Agenda Document Pack - Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee - 02/09/2026
Renfrewshire Council · 2 September 2026
Back to Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee — 2 September 2026 and its agenda
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24/08/2026 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee Date Time Venue Wednesday, 02 September 2026 10:00 Via Teams, Membership Councillor Jacqueline Cameron (Convener): Councillor Graeme Clark (Depute Convener): Councillor Neill Graham: Councillor Anne Hannigan: Councillor Marie McGurk: Councillor Iain Nicolson: Councillor Andy Steel: Further Information - online meetings only This meeting is on-line only but is a meeting which is open to members of the public by prior arrangement. A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance Page 1 of 52
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24/08/2026 Items of business Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements Members are asked to declare an interest or make a transparency statement in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest or the transparency statement. 1(a) Cost of Living Update Report by Chief Executive. 3 - 16 1(b) Cost of Living Dashboard Report by Chief Executive. 17 - 34 2 Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Update Report by Chief Executive. 35 - 52 3 Update on Gallowhill Community Development - Presentation Presentation by Chief Executive, Active Communities. 4 Update on Trauma Informed and Responsive Renfrewshire - Presentation Presentation by Chief Executive. Page 2 of 52
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1 PUBLIC ________________________________________________________________________ To: Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee On: 2 September 2026 _____________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive _____________________________________________________________________ Heading: Cost-of-living Update ________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. At each of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee meetings, an overview of key context and evidence around current pressures on household finances, both in terms of household income and expenditure has been provided to members. 1.2. Since the last meeting of the Sub-Committee on 3 June 2026, there have been a number of changes in economic factors including an increase of 13% in the Energy Price Cap from 1 July 2026, meaning households are currently paying more for their energy use while inflation rose to 2.9% in the 12 months to July, up from 2.6% in June, driven largely by higher energy bills. Elected members are asked to note that: • The rate of inflation is standing at 2.9% in July, rising from 2.6% the previous month and has been above the target rate of 2% set by the UK Government for the Bank of England since October 2024, when it reached 2.3%. • The inflation rate for food has decreased to 1.3% in June, down 0.4% from last month. It is now lower than overall inflation and at its lowest rate for almost 5 years, however the outlook for food prices is unstable, with prices expected to rise more again in the coming months. • The Bank of England interest rate was held at 3.75% in July due to the conflict in the Middle East and associated inflation rises. The next announcement is due on 17th September. • The Energy Price Cap, originally introduced by Ofgem in January 2019 to set limits on the underlying rates energy suppliers, is currently set at £1,862 from 1 July, with continued Item 1(a) Page 3 of 52
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2 PUBLIC conflict in the Middle East leading to an uncertain energy disinflation path according to economists. 1.3. This paper provides an overview of information collated by officers in relation at both a national and local level where available. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee note the content of the report. 3. Background 3.1 At the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee meeting on 3 June 2026 an overview of key context and evidence around current pressures on household finances, both in terms of household income and expenditure, was examined. Household costs continue to rise, and although inflation rates have come down compared to last month, prices are still climbing, albeit at a slower rate. 3.2 UK inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), increased to 2.9% in the year to July - up from 2.6% in the 12 months to June. This increase has been attributed to higher energy bills due to the situation in the Middle East which remains volatile. Analysts warn that an increase of 4% in the energy price cap is expected for October. 3.3 Fuel prices at the pump fell in June, however the average price of a litre of petrol climbed to 160p at the end of July again due to continued instability in the Middle East. That was about 27p more than before the conflict, and represented a three-and-a-half year high. While regional tensions remain, it is likely that petrol and diesel costs will continue to fluctuate. 3.4 Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation fell by 0.4% month-to-month, with beef and chicken seeing a reduction along with sugar, chocolate and confectionery. Looking at inflation over the year, beef and veal price inflation eased from 9.4% in the 12 months to May to 5.1% in the year to June, while pizza and quiches, for example, fell by 6.7% in the year to June. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said lower food inflation was also driven by "intense competition between supermarkets". Food inflation, however, often has a lag of up to 13 months due to the supply chain, so any effects from the conflict in Iran could still be yet to come. 3.5 Both Office for National Statistics and Scottish Government figures show that costs of living are still very high on people’s agenda. The Scottish Government Public Insight Monitor for May 2026 (a survey by YouGov of 1136 Scottish Adults) found that 33% were worried about household finances and 38% about the cost of groceries, while 39% were worried about energy/fuel prices, which was a 10% increase on the previous survey in February. 67% (an increase of 3%) agreed either strongly (24%) or generally 43% that the cost of living would have a long term negative impact on their family. Only 4%, agreed that the cost of living crisis is easing, with only 2% strongly agreeing this. Page 4 of 52
