ITEM 18 Tackling Poverty Team Activity
North Lanarkshire Council · 27 September 2023
Back to Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board — 27 September 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
REPORT Item No: 18 SUBJECT: Tackling Poverty Team Report 2022/2023 TO: Integration Joint Board Lead Officer for Report: Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer Author(s) of Report Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer DATE: 27 September 2023 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT This paper is coming to the IJB for: For approval ☐ For endorsement ☐ To note ☒ 2. ROUTE TO THE BOARD This paper has been: Prepared By: ☐ Reviewed By: ☐ Endorsed By: ☒ Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee 1
Page 2
3. RECOMMENDATIONS The Integration Joint Board note the paper remitted from the tackling poverty committee. 4. VARIATIONS TO DIRECTIONS? Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A ☐ 5. BACKGROUND/SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES 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, advice and assistance to staff on the range of state benefits and directly assist service users and residents to claim all benefits to which they are entitled. The main thrust of all welfare rights work is the maximisation of income for individuals, with consequential benefits 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 both users of key council services and in the wider community. 6. CONCLUSIONS This report provides details of the income maximisation work carried out by the Tackling Poverty Team and council services during 2022/23 which generated £35,480,020 in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire. It also highlights the activity of the external services commissioned by the Council under the new commissioning model which started in April 2018 which generated £5,267,650 in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire during the same period. 7. IMPLICATIONS 7.1 NATIONAL OUTCOMES Link(s) to National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes 2 People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer ☐
Page 3
People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonable practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community ☐ People who use Health and Social Care Services have positive experiences of those services, and have dignity respected ☐ Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services ☐ Health and Social Care Services contribute to reducing health inequalities ☐ People who use Health and Social Care Services are safe from harm ☐ People who work in Health and Social Care Services feel engaged with the work they do and are supported to continuously improve the information, support, care and treatment they provide ☐ Resources are used effectively and efficiently in the provision of Health and Social Care Services ☐ 7.2 ASSOCIATED MEASURE(S) 7.3 FINANCIAL This paper has been reviewed by Finance: Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A ☐ 7.4 RISK ASSESSMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT Relevant Risk Register Details Current Risk Level Risk Owner Choose an item. There is a potential impact on the Council’s Corporate Tackling Poverty Risk(which is already a high risk), and the service risks in respect of the Council’s capacity to respond to the challenges arising from the Tackling Poverty (Child Poverty), Welfare Reform Act 2012, the impact of coronavirus and the cost of living crisis, in the terms of Council priorities and Services' activities and assisting residents of North Lanarkshire, principally those currently in receipt of benefits (out of work and in work) and welfare assistance. This risk and the controls which support its management is regularly reviewed and will be supported by the new Tackling Poverty Strategy for 2023-26 3
Page 4
7.5 ENGAGEMENT & PARTICPATION Please tick the engagement and participation objectives that link(s) with this piece of work and provide further details regarding the engagement and participation that was undertaken. Objectives Further Details □ Involve stakeholders in the development work aimed at achieving the national outcomes □ Provide stakeholders with information on how to get involved □ Ensure a diverse range of engagement and participation and opportunities are in place to suit different needs □ Measure how well we involve community stakeholders in the planning, design and delivery of our services □ Provide regular feedback on how stakeholder engagement and participation is shaping and influencing service development and delivery □ Provide support to enable stakeholder representatives to participate meaningfully and confidently at meetings □ Develop participation guidelines to ensure a common understanding and set of expectations for both stakeholders and partnership staff □ Support engagement planning and participation in localities, taking account of other engagement activity and local plans across the Community Planning Partnership 7.6 INEQUALITIES & FAIRER SCOTLAND DUTY EQIA Completed & Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment Form Completed and attached to report: Yes ☒ No ☐ N/A ☐ 4
Page 5
EQIA added to website: Yes / Date added ☒ No ☐ N/A ☐ https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality-impact- assessments-eqias/enterprise-and-communities/tackling 8. BACKGROUND PAPERS None. 9. APPENDICES Appendix 1Tacking Poverty Team Activity 2022 2023 Please include a glossary of terms if not already included. CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER (or Depute) Members seeking further information about any aspect of this report, please contact the following; Alison Gordon 5
