Item 16 - Cost of Living Helpline Report
North Lanarkshire Council · 30 November 2022
Back to Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board — 30 November 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 REPORT Item No: 16 SUBJECT: Cost of Living Helpline TO: Integration Joint Board Lead Officer for Report: Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer Author(s) of Report John Campbell DATE: 30th November 2022 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT This paper is coming to the IJB For approval For endorsement To note 2. ROUTE TO THE BOARD This paper has been: Prepared Reviewed Endorsed By: The report was prepared by the Chief Social Work Officer in consultation with the Chief Officer and members of the Sector Leadership Team 3. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the IJB: 1) Approve the proposal for the Helpline; and 2) Approve the funding request for the enhancement of the Tackling Poverty Team. 4. VARIATIONS TO DIRECTIONS Yes No N/A
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2 5. BACKGROUND/SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES Key Issues 5.1 There is a cost-of-living crisis in the UK resulting in unprecedented pressures on people already in poverty, and thousands of people in North Lanarkshire will be forced into poverty and have to make tough decisions about when and what they eat, keep their homes, what they can do in life, and when they can afford to heat their home. 5.2 With the highest inflationary increases on food, fuel and other household costs since 1981 and the expected increase on interest rates on mortgages following the impact of the mini budget and further austerity measures planned by UK Government e.g., Benefits and Pensions, wages not increasing in line with Inflation (11.1%) and with wage increases coming in on average at 5%, increases on income tax, public spending cuts, there are real term cuts to people in work and out of work income over the next two to three years. 5.3 The supports coming from both the Scottish and UK governments are evolving, but irrespective of this, the coming winter months and the next 2 years will be extremely challenging for a significant and increasing number of households in North Lanarkshire. Background 5.4 Further to the Fairness Commission Report of 2018, which identified significant challenges with respect to poverty and its wider impacts within North Lanarkshire, the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-23 ‘Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire’ has provided a vehicle for multi- agency action as reflected in the progress report for which link is provided at section 7 below. 5.5 Given the severity of the current cost of living crisis resilience arrangements were however stood up by the Council to support planning of further mitigating measures with partners. The detail of these is reflected in the second report provided at section 7 as a background paper, ‘Cost of Living Response’ 5.6 In view of the likelihood that the current cost of living crisis will exacerbate existing health inequalities through its wider impacts on physical and mental health and well-being and its strong commitment to prevention, the Health and Social Care Partnership have been keen to explore options to enhance the early help and advice available to individuals and families impacted by the current crisis, identifying this as a potential priority which could be supported, if agreed , through current reserves. In particular the partnership has considered the potential to fund and promote a ‘helpline’ resource. 5.7 The Council’s Tackling Poverty Team, currently have a First Point of Contact Team with a single and simple access point for residents, Council Services, NHSL and other Community Planning Partners.
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3 (Telephone number – 01698 332551 and email contact TPTeam@northlan.gov.uk. As well as the Online, self- help/management tools via council website – Cost of living page. 5.8 The Tackling Poverty team also commission External Advice Services on behalf of the Council and have strong links with these services, as well as having long established referral routes with Health and Social Care Services, NHSL Community Link Workers Programme, GP Practices and other Health Services. The Tackling Poverty Team provide advice, information, support and advocacy in relation to income maximisation, debt and money advice, financial education, fuel advice (Home Energy Scotland), representation at social security appeals and in the wider Tackling Poverty agenda, manage the Tackling Food Poverty and Insecurity referral Gateway and ensure that there is a ‘no wrong door approach’, by signposting and connecting residents to other Council Services, NHSL and Third Sector via the Tackling Poverty structure/governance chart. 5.9 The table below demonstrates the increase in demand/referrals to the Tackling Poverty Team for advice and information since 2020/21 and given the above clearly this will continue to increase over the next 2 years and beyond. Month 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 April 1443 648 791 May 989 639 919 June 603 720 862 July 479 564 755 August 442 643 1039 September 592 703 907 October 700 621 November 683 736 December 434 529 January 706 783 February 576 833 March 746 948 6. CONCLUSIONS Proposal 6.1 Following a range of discussions between lead officers from the Health Social Care Partnership, the Tackling Poverty Team and the wider Tackling Poverty and Resilience structures is proposed that additional support could most effectively be offered through extending the capacity of the Tackling Poverty Team, This would ensure we can maintain and enhance the existing single point of contact for advice on