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3 PUBLIC 3.6 According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Cost of Living Tracker, Summer 2026, the cost-of- living crisis is becoming more widespread, with 7.4 million low-income families unable to afford essential items in the last 6 months. They report that this is the highest number since they began running the cost of living tracker survey in 2021. They have found that there has also been an increase in the number of families being forced to cut back on meals or go hungry, an increase in the number of families in arrears on their household bills and credit repayments, and an increase in the number of families borrowing money from high-cost lenders such as loan sharks and payday lenders to buy essentials. 3.7 While some cost of living pressures have eased slightly in the last month, families with low incomes and those relying solely on benefits are struggling to afford essentials. 4. Impacts of cost-of-living crisis Living costs 4.1 The latest insights into the cost of living from the Office of National Statistics for the period 3rd to 28th of June found that 88% of those surveyed reported the cost of living as the most important issue facing the UK today and around two-thirds (60%) of adults reported that their cost of living had increased compared with a month ago, which is slightly higher than a year ago, although down from a high of 79% in April 2026. Around 6 in 10 adults (63%) reported being very or somewhat worried about their costs of living. 4.2 Among those reporting that their cost of living had increased compared with a month ago, the price of food shopping remained the most commonly reported reason at 95%, up 4% from the last reported figure); the proportion reporting the price of fuel as a reason for increased living costs increased is 74% and the proportion reporting energy bills as a reason for increased cost of living was 67%, an increase from the 61% last reported. The price of food shopping has been the most commonly reported reason given by adults for a rise in their cost of living since ONS first asked the question in November 2021. 4.3 Further ONS figures show: • Around 1 in 3 (35%) adults who pay energy bills reported finding it very or somewhat difficult to afford these bills. • Around 1 in 5 (20%) adults reported that they had borrowed more money or used more credit than usual in the past month compared with a year ago. • In the period 7 January 2026 to 29 March 2026, among adults currently paying rent or mortgage payments, around 1 in 3 (35%) reported finding it very or somewhat difficult to afford these payments. Page 5 of 52
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4 PUBLIC • Just over 1 in 20 (6%) adults reported they had been unable to pay a direct debit, standing order, or bill in the past month. • 13% of adults disagree or strongly disagree that their household income covers their minimum living expenses. 4.4 The ONS also publishes statistics for the UK on Direct Debit failure. The most recent statistics for June 2026 show a default rate on loans of 4.95%, while for Electricity and Gas Direct Debits, the default rate is 2.65%, a reduction from the 2.92% last reported. 4.5 Within Scotland, according to the Scottish Government Public Insight Monitor 81% took some form of action to help manage their household finances over the last 6 months. This survey also showed that 55% of adults had spent less on non-essential items to help manage their household finances, while 34% had used savings and 18% had cut back on essentials such as food. 45% had also taken steps to reduce energy use in the home, eg. less heating and hot water. Energy Price Cap, energy costs and debt 4.6 The energy price cap is the maximum amount energy suppliers can charge customers for each unit of energy and standing charge if they’re on a standard variable tariff. Between 1 July 26 and 30 September 2026, the energy price cap is set at £1,862 per year for a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit. This figure is 13% higher than that for the previous quarter and is expected to rise again from 1 October due to the conflict in the Middle East. 4.7 The table below shows the average unit rates per kilowatt hour (kWh) and standing charges per day under the Price Cap from 1 April and from 1 July for a dual fuel, direct debit customer: 1 April 2026 1 July 2026 Electricity Unit Rate 24.67p/kWh 26.11p/kWh Elec Standing Charge 57.21p/day 57.19p/day Gas unit rates 5.74p/kWh 7.33p/kWh Gas Standing Charge 29.09p/day 29.04p/day 4.8 The Citizens Advice Scotland Energy Brief of May 2026 reports record levels of energy debt recorded across the Citizens Advice network in Scotland from January to March 2026. The average debt brought to CAB by people was on average over £2,800 rising to over £3,200 in rural areas. A total of £2.7 million of energy debt was brought to the network in the first 3 months of Page 6 of 52
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5 PUBLIC 2026, and 70% of people who needed support with energy debt were living with a long-term health condition or disability. CAS’s evidence demonstrates that people in employment are not immune from the harms of high energy bills and the need for crisis support, with 16% of the people who came to them for energy advice being in full- or part-time work. 4.9 Locally, Renfrewshire CAB have seen energy debt reflecting that within the national brief, with the Renfrewshire figure of those in employment coming forward for energy advice also being 16%. The Advice Works team have also seen a rise in fuel debt, with clients owing £58,738 in Q1 this year compared to £30,755 for the same quarter last year. 4.10 Renfrewshire’s Energy Management Unit also provide fuel vouchers. For 2026 so far, 230 vouchers have been issued, helping 264 adults and 126 children. 4.11 On 21 July it was announced by the UK Government that VAT on electricity bills would be removed from 1 October for 6 months. Analysts also predict, however, that the energy price cap may rise with Money Saving Expert forecasting a rise of 5.1%, or £93 and Cornwall Insight a rise of 4% from the same date for those who are not on a fixed term deal. Those on a fixed term deal will see a reduction of 4.8% on their payments for electricity, however gas bills will not be affected. 