cci 54 Borrowing and debt 56 Repayment, interest and APR 60 Making informed choices 62 Borrowing products 115 Other forms of protection 70 Manageable and against financial risk unmanageable debt 117 What have you learnt? 71 What have you learnt? 118 Further your knowledge 72 Further your knowledge 102 Attitudes to risk 103 Assessing risk 104 Investments 106 Gambling 110 Protecfing yourself 112 Types of insurance Page 52 of 60
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A Whole-School Approach to Financial Education Where is our school on its journey? Strategies for driving forward financial education hove the full support of the SLT and ore embedded in the school improvement plan. Shared leadership regarding financial education is encouraged and supported at all levels within the community. The agenda has high profile and is recognised by all as being a priority as part of Developing the Young Workforce, Building the Curriculum 4 and The Notional Improvement Framework. Driving forward flnonciol education is largely left to a single practitioner, co- ordinator or champion Eg. the school financial champion. Ethos and Relationshi s Financial education is contained within school vision, value or rationale and feature in occasional school activities. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Financial education is renected in numerous displays, assemblies and activities. A clear vision for financial education forms a core port of school culture. A shored understanding of the relevance and necessity for financial education is evident throughout the school community. Planning and decision making Some school policies renect flnonciol education approaches. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Financial education themes ore renected across school improvement plans and policies. The planning and decision-making process for financial education delivery is fully inclusive and participative, and involves all stakeholders, including children and young people, community, businesses etc. Curriculum 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Financial education is delivered in context for learning and teaching approaches across all levels and relevant curricular areas. Financial education has been delivered through a few obvious curricular areas i.e. It is a key theme embedded in interdisciplinary learning across the school and is incorporated in short term and long term planning. numeracy and moths. Attention has been given to progression, breadth and depth, and learners ore motivated by being challenged, solving problems and thinking critically. Learners con revisit a flnonciol concept or skill from different perspectives to deepen understanding and make links across the curriculum. learner involvement All learners hove the opportunity to participate in financial education activities 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pupil voice is valued, and children and young people are actively involved in ensuring financial education is embedded within their learning experiences and opportunities. Page 53 of 60
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"' lf±,•)jlf'];l'.l(-· l?l:ti:t3t-ii t13:t·I·ltJ Partnerships I 12 13 I' 15 16 17 18 9 1 Sustained efforl hos been made lo forge a wide range of new partnerships lo supporl learning and engage and connect young people wilh financial The school has exisling partnerships with a number education. The school engages effectively wilh partners lo identify priorilies of local organisolions, businesses and/ or nolional and plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate joint projects. There is a shored organisations. common understanding and language around skills development and application. The school is recognised as being open to new ideas and ishighly regarded for the aclive role it plays in its community. Parents and community members readily lend their support to enterprise and financial activilies and learning, and olher experiences which meet the needs of individual children and young people. Wellbeina EQualitx and Inclusion I 12 13 1· 15 16 17 18 9 1 I1° I Financial wellbeing is fully embedded across the curriculum paying specific attention to its effect an mental health. Children and young people recognise Financial wellbeing i, delivered through health and social inequalities and con di,cuu how to ansure equity and social justice. wellbeing sessions._ Children and young people recognise improved financial skills leads to increasing employability and ultimately to improved standards of living and quality of life Professional Learning 1 12 13 1• 15 16 17 18 19 110 I A structured professional learning programme, enabling staff to research and evaluate learning and teaching with a focus on financial education, is in place. One-off professional learning activities linked to Slaff are aware of Young Enterprise Scotland's financial education website financial education have taken place. and use ii regularly lo support career long professional learning. School hos a relationship with YES to help deliver financial and enterprising programmes. Career Education Porliolly aligned to Building ihe Curriculum 4, I 12 13 1• 15 16 17 18 9 1 I1° I Fully aligned lo Building the Curriculum 4, Developing the Young Workforce workstreom, the Career Education slandards (3-18) and HGIOS 4. Learners hove o knowledge ond practical understanding Developing the Young Workforce, lhe Career of financial educalion and its relevance to the world of work - organisations Education Standards (3-18) and How Good Is Our School 4. across the private, public and third sectors, entrepreneurship (including social entrepreneurship) and volunteering - and the skills and positive attitudes required to support sustained economic growth at each stage of their learner journey. Children and young people have planned opportunities lo develop financial skills as an integral part of their curriculum. They are engaged in meaningful discussion about their skills development and they are assisted in industry knowledge to support their career journey. .. Page 54 of 60