Page 6
Direction from North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) 1 Reference Number 2 Report Title 3 Date direction issued by IJB 4 Date from which direction takes effect 5 Direction to: 6 Does this direction supersede, revise or revoke a previous direction – if yes, include reference number(s) 7 Functions covered by direction 8 Full text of direction 9 Budget allocated by Integration Joint Board to carry out direction 10 Performance Management / Governance arrangements 11 Date direction will be reviewed 6
Page 7
Report Appendix 1 North Lanarkshire Council □ No From Alison Gordon, Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice) E-mail gordanal@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01698 332001 Executive Summary This report provides details of the income maximisation work carried out by the Tackling Poverty Team and council services during 2022/23 which generated £35,480,020 in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire. It also highlights the activity of the external services commissioned by the Council under the new commissioning model which started in April 2018 which generated £5,267,650 in additional benefit income for the residents of North Lanarkshire during the same period. Over this period legacy issues of the coronavirus pandemic alongside the impact of the cost-of-living crisis have impacted disproportionately on the most vulnerable in driving poverty and inequalities in our communities and bringing the importance of income maximisation and wider work to tackle poverty into sharp focus, highlighting the impact of low paid and insecure work in particular. 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. This report focuses in particular on the key area of income from welfare benefits and therefore also updates on the continued programme of welfare reform and its impact, including on the introduction of benefits devolved and now provided through Social Security Scotland as well as the challenges which the Council, partners and our communities will face over the next three to four years. Recommendations It is recommended that the Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee: (1) Approves the content of the report; and (2) Remits the report to the Integration Joint Board for information. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities Ambition statement (11) Increase economic opportunities for adults by understanding, identifying, and addressing the causes of poverty and deprivation and barriers to financial inclusion Tackling Poverty Team Report 2022/2023 Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes Ref AG/JC Date 18/08/ 23
Page 8
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, advice and assistance to staff on the range of state benefits and directly assist service users and residents to claim all benefits to which they are entitled. The main thrust of all welfare rights work is the maximisation of income for individuals, with consequential benefits 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 both users of key council services and in the wider community. 1.2 The Tackling Poverty Team, Social Work Services and Housing Services 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 vital role in longer term Social Work services such as Adult Social Work, Children and Families, Kinship Care, Justice Services, Mental Health and Addictions. 1.3 A key role of the Tackling Poverty Team is to support the income maximisation service through the First Point of Contact Team directly to residents in addition to providing support services for fieldwork staff, supporting specialist Social Work Services, Education Services and Housing Services and through the Resolution Team representing clients at tribunals and hearings. Successful welfare rights intervention, where individuals are awarded extra benefit, frequently means that, as a result of increased income, they are better able to manage their own affairs and, in some instances, may not require further social work services. 1.4 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 £3.3m, have been used to enhance capacity to deal with the significant increase in demand for representation, training, advice, information and support. 1.5 The Coronavirus pandemic brought inequality into sharp focus, highlighting the impact of low paid and insecure work in particular. The impact of the measures to combat the pandemic have had an unequal impact across Scotland and North Lanarkshire, in particular with a greater impact on people living in socio-economic disadvantage and with a number of specific impacts on children who were already living in poverty, or whose families have now been pushed into poverty. 1.6 Progress in developing local approaches to tackling poverty and reducing inequality in North Lanarkshire, have continued to be strengthened with activity focused on the key drivers of poverty, via the Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy. 1.7 In addition to the challenges already referenced relating to the Coronavirus pandemic and the extended Cost-of-Living Crisis, the 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 Scotland have required continual review and targeting of activity to meet evolving needs.