5. Fuel Costs 5.1 Fuel prices which surged since the war in the Middle East began have started to come down. The RAC reported that the average price of a litre of diesel at UK forecourts fell by more than 16p between the start and end of June, marking the largest such decrease since records began in 2000. This was driven by news of an interim ceasefire deal between the US and Iran to end the conflict, prompting oil prices to fall below pre-crisis level. 5.2 Households, however, face a renewed energy price shock after oil topped $100 a barrel on 23 July for the first time in more than two months and gas prices also rose. With uncertainty continuing in the Middle East, analysts warn that energy bills, food and fuel may continue to rise affecting households’ finances. 6. Employment and Wages 6.1 According to the ONS, the Claimant Count in June 2026, which is taken from JobcentrePlus administration systems, for those claiming unemployment-related benefits in Renfrewshire is 3,470 people – 2,095 men and 1,370 women aged between 16 and 64. This is an increase from 3,445 last reported. The Renfrewshire unemployment rate of 2.9% is less than the Scotland rate (3.1%). Page 7 of 52
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6 PUBLIC 6.2 The chart below shows the claimant count by age, showing that for those aged 18 – 24 the percentage of those claiming out of work benefits is slightly higher than the Scottish average, although less than that of Great Britain. 6.3 In the UK from March to May 2026, annual growth in employees' average earnings was 3.4% for regular earnings (excluding bonuses) and 4.3% for total earnings (including bonuses). Using the Consumer Prices Index excluding owner occupiers' housing costs (CPI) to adjust for inflation, annual growth in real terms was 0.4% for regular pay and 1.3% for total pay. 6.4 Annual average regular earnings growth was 5.5% for the public sector and 2.9% for the private sector; public sector annual pay growth continues to be affected by variations in the timing of pay awards this year. After the public sector, the wholesaling, retailing, hotels and restaurants sector showed the strongest regular annual growth rate (3.6%). 6.5 Over the long term, average weekly earnings for both total and regular pay show a steady increase, with some minor dips. Page 8 of 52
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7 PUBLIC 7. Inflation, Food Costs and Foodbank use 7.1 Inflation , increased to 2.9% in the 12 months to July, up from 2.6% in June, driven largely by higher energy prices. 7.2 Food inflation was 1.3% in July, down from 1.7% in June. The largest reductions came from beef and breaded chicken, with smaller reductions from vegetables, sugar, chocolate and confectionery. Prices rose the fastest for fish, breads and cereal. Although food inflation has fallen, the ONS found that the price of food has increased by 30.1% since April 2022. The chart below from the Food Foundation shows food the relationship between food and general inflation since 2021. 7.3 These inflationary changes are continuing to impact on people’s ability to afford the food they need each week. The Food Foundation’s Basic Basket tracking the cost of a weekly shop at Tesco has seen the female basket of food now costing £53.51 per week, with the male basket costing £60.24 per week. This has increased from the £52.98 and £59.38 reported in June and shows an increase since April 2022 of 30.6% and 38.4% respectively. 7.4 When broken down into ‘Eatwell’ food categories, which show how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet, the Food Foundation find that food and drinks that are high in fat, salt and/or sugar are the only food group to decrease in price from 2024 to 2025. Protein foods saw the largest annual increase in price at 4.0%, followed by fruit and vegetables at 1.7%. The report also found that households with children in the lowest income quintile would need to spend 85% of their disposable income on food to afford the Eatwell Guide, compared to 11% for an average household in the highest income quintile. Page 9 of 52
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8 PUBLIC 7.5 While uncertainty over the Middle East continues, the Food and Drink Federation, has revised its food inflation forecast. Previously, the FDF forecast that the rate of food inflation would reach 9% by the end of the year, however they now anticipate rising food price inflation as the year goes on, however this is likely to be lower, come later and plateau for longer with less of a sharp peak. 7.6 The Food Foundation also points to drought, high temperatures and wildfires over the summer months having an impact on future food prices, with the potential for prices to go up due to poor harvests. 7.7 Foodbank statistics for Quarter 1 show that 1,085 vouchers were issued, supporting 1,440 adults and 676 children. This is a decrease on the same time last year when 1,342 vouchers were issued supporting 1,775 adults and 854 children. 7.8 The three wards showing highest demand were Paisley Northwest which accounted for 339 vouchers, with Paisley East and Central accounting for 129 and Renfrew South and Gallowhill, accounting for 105. Lowest demand for vouchers came from Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank at 8. 7.9 Single adult households accounted for 594 vouchers, and those for whom benefits was their only income accounted for 910. 7.10 Rising cost of essentials was the reason a voucher was issued in 412 cases, with other unexpected expense at 245 and debt, when priority and non-priority debt is taken together, accounted for 177 vouchers. 8. Interest and Mortgage Rates 8.1 On the 30 July, the Bank of England held its base interest rate at 3.75%, where it has been since the end of 2025. The bank stated that conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the transportation and supply of energy, raising its price and pushing up households’ motor fuel costs and utility bills, and that although prices have fallen since the initial spike the conflict makes predictions difficult. 8.2 The Bank is monitoring the situation closely and while inflation has fallen to 2.8% they expect it to go up again as the energy price rises have their knock-on effects, with higher bills potentially forcing businesses to increase their own prices to cover the cost. In addition, they recognise that workers may ask for higher wages as their bills have also gone up. 8.3 Mortgage rates remain volatile, with average two- and five-year fixed rates earlier this week jumping by their biggest daily margin since around the start of April, according to analysis from finance site Moneyfacts. This jump was again linked to the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Mortgage rates had reduced slightly since those last reported to elected members in Page 10 of 52