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i!3·H•i'l·U l Ol'ti:Cit•t m:l:I:I!J https://yes.org.uk/ About us Young Enterprise Scotland inspires and equips young people with the skills to learn, develop and reach their full potential through on enterprising context. Its vision is for Scotland to be a place where all young people ore given the opportunity to hove a rewording future in work and life - no molter where they started their journey. Visit our website for more information on support that YE Scotland can offer. What is Financial Literacy? Financial literacy Is possessing o set of skills and knowledge on financial molters that allow individuals to Why Financial Education? make informed and effective decisions about their financial Those who are financially capable and responsible can wellbeing. Financial Education learning experiences make well informed choices, will have increased levels of offer opportunities to develop essential life, learning employability chances and therefore more likely to lead to and employability skills such as problem solving, critical a better standard of living and quality of life. thinking, working with others and an enterprising 'CAN DO' attitude. Howgood is our school? HGIOS 4 highlights theimportance of skills and interdisciplinary learning for quality learning experiences. We help children and young people to recognisethe relevance of financial education through reallife contexts. 2.2 Curriculum - Skills for life, learning and work 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment - Quality learning experiences based ina real-life context 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and indusian - see Increasing Financial Wellbeing 3.3 Increasing Creativity and Employability - see Developing Employability Skills For further ideassee the Professional Reflection Tool an our website. Meeting the Attainment Challenge Attainment is an individual's passport to personal, social, cultural and economic opportunities. Raising attainment means improving life chances. Those facing disadvantage or those with lower household incomes often have a higher rate of poor financial wellbeing. Ea,jy intervention of qualily financial education can equip individuals with skills and knowledge to improve financial wellbeing leading to more equity and less social inequalities. Curriculum-InterdisciplinaryLeaming Children and young people's rights and entitlements are central to Scorland's curriculum and every child and young person is entirled to experience opportunities for developing skills for life, learning and work. Financial education offers many opportunities for learners ta deepen and contextualise their understanding within curriculum areas. Linking financial education across the curriculum in different contexts and at all levels helps to embed the understanding, importance and relevance. Increasing Financial Wellbeing There are opportunities to improve mental and emotional wellbeing in children and young people by delivering challenges that develop financial capability and awareness Developing Employability Skills Building the Curriculum 4 highlights the entitlements for all children and young people to receive opportunities for developing skills for life, learning and work from early years through to senior phase. HGIOS quality indicator 3.3 'Increasing creativity and employability' focuses on the importance of developing necessary skills for success of young people. Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) is the Scottish Government's youth employability strategy and is underpinned by the Career Education Standards (3-18) and the 'I Can' skills. Financial capability is o core skill to advance in both personal and professional environments. Financial Education and Partnerships Education establishments, employers and other relevant organisations can work together to equip young people of employability prospects. with the skills they need to flourish both personally and Financial stress is the second most common cause of stress professionally. School/ employer partnerships con pool together skills and expertise to enhance learning across in the UK in 2020. Financial wellbeing discussions raise awareness of the serious consequences of debt, credit, the curriculum from early years to senior phase. This can lead ta mutual benefit amongst all members building on loons etc and equip children and young people with the knowledge and skills to be more financially responsible. good partnerships and improved community engagement. Page 55 of 60