Page 9
2. Report Income Maximisation 2.1 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). 2.2 Early intervention with income maximisation assists in the prevention of rent arrears and the sustainability of tenancies. 2.3 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). 2.4 From 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, Housing Services generated £15,041,770 in benefits for 4,007 new and existing tenants, making 6,663 claims for benefits of which 4,542 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). 2.5 Similarly, the TPT, together with Social Work Services completed 18,521 Benefit Checks in 2022/23 generating an income to local residents of £17,930,624, with additional financial gains of £97,294, (benefits, charities, and energy suppliers etc.) generated via Debt Advisors within the FIT. 2.6 The MacMillan Lanarkshire Advice Service is provided by North Lanarkshire Council and provides home visits, telephone interviews, office visits and surgeries in local hospitals. The TPT manages this service. Between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, there were 700 referrals to the service, of which 387 were for DS1500/BASRiS cases (relating to those coping with terminal illness). It should be noted that this is a reduction from previous years, due mainly to cancer services pausing due to coronavirus nonetheless £2,410,332 of income was generated for those residents referred affected by cancer. 2.7 The table below summarises the income maximisation work undertaken throughout the year: Social Work / TPT £17,930,624 Housing Services £15,041,770 Macmillan Lanarkshire Service £2,410,332 Charities, and energy suppliers £97,294 Total £35,480,020 2.8 The TPT and Social Work Service generated 54.38% of the council total, with Housing Services making up the remaining 45.62%. In cost/benefit terms, it is worth noting that
Page 10
every £1 invested by the council in income maximisation during 2022/23 generated £27.81 for residents and the local economy. 2.9 The TPT also received 10,337, referrals from Elected Members, MSP’s/MP’s, NHSL and other agencies, for welfare rights advice and information. Appeals 2.10 The TPT restructured in October 2022 and again in March 2023. One of the main changes was the establishment of a Resolutions Team which would provide representation for residents at mandatory reconsideration stage and appeals which is a core element of a Welfare Rights Officer’s work. During 2022/23, Welfare Rights Officers represented at 293 individual claims at the mandatory reconsideration stage with a success rate of 64% and represented residents at 139 appeals (a significant decrease on previous years due to decrease in DWP activity, mandatory reconsiderations, and the impact of coronavirus). 2.11 The overall success rate for Social Security Appeal Tribunals by the Tackling Poverty Team was 81%, which is an improvement on last year and above the national average of 66%. 2.12 Service Users Questionnaires/Surveys to monitor customer satisfaction did not take place during 2021/22 due to coronavirus however the Business Intelligence Team have advised they are currently developing an online consultation tool called SNAP, where surveys can be emailed to a client’s email address / put onto the council website. It is anticipated that this will support this activity going forward and ensure that feedback from customers supports quality assurance and is influential in the continued development of the services. Debt Advice 2.13 The TPT received 1744 referrals for Money Advice/Debt Advice during 2022/23 from residents, elected members, CABx, Health and Social Care Services, Housing Services, NHS Lanarkshire and other Advice and Information agencies. 2.14 The Tackling Poverty Team dealt with 18 Debt Payment Programmes (DPP) and 36 Bankruptcies were awarded. Whilst there has been an increase in the number of Debt Payment Programmes and Bankruptcies, 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/crisis breaks, variations and revocations being dealt with by the team for current Debt Payment Programme’s. The total debt dealt with was £5,912,307 which was an increase of £827,536. 2.15 The Money Advice, Consumer Advice Project (MACA project) for first and second level primary school pupils is currently being reviewed and updated therefore no sessions were carried out during 22/23. The Future Fridays project for S4-S6 secondary pupils carried out 14 sessions with 46 pupils attending. 2.16 As the Money Advice casework system is being reviewed and updated, the Customer Satisfaction Surveys did not take place in 2022/23 however the new casework system will have a survey facility built in.