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9 PUBLIC June 2026, but have now risen again with the typical rate charged by a two-year fixed mortgage deal sits at 5.57% on 22nd July (up from 5.47% the week before), while the average five-year fixed mortgage currently charges 5.60% (up from 5.49% over the same time frame). 8.4 It was also reported that 100 mortgage deals had been withdrawn within the week to 22 July, including from Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds banking group. As previously reported, about 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages, currently with an interest rate of 3% or below, are expected to expire every year, on average, until the end of 2027, so higher mortgage rates mean, in some cases, a significant increase in housing costs for those householders. 9. Housing costs Rental Costs 9.1 Private rent prices in Renfrewshire were an average £795 in June 2026, down from an average of £826 in March 2026, and an annual decrease of 1.4% from £807 in June 25, however, an increase of 3.2% from the £802 in March 2025. Across Scotland, the average rental price rose slightly by 1.3% over the year. 9.2 By how many bedrooms there are in a property, average rents as of June 2026 in Renfrewshire/Inverclyde have shown a slight reduction across the board from the previous report and were: • One bedroom: £509 (from £527) • Two bedrooms: £670 (from £694) • Three bedrooms: £860 (from £894) • Four or more bedrooms: £1,516 (from £1,567) 9.3 Taking the data instead by property type, average rents, again reduced in all types, were: • Flats and maisonettes: £626 (from £647) • Terraced properties: £794 (from £826) • Semi-detached properties: £839 (from £871) • Detached properties: £1242 (from £1,304) Page 11 of 52
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10 PUBLIC 9.4 According to Zoopla, where rents have decreased, this is due to competition for rented homes falling. Many private renters, however, are on below-average household incomes. Almost a third rely on housing benefit to support rental costs, where the allowance has not kept pace with rental increases. While there is some good news that rents have reduced slightly to June 2026, affordability is still an issue for many low-income families. Home ownership 9.5 In general, house prices have continued to rise, and ONS figures show that the average cost of a home in Renfrewshire is now £159,000 as of May 2026 up 3.4% from May 2025, with the average price for a home bought with a mortgage also increasing to £174,000 from £167,000 the previous year. 9.6 For each property type, average prices as of May 26 in Renfrewshire were: • Detached properties: £364,000 (up from £353,000 last reported) • Semi-detached properties: £220,000 (up from £219,000 last reported) • Terraced properties: £163,000 (the same as £163,000 last reported) • Flats and maisonettes: £102,000 (down from £103,000 last reported) 9.7 The average price paid by first-time buyers was £129,000, which was 2.7% higher than the previous year’s figure of £126,000. 9.8 According to the UK House Price Index, typical payments on a 5 year fixed mortgage for an average flat in Renfrewshire is £412 with a deposit of £30,000 and a 25 year mortgage. The average price for a flat property in Renfrewshire is £102,000 in May 2026. This has increased by 18% since May 2021. The average price for a terraced property in Renfrewshire is £163,000 in February 2026, having increased 29% since May 2021. Typical payments on a 5 year fixed Page 12 of 52
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11 PUBLIC mortgage for an average terraced property in Renfrewshire are £784 with a deposit of £30,000 and a 25 year mortgage. Semi detached home prices have also increased 31% since 2021, up to £220,000 and mortgage payments up to £1,122 a month. Detached homes have risen by 30% to £364,000 with mortgage payments of £2,037. 9.9 According to Adzuna, a recruitment agency, the average salary for jobs advertised in Renfrewshire in July 2026 was £35,681. Salaries in Renfrewshire have gone down 0.2% year-on-year, while the average national change is 3.9%, although salaries have fluctuated throughout the year. 10. Joseph Rowntree Foundation Cost of Living Tracker 10.1 The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Cost of Living Tracker for Summer 2026 has found that more families than ever are going without essentials. Their survey found that 62% of respondents have not been able to afford at least 1 essential item in the last 6 months. That is equivalent to 7.4 million families across the UK, up from 7.1 million just one year ago. Essential items include basic toiletries and suitable clothing and shoes as well as food and heating. Page 13 of 52
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12 PUBLIC 10.2 Households that are most likely to be unable to afford essentials are those in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), those headed up by someone under the age of 25, those headed up by someone from a Black or Mixed ethnic background, those containing non-UK citizens, and those with 3 or more children or in lone-parent families. More than 80% of each of these households have been unable to afford an essential item in the last 6 months. 