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4 a range of impacts for the Cost-of-Living Crisis, with the majority of the enquiries expected to be financially related. This would mean one gateway for residents to receive direct advice and where required a direct route to follow up appointments for support rather than being re- directed. It also allows for efficiency of scaling up as the current infrastructure is in place to provide the helpline rather than setting up something bespoke. 6.2 Extending the capacity of the Tackling Poverty team will also allow the team, to support the wider capacity issues for the Third Sector, Health and Social Care Services, Education and Families Services, Housing Solutions, and other Community Planning Partners, by providing advice, support and referral pathways for these services, and the community drop-in centres, North Lanarkshire Council’s -Work Local Hubs (available to all Council, IJB and NHS Lanarkshire staff). 6.3 As recognised above it is inevitable that the pressures and reality of the Cost-of-Living Crisis means many people will also experience negative impacts on their health and wellbeing, therefore the team will undergo additional training in key areas, e.g. mental health and wellbeing to support capacity to recognise and respond to wider needs through the appropriate signposting and referrals. The Tackling Poverty Team and NHS Lanarkshire already have a well-developed approach for financial wellbeing, signposting to other services and referrals pathways, this builds on the learning from the NL Covid (Community Hubs) Helpline. 6.4 It is important also to recognise that staff form agencies will themselves be impacted and that enhancing access to financial advice will support our commitment to staff support and wellbeing. 6.5 The Tackling Poverty Team will require additional staff to maintain and enhance the Helpline/First Point of Contact and to ensure follow up support continues to be offered timeously. The skill mix required will includes Clerical support, Debt Advisors, Income Maximisers and Welfare Rights Officer. This will provide the enhancement required by the Tackling Poverty Team to deliver the Helpline/First Point of Contact, outreach surgeries and provide wider support to Community Planning Partners strengthening access to early support and upholding the partnership’s commitment also to address stigma and empower those requiring support through a ‘cash first’ approach wherever possible. 6.6 The funding required is £300,000, each year over two years 23/24 and 24/25 (£600,000 in total) which will allow the Tackling Poverty Team to recruit staff as soon as possible. 6.7 The Tackling Poverty Team will work with HR and Employability Services to develop a strategy to recruit the staff required as quickly as possible which will look at traineeships, modern apprentices, and other employment opportunities for North Lanarkshire residents. The Tackling Poverty team currently has adverts out just now for Welfare
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5 Rights Officers and Debt Advisors which may allow some of the posts to be filled quickly. 6.8 The Tackling Poverty Team will also monitor and record activity of the helpline, in number of people assisted, reason for referral, income generated, advice given, outcomes, number of people/referrals signposted to other services/agencies. The Tackling Poverty Team will also report on the wider use of the referral pathways with the Third Sector, Council Services, IJB Services and NHS Lanarkshire. 6.9 It would be the intention to report back to the IJB Board under the same cycle of reporting back to the Council’s Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee, with the first update due in February 2023. 7. IMPLICATIONS 7.1 NATIONAL OUTCOMES Current concerns about cost-of-living issues impact on each of the nine national outcomes, but in particular, outcomes; 3. People who use health and social care services have positive experiences of those services, and have their dignity respected” and, 5. “Health and social care services contribute to reducing health inequalities 7.2 ASSOCIATED MEASURE(S) This report highlights one of a number of initiatives being progressed by NHSL and NLC to address the immediate financial challenges facing individuals, families and communities across North Lanarkshire 7.3 FINANCIAL The funding required will be £600,000 in total over two years 2023/2025 This paper has been reviewed by Finance: Yes No N/A 7.4 RISK ASSESSMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT This report relates to risk IJB 15/22 – Cost of Living impacts currently on the IJB risk register rated as high.
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6 7.5 PEOPLE The funds will support recruitment of 3 welfare benefits advisors, 2 debt and money advice staff and up to 4 support staff. Consideration is being given to accessing the modern apprenticeship scheme to maximise the social economic benefit of this initiative. 7.6 INEQUALITIES & FAIRER SCOTLAND DUTY The initiative will reduce inequalities in the community served by North Lanarkshire Council and the IJB. We will undertake an equalities impact assessment when we have finalised the final service and staffing model. EQIA Completed: Yes No N/A 8. BACKGROUND PAPERS 1) Programme of Work (P005.1 (2) & (3) Tackling Poverty and Maximising the Local Authority Economic Recovery Fund - att98916.pdf (northlanarkshire.gov.uk) 2) Cost Of Living Response - att98917.pdf (northlanarkshire.gov.uk) 9. APPENDICES None. ............................................................................. CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER (or Depute) Members seeking further information about any aspect of this report, please contact Ross McGuffie on telephone number 01698 752 591.