Page 11
Training 2.17 Throughout 2022/3, the TPT has provided training to Council and External Partners, via online video tools, 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. 2.18 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 2.19 The Tackling Poverty Team commissions and monitors the external services and has carried out monitoring visits of each Citizen Advice Bureaux as outlined in the funding agreement and can provide assurances that each provider is meeting the outcomes agreed in the funding agreement and are providing 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. 2.20 The External Services have had 6,532 welfare rights enquiries, 2,708 Housing Advice enquiries with 1,351 referred to other agencies, 6,475 Money Advice enquiries with 2,684 referred to other agencies and completed 4,784 Benefit Checks in 2022/2023, generating benefit income to local residents of £5,267,650m. 2.21 In cost/benefit terms, every £1 invested by the council in External Services during 2022/23 generated £14.36 for residents and the local economy. 2.22 It is important to reaffirm that the council commissions the External Services to provide specific advice and information services (not CAB Services) and that these providers also receive funding from other funders, the above information relates only to activity associated with the funding that these external services receive from the council. Legislative/Policy Changes (Welfare Reforms) 2.23 The UK Government/DWP have now resumed the welfare reform programme, as has the Scottish Government. 2.24 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. 2.25 DWP have announced that Migration Notices issued will be issued to tax credit claimants from April 2023 and this will be expanding into additional parts of the country by September 2023, with moves to Universal Credit activity taking place in all regions
Page 12
of Great Britain, by the end of the financial year, with plans to undertake Move to Universal Credit in all Jobcentre Districts nationwide. 2.26 Migration Notices to tax credit claimants in North Lanarkshire will start from August 2023. 2.27 The UK Government Budget Statement for 2023, introduced some further reforms as set out below: Interventions focus on removing barriers to work for people at any age and career stage. Parents on Universal Credit will be further supported with upfront childcare costs. Boost to employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions building on reforms. Parents, over-50s, disabled people and those with long-term health conditions will have opportunities arising from changes announced in the Budget set to be delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions. 2.28 Overall, DWP measures at Budget represent an investment of £3.5 billion over five years to boost workforce participation and grow the economy. That includes: £2 billion investment in support for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. £900 million investment in support for parents on Universal Credit. £70 million investment in support for over-50s. £485 million investment in support for unemployed people and people who are on Universal Credit and working fewer than full time hours. 2.29 Further reforms as set out below were announced by the UK Government on, principally to address the impact of fuel price rises: Windfall Tax on Oil and Gas Companies (Levy) of 35% on profits. The tax will be expanded to electricity generators with a levy of 45%. Low Income Families to receive £900 in three payments, £301 in May 2023, £300 during autumn 2023 and £299 in spring 2024 administered by DWP. Pensioners to receive an additional payment of £150 or £300, on top of the Winter Fuel Payment. Disabled people to receive a one off £150 payment in summer 2023. Energy Price Guarantee will remain at £2,500 for the next three months. State Pension and benefit will increase by 10.1 per cent in line with inflation (March 2023). Scottish Social Security Agency and devolved benefits 2.30 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:
Page 13
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 become entitled to Winter Heating Assistance Implemented January 2021 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 2.31 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. 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 - Cost of living crisis – Assistance 2.32 The Scottish Government has identified funding of £35 million for a range of new measures, including: doubling the value of the December Scottish Child Bridging Payment to £260 per eligible child. a new £1.4 million Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund. establishing a joint taskforce with business, COSLA, local authorities and agencies to consider the differing impacts of regulation on business. extending energy advice to businesses by investing £300,000 to expand the services of Business Energy Scotland, while doubling the value of the SME energy efficiency Loan and Cash Back Scheme for energy efficiency to £20,000. new payment break options to help protect those who have agreed to repay debt through the Debt Arrangement Scheme but face unexpected increases in the cost of living. for anyone in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, an automatic increase to £25 per week will be in place from 14 November. Applications for the Scottish Child Payment will also be open to all eligible under 16s from that date, with all payments backdated to the date of application. the introduction of the new Winter Heating Payment allowance which guarantees a £50 annual payment to around 400,000 low-income households. doubling of the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million in 2022-23, to help households at risk of self-disconnection or self-rationing energy use.