10.3 Almost half (47%) of all low-income families responding to the survey said they had gone hungry, cut down the size of their meals, or skipped meals in the last 30 days because they didn’t have enough money for food. Scaled up across the country this equates to 5.6 million households that are going without food because they cannot afford it, a number that has continued to edge up over the last couple of years, from 5.5 million in May 2025 and 5.3 million 2 years ago. Although food inflation has been markedly lower during this period than the high of 19.2% reached in March 2023, that does not mean food prices have come down, merely that they are not growing quite as fast, and the price of food has continued to rise more quickly than general inflation on average during the last year (food inflation averaged 4.1% over the period May 2025 to May 2026 compared to 3.6% for overall inflation). That has a greater impact on lower-income households because they spend a greater proportion of their income on food. 10.4 According to the report, there has been a worrying uptick in borrowing from loan sharks, payday lenders, doorstep lenders and pawnbrokers to pay for essential items, reversing the decline observed in the previous wave of the survey. While the number of low-income households using high-cost lending to buy essentials is lower than at its peak in May 2025, the number is creeping back up and is higher than it was 2 years ago. In May 2026 an estimated 1.3 million low-income families had used this type of lending to pay for food, housing and other essential bills such as Council Tax, electricity, gas and water. 10.5 The report also points out that for the vast majority, being unable to afford an essential item is not an isolated experience. In most cases, households have been forced to go without essentials Page 14 of 52
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13 PUBLIC on multiple occasions over the last 6 months, and in many cases have had to do so on a weekly basis. The survey reveals that for many the crisis is becoming a permanent reality: • 42% of families that have heated their home less than needed have now been doing it for more than 2 years. • 39% of families that have reduced the number of showers or baths they take to reduce costs have now been doing it for more than 2 years. • 38% of those who have stopped socialising with friends have done so for more than 2 years. • 34% of those who have stopped making pension contributions from their salary have done so for more than 2 years. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – There are no financial implications associated with this report, which provides an overview of the position and is for noting. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – This report provides a detailed summary of the current evidence relating to household income and expenditure. Wider poverty related issues are a key element of both the Council and Community Plan and the information included within this report is part of the wider Strategic Needs Assessment for these plans. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – The report provides an overview of the position around household income and expenditure, and is for noting. As such there are no impacts arising from the recommendation of this paper. It is however important to note that impacts on households explored within this paper are likely to be disproportionately felt by equality groups. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. Climate Risk - none 13. Children’s rights – the articles within UNCRC underpin the work that is being progressed in Renfrewshire through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, particularly in relation to rights in relation to aspects such as life, survival and development, food, clothing and a safe home and Page 15 of 52
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14 PUBLIC supporting the best interests of the child and their families. Child poverty and family wellbeing are key local partnership priorities. 14. COSLA Policy Position – none Author: Diane Dunn, Fairer Renfrewshire Manager, diane.dunn@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 16 of 52
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Prepared by: Policy and Partnerships tacklingpoverty@renfrewshire.gov.uk Cost of Living Dashboard August 2026 Fairer Renfrewshire Item 1(b) Page 17 of 52
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Cost of Living Dashboard FAIRER RENFREWSHIRE This dashboard has been developed to provide a summary of key indicators relating to how local households might be impacted by the cost-of-living crisis It has four key sections: economy, social security, financial insecurity and housing Each section has an overview with key indicators and their movement from the last period, supported by additional information and graphs showing further analysis and longer-term trends The dashboard is still in development, and feedback is welcome on the information included and its presentation to ensure it is a useful tool Page 18 of 52
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Key statistics - economy OVERVIEW 3.75% 2.9% £20.73 159.89p 1.3% £1,862 • CPI Inflation has increased and food inflation has fallen, but both are expected to rise in the future. • Interest Rates held at 3.75%. • Energy price cap increased from July, with prepayment meters comparatively cheaper than direct debit. A further increase in October is likely. Page 19 of 52
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Inflation The CPI inflation rate inJuly 2026 is 2.9%, an increase from the 2.6% rate in June. The increase is not consistent across all categories and there are fluctuations. The increase in the CPI Rate for July 2026, was largely because of higher energy bills. Energy costs for households rose on 1 July after Ofgem increased the price cap on gas and electricity costs by 13%. Food prices increased at a rate of 1.3% with small downward effects from 3 of the detailed 11 classes, namely meat, vegetables and sugar (including jam, honey, syrups, chocolate and confectionary). Analysts are predicting that food price inflation is expected to rise to a peak of about 3.3%-3.7% late in 2026. Food prices are expected to rise due to the delayed impact of the increase in energy, transport and fertilizer costs, as well as the drought-related effects on crop yield. Interest Rates The Bank of England’s base rate was held at 3.75% in July 2026. Interest rates are difficult to predict. The Bank of England has signalled that interest rates could rise this year as it attempts to curb inflation following a “significant energy price shock” for the conflict in the Middle East. Conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the transportation and supply of energy, raised its price and pushed up household bills. It is difficult to predict what will happen. 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 Nov 2017 Mar 2020 Dec 2021 Mar 2022 Jun 2022 Sep 2022 Dec 2022 Mar 2023 Jun 2023 Sep 2023 Nov 2023 Jan 2024 Mar 2024 May 2024 Aug 2024 Nov 2024 Feb 2025 May 2025 Aug 2025 Nov 2025 Feb 2026 Apr 2026 July 2026 Bank of England Base Rate Changes -5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 Mar-19 Jul-19 Nov-19 Mar-20 Jul-20 Nov-20 Mar-21 Jul-21 Nov-21 Mar-22 Jul-22 Nov-22 Mar-23 Jul-23 Nov-23 Mar-24 Jul-24 Nov-24 Mar-25 Jul-25 Nov-25 Mar-26 Jul-26 CPI Inflation Rates Food Inflation CPI Page 20 of 52