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PATHWAY How to manage money Recognising and Calculating Money I con identify coins up to £2. I con apply addition and subtraction skills and use 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p coins to pay the exact value of items to 1Op. links I MNU 0-090 links I MNU 0-090 Becoming a Critical Consumer Choices about Spending and Saving I can make simple choices about how I spend and my money I con describe why I might want to save eg. something special or a gift for someone else I understand that my spending and saving choices may be different to others links HWB 0-020 HWB0-190 soc 0-170 soc 0-200 links HWB 0-190 links HWB 0-020 SOC 0-17a Managing risks and emotions associated with money Keeping Maney Safe I can choose a safe place to keep my money e.g a money box, purse, bank and explain my choice I understand that money has a value and needs to be taken care of. Links HWB 0-160 HWB 0-190 soc 0-160 Links HWB 0-160 Feelings about Money I con describe the way money makes me feel I om beginning to understand the consequences of losing money and how that might make me feel I understand that there ore people I con talk to if I need help or support. links I HWB 0-0la Links I HWB 0-020 Links I HWB 0-030 K SCOTLAND'S I :;,ll.. YOUNG ENTERPRISE SCOTLAND 2022/23 T l!_c isj Page 56 of 60
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Understanding the important role money plays in our lives Using Money Through play, I can demonstrate different ways to pay for goods and services, including cash, cards and digital I am beginning to understand that money can be used to buy our needs and wants Links TCH 0-020 TCH 0-030 TCH 0-070 soc 0-200 EXA 0-140 Links HWB 0-090 soc 0-200 Where money comes from I con identify different ways that I can receive money eg. earning, winning, borrowing, finding or being given Through play I can learn obout different employment and learning opportunities within my community and discuss the positives that brings Links HWB 0-200 CES3-18 Links HWB 0-200 soc 0-160 soc 0-200 EXA 0-140 CES 3-18 . - Money and People - - I understand that not everyone has the same amount of money I can take part in fundraising activities and explain why I am doing them I am beginning to understand that giving money to charity is a teaching in some religions Links I RME 0-090 Links RME 0-090 I Links RME 0-070 I RME 0-090 SDGs and UN Rights of the Child Sustainable Development Goals (Summary) Ill■.... : rm jj · I II t . e II ■,,.. m.· •• ARTICLE 13 (freedom of expression) ARTICLE 17 (access to information from the media) ARTICLE 24 (health and health services) ARTICLE 26 (social security) ARTICLE 27 (adequate standard of living) ARTICLE 28 (right to education) ARTICLE 29 (goals of education) UN Rights of the Child Page 57 of 60
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Appendix Two Strengthening Financial Education within North Lanarkshire Schools 1.1 Collaboration between Education and the Tackling Poverty Team has already begun to identify an action plan to strengthen the universal delivery of Financial Education within North Lanarkshire Schools. Financial Education is already embedded within the experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence. 1.2 On 24th July, a meeting with Young Enterprise Scotland has been organised to secure universal training sessions for all teaching staff. An overview of readily available teaching resources will also be created for schools to support them in delivering high quality learning experiences. 1.3 On 20th and 22nd of August 2024, all probationer teachers will participate in Financial Inclusion and Developing the Young Workforce training as part of their core programme of professional learning. 1.4 In September 2024, the Tackling Poverty Team will attend Numeracy Coach meetings to provide an overview of their work in supporting clusters in tackling poverty. In addition, all Numeracy Coaches will participate in self-evaluation activities to support an audit of current practice. This will then inform future planning priorities and identify any potential CLPL that is required. 1.5 All schools will also be encouraged to participate in Talk Money Week, starting on 11th November. Information and resources will be shared with schools to support this event. Schools’ events linked to Talk Money Week, will be continually promoted through a range of education communication channels. 1.6 Cluster Chairs and Cluster Improvement and Integration Leads (CIILs) will be signposted to resources/supports available to families experiencing financial difficulties, and a new section will be added to the Padlet created by the DYW team. 1.7 Collaborative planning meetings will continue to be scheduled throughout the school year between Education and the Tackling Poverty Team, to evaluate progress and plan next steps in preparation for year 2. Page 58 of 60
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2r|]|fr]z- hèf]ér~|È fér~| I z]| Or{jzr|j
May 2024 : Tackling Poverty Team and
Education working group established.
July 2024 : Meeting with Financial Schools
Scotland Coordinator to support
secondary schools delivering Financial
Education.
August 2024 : All probationers to
participate in Financial Inclusion and
Developing the Young Workforce training.
Launch of Financial Education training
sessions for all staff across all sectors
delivered by Young Enterprise Scotland.
September 2024 : Tackling Poverty Team
to attend all Numeracy Coach meetings.
Numeracy Coaches to engage with self-
evaluation audit to inform next steps at
school and local authority level.
October 2024 : Review Numeracy Coach
audit to establish next steps and potential
professional learning. Issue overview of
local and national resources to support
teaching of Financial Education.
November 2024 : Meeting with CIILs and
Cluster Chairs to outline additional and
intensive supports/pathways available to
families experiencing financial difficulties.
December 2024 : Review progress to date
with working group and plan year 2 of
support.
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