Page 14
widening eligibility for the Tenant Grant Fund, to support those struggling with increasing costs. giving local authorities more flexibility to take account of energy bills in their prioritisation of households for Discretionary Housing Payments. We will also increase funding for Discretionary Housing Payments by £5 million. Future Context and Challenges 2.33 In terms of the labour market the story of North Lanarkshire over the last 18 months has closely reflected that of the Scottish and UK markets over that period. Far from the high levels of unemployment and redundancies that were expected to result because of the restrictions placed on the economy by the pandemic, a complete and unprecedented reversal in the labour market occurred in the last 18 months resulting in an inadequate supply of labour and with all sectors struggling to fill existing vacancies and it became clear that a major factor in this shortage of workers was due to people leaving the labour market. 2.34 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 April 2023 it had decreased to 7,940 (3.6%) and average earnings in North Lanarkshire are now above the Scottish and UK averages for the first time. This is good news, but real 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 26,300 in the 12 months up to December 2022 and the number reported as ‘looking after family/home’ in the council area increased from 8,500 to 9,900 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 157,100 (70.1%) in September 2022. 2.35 Throughout 2023 unemployment is expected to rise again as the UK enters recession and high inflation continues to hinder economic growth. From an employability perspective this simply reinforces the need to continue to support those further from the labour market in North Lanarkshire to gain the skills needed to get a job and continue to work with employers to create opportunities for our unemployed residents, including those who are economically inactive. 2.36 Residents will be migrated to UC full service over the next two years and are expected to fully comply with the UC rules as someone not in employment. This means that they could be sanctioned and lose their UC payments if they fail to follow their Claimant Commitment. 2.37 DWP focus throughout the 2023/24 financial year will be on those households claiming tax credits only (working tax credit and/or child tax credit). Throughout 2024/25, all cases with tax credits (including those on both Employment and Support Allowance and tax credits), all cases on Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income Based) and all Housing Benefit cases (including combinations of these benefits) will be required to move to Universal Credit. 2.38 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 migrated from their current benefits to UC across the period July 2020 to 2024, will be 49,200, meaning that nearly 65,000 residents will be impacted by Universal Credit and/or other welfare reform changes over the next 2 years with the
Page 15
majority being Council tenants in receipt of Housing benefit/Council Tax Reduction Scheme and/or users of IJB Services. 2.39 Despite the potentially positive impact of some of the new benefits listed at 2.2.2 above the biggest emerging issues from April 2023, is the end of the financial measures and supports for coronavirus, along with elements of financial supports for the cost of living crisis and energy costs with fuel prices still higher compared to 2021 and 2022, highest inflation in over 40 years (peaking at 10.1%), real term cuts in wages, benefits and pensions and the National Insurance increase for workers. These have the potential to result in major issues for our community and council services with 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 N/A Alison Gordon Chief Social Work Officer (Education, Families, Justice and Integrated Practice)
Page 16
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? No groups will be disadvantaged or excluded through the implementation of the recommendations of the report. Indeed noting, the recommendations presents an opportunity to promote equality and ensure greater access to public services. The current activity of the TPT, Housing Services and North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Services mitigates the impact of the welfare reform changes within North Lanarkshire and meets the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty by reducing inequalities. 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 ☐
Page 17
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)? 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? 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? There is a potential impact on the Council’s Corporate Tackling Poverty Risk (which is already a high risk), and the service risks in respect of the Council’s capacity to respond to the challenges arising from the Tackling Poverty (Child Poverty), Welfare Reform Act 2012, the impact of coronavirus and the cost of living crisis, in the terms of Council priorities and Services' activities and assisting residents of North Lanarkshire, principally those currently in receipt of benefits (out of work and in work) and welfare assistance. This risk and the controls which support its management is regularly reviewed and will be supported by the new Tackling Poverty Strategy for 2023-26 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.
Page 18
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). If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☒ No ☐