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Earnings Based on the ONS annual survey of hours and earnings, in 2025 the median hourly pay (excluding overtime) for workers in Renfrewshire is higher compared to that for workers in Scotland, and the rest of Great Britain. It should be noted that the median hourly wage for both males and females in Renfrewshire is higher than the corresponding rates in Scotland and the UK. Employment Rate The ONS Labour Force Survey shows the Claimant Count for those claiming benefits 'principally for the reason of being unemployed', which now stands at 3,470 in June 2026. This is based on numbers claiming JSA and Universal Credit. These numbers are based on those aged 16 and over and are not seasonally adjusted. The Renfrewshire unemployment rate is 2.9% and is less than the Scotland rate (3.1%) and the Great Britain rate (3.9%). £20.73 £20.23 £19.74 £21.54 £20.50 £20.39 £19.98 £19.76 £18.94 £17.50 £18.00 £18.50 £19.00 £19.50 £20.00 £20.50 £21.00 £21.50 £22.00 Renfrewshire Scotland Great Britain Hourly pay excluding overtime Full-time Workers Male Full-time workers Female Full-time workers 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 Apr-23 Jun-23 Aug-23 Oct-23 Dec-23 Feb-24 Apr-24 Jun-24 Aug-24 Oct-24 Dec-24 Feb-25 Apr-25 Jun-25 Aug-25 Oct-25 Dec-25 Feb-26 Apr-26 Jun-26 Renfrewshire Claimant Count Page 21 of 52
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Economic Inactivity The ONS Labour Force Survey also provides details on those aged 16+ that are economically inactive and not seeking work. Between April 2025 to March 2026, of the 31,900 people aged 16-64 that are classed as economically inactive, 82% are not looking for employment (either in the long-term or short/medium term). The percentage of economically inactive people aged 16- 64 that want to gain employment (either in long-term or short/medium term) in Renfrewshire (18%) is lower than that of the rates in Scotland (19.3%) and Great Britain (21.3%). The Renfrewshire figure could be underestimated due to the sample size. Please note that due to the sample size within Renfrewshire, some categories do not have a reliable estimate (e.g. looking after family/home, temporary sick or other). Student 18% Other 10% Long-Term Sick 40% Retired 19% Looking after family/home 13% Economically Inactive, not looking for work Page 22 of 52
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Fuel Prices From the UK Government’s weekly fuel price publication, the average UK pump price on 3 August 2026 is 159.89 pence per litre for petrol, and 179.19 pence per litre for diesel. The conflict in the Middle East has led to significant increases in fuel prices, with price volatility to continue during and after the conflict until production and supply returns to normal levels. Energy Price Cap The Energy Price Cap sets a limit on the maximum amount suppliers can charge for each unit of gas and electricity used and sets a maximum daily standing charge. That means there is no upper limit to what a user pays, if more energy is used, more is paid. The Energy Price Cap now changes every three months mainly based on average energy wholesale prices in the months leading up to each change. From July 2026 the Energy Price Cap increased to £1,862 per year for those on a monthly direct debit, and to £1,812 per year for those with a prepayment meter. £0 £500 £1,000 £1,500 £2,000 £2,500 £3,000 £3,500 £4,000 £4,500 Direct Debit Prepayment Page 23 of 52
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Key statistics - social security OVERVIEW 21,239 10,370 4,218 3,775 • Households claiming Universal Credit increasing, this includes new cases and managed migration from tax credits and legacy benefits. • Slight decrease in number of children receiving Scottish Child Payment compared to December 2025. Page 24 of 52
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Universal Credit Households on Universal Credit (UC) continue to rise with 21,239 households in Renfrewshire receiving UC as of February 2026 (provisional figures). Starting in August 2023, the managed migration from tax credits to UC contributed to the rises in the UC caseload, with the legacy tax credit system closing for payments in April 2025. From April 2024, the managed migration process commenced for those claimants still on Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance and should be complete by June 2026. The next UC statistical update from the Department for Work and Pensions is due on 18 August 2026. 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 Number of Renfrewshire Households on UC Page 25 of 52
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Free School Meals and Clothing Grants The 2026/27 Free School Meals and Clothing Grant application process commenced at the start of June 2026. The number of applications received between June 2025, and July 2026 (3,273) is slightly up compared to the corresponding period as last year (3,267). The award rate at the end of July 2026 (82.4%) is higher than at the same point last year (81.3%). It is too early to say whether the numbers of applications will continue to be higher than last year. Officers will monitor the figures and look at ways to strengthen the uptake. 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 Number of FSM/CG Applications Received up to end of July Page 26 of 52
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Key statistics - financial insecurity OVERVIEW 1,085 £1.459m 1,977 2,422 • Foodbank vouchers issued are slightly up compared to last quarter but have decreased compared to the same period last year. • Number of Crisis Grants applications awarded is up compared to the same period last year although spend is slightly down. • Number of people approaching local advice agencies down this period. Page 27 of 52
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More than 3 vouchers needed in the last 6 months In terms of more than 3 vouchers needed in the last 6 months there has been a decrease in overall cases in Q1 compared to previous years. There has been a decrease in benefit delays or sanctions, debt and long-term health conditions as a specified reason compared to the same quarter in 2025/26. Foodbank Vouchers The number of Foodbank vouchers issued in Q1 2026/27 (1,085) assisted 676 children and 1,440 adults. This is a slight increase compared to Q4 2025/26 (1,038) but significantly down compared to Q1 2025/26 (1,342). 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 Year, by quarter 21/22 Q1 21/22 Q2 21/22 Q3 21/22 Q4 22/23 Q1 22/23 Q2 22/23 Q3 22/23 Q4 23/24 Q1 23/24 Q2 23/24 Q3 23/24 Q4 24/25 Q1 24/25 Q2 24/25 Q3 24/25 Q4 25/26 Q1 25/26 Q2 25/26 Q3 25/26 Q4 26/27 Q1 Foodbank Vouchers Issued by Quarter 0 50 100 150 200 250 Awaiting first benefit payment Benefit delay or sanction Debt Domestic abuse Drug or alcohol dependency Homelessness Long term health condition Long term unemployment No access to financial support due… Other - low income Other Reason for needing more than 3 vouchers in the last 6 months (April - June comparison) 2026/27 2025/26 2024/25 Page 28 of 52
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Advice Advice Works and Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) both continue to support a high level of new clients. The number of clients who received appointment support during Q1 2026/27 is 28 less compared to the same period in 2025/26. N.B. These figures do not include the number of calls/emails from people looking for signposting information. Debt Under Management Advice Works and Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau continue to deal with a high level of enquiries regarding debt. The combined level of new debt cases under management is shown below, by quarter over the last 6 years. The levels reported in Q1 for 2026/27 have increased in comparison to the previous years. This will be monitored to establish if it has become a trend, or whether it could be another outlier like the 2024/25 figures. - 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Combined Advice New Client Cases 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 £0.00 £500,000.00 £1,000,000.00 £1,500,000.00 £2,000,000.00 £2,500,000.00 £3,000,000.00 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 New Debt Under Management 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 Page 29 of 52
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Scottish Welfare Fund There have been 3,248 applications for Crisis Grants between April 2026 and July 2026 with £229,025 awarded. This is an average award rate of 60.9%. Nationwide, the main reasons for a CG not being awarded are “reasons for application do not meet the conditions of award” and “excluded as a result of previous applications”. Generally, awards are restricted to 3 within a 12-month rolling period however discretion can be used. In Renfrewshire, discretion isfrequently exercised. Cost-of-living pressures will for many households result in immediate financial crises more often with less flexibility to manage budgets. Nationwide 52% of Crisis Grant awards are made to single persons, with 22% made to single parents. This suggests single people and single parents, who rely on one income within the household, are financially struggling in terms of income and disproportionately by expenditure due to housing, energy, fuel, and food costs. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 July '22 September '22 November '22 January '23 March '23 May '23 July '23 September '23 November '23 January '24 March '24 May '24 July '24 September '24 November '24 January'25 March'25 May'25 July'25 September'25 November'25 January'26 March'26 May'26 July'26 Crisis Grant Applications by month Page 30 of 52
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Key statistics - housing OVERVIEW 16,9275,565 265 4,643 • New homeless cases down slightly in 2026/27 Q1 compared to 2025/26 Q4. • No real change in the proportions of people reporting why they became homeless or where they are from. • A slight increase in the value of arrears compared to same period last year. Page 31 of 52
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Council Tenants in arrears As at the end of June 2026, 4,643 current tenants were in rent arrears totaling £2.512m. This figure includes all levels of arrears, some of which are caused by Universal Credit payment processes. Staff within Housing Services continue to work with tenants to address rent arrears and provide advice/signpost tenants to support services and agencies where financial difficulties are identified. For the period 1 April 2026 – 30 June 2026, 75 tenants have qualified for Tenant Support Fund assistance with £4,628 awarded. Homeless Cases The Housing and Homeless Advice Service had 265 new cases within Q1 2026/27 compared to 1,015 for the same period in 2024/25. The main reasons for presenting as homeless remains relationship breakdowns (family or partner). There is an unprecedented demand for the homeless service with the current caseload the highest on record which puts the service under significant and concerted pressure. The current caseload of 542, has increased by 78% over the last 3 years which puts a lot of stress on the system. To cope with the scale of cases the stock of temporary flats has been increased. £0 £500,000 £1,000,000 £1,500,000 £2,000,000 £2,500,000 £3,000,000 £3,500,000 £4,000,000 Current Tenant Arrears 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 New Homeless Cases 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 Page 32 of 52
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Housing CostsAverage Monthly Rent Costs From the Office for National Statistics’ local housing statistics publication for July 2026, figures show average rent changes. These statistics are based predominantly on advertised rents, so do not represent rent changes for existing tenants. Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are the maximum amount that can be paid for Housing Benefit and Universal Credit (Housing Costs) for those renting from a private landlord. Any shortfall between charged rent and the amount of HB/UC Housing Costs awarded would have to be made up by the tenant, although Discretionary Housing Payments can be awarded to provide support. The 2026/27 rates remain frozen at the January 2024 rate. Property Prices and Mortgage Affordability The average price of a home in Renfrewshire was £159,000 in May 2026, which was 3.4% higher than the average in May 2025. The average price paid by first-time buyers was £129,000 up from £126,000 the previous year. Across Scotland, the average house price in May 2026 was £196,000, which was more than a year earlier (£187,000). Average house prices for all property types continue to rise. The house prices combined with recent higher rates have driven up the average monthly mortgage repayment amounts. Whilst the Bank of England base interest rate fell in December 2025, it is expected that future rates could increase in the short to medium term, to ensure inflation rates remain at levels consistent with the 2% target. Renfrewshire Monthly LHA Rates 2026/27 LHA Rate 1 Bedroom Shared £360 1 Bedroom £400 2 Bedroom £525 3 Bedroom £600 4 Bedroom £1,100 Type of Property Average Price Average Monthly Mortgage Repayment (Assuming 25- year repayment, 4.5% interest rate and 10% deposit) Flat £102,000 £500.00 Terraced £163,000 £815.00 Semi-detached £220,000 £1,100.00 Detached £364,000 £1,820.00 Average Monthly Rents in Renfrewshire Jun-26 Annual Change in Average Rents 1 Bedroom £509 0.0% 2 Bedroom £670 -0.7% 3 Bedroom £860 -1.2% 4 or more Bedrooms £1,516 -1.4% Page 33 of 52
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1 PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee On: 2 September 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The Council and partners have a key focus on tackling inequality and improving wellbeing and have longstanding programmes of work and partnership arrangements in place such as the Tackling Poverty Programme and the change programme established in response to the findings of the Renfrewshire Drug and Alcohol Commission. 1.2. At Council on 2 March 2023 members reaffirmed their commitment to the Fairer Renfrewshire programme and outlined several investments including bringing together the current Fairer Renfrewshire funding alongside the Tackling Poverty and Social Renewal reserve funds into a single resource. 1.3. At Leadership Board on 3 December 2025, a Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan detailing the priorities and programme of work to be undertaken over the next 18-24 months was approved. This plan refreshes and sharpens focus on the priorities for the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme. 1.4. Over the next two years, we will concentrate on four strategic priorities: • Improving Financial Security - Helping households maximise income, reduce costs, and access early help to prevent crisis. • Strengthening Health, Wellbeing and Community - Supporting families and communities through sustainable models of care, food security, and place-based approaches. • Embedding Equality and Inclusion - Ensuring services are accessible, inclusive, and shaped by the voices of those who are often unheard. • Using Insight and Evidence for Impact - Harnessing data, feedback, and lived experience to drive better decisions and deliver measurable change. Item 2 Page 35 of 52
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2 PUBLIC 1.5. At Council on 26th February 2026, members further reaffirmed their commitment to the Fairer Renfrewshire programme with continued investments in a number of targeted interventions including the £50 winter school clothing payment, the winter connections programme, funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau to support their welfare rights advocacy service and schools advice as well as an allocation of further funding to supplement both Discretionary Housing Payments and Scottish Welfare Fund. 1.6. An update to the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan is provided at Appendix 1, providing updates on the development of actions within the period since its approval. It is noted that following the action plan’s publication, there have been a number of budget and policy commitments made both locally and nationally related to the Fairer Renfrewshire. 1.7. Section 4 of this report includes more detailed progress updates on key projects since the last Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee, aligned to the strategic priorities of the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee note the report. 3. Background 3.1. As highlighted in Section 1, the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme brings together a number of existing programmes of work focussed on achieving fairness and equity. After a refresh approved by Leadership Board, the programme currently works to deliver against 4 key themes: · Improving financial security · Strengthening Health, Wellbeing and Community · Embedding Equality and Inclusion · Using Insight and Evidence for Impact 3.2. At Leadership Board on 3 December 2025, a Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan detailing the priorities and programme of work to be undertaken over the next 18-24 months was approved. This plan refreshes and sharpens focus on the priorities for the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme. 3.3. On 29 April 2026, Leadership Board approved the allocation of £0.562m of Fairer Renfrewshire funding to support the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme. This amount is in addition to the budget commitments made for a number of targeted interventions including the £50 winter school clothing payment, the Winter Connections programme, and funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau to support their welfare rights advocacy service and schools advice provision. 3.4. Following the approval of the initial Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan in December, officers have continued to develop the plan to further define work that requires to be undertaken in relation to each action, and have submitted an updated plan with confirmed timescales against each action. Page 36 of 52
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3 PUBLIC It is noted that following the action plan’s publication, there have been a number of budget and policy commitments made both locally and nationally related to the Fairer Renfrewshire agenda, and the updated plan responds to this updated context where relevant. 3.5. Of the 20 actions within the plan due within this reporting period, it recommended that: • 12 of these are continued to allow for further work on the action or because these represent an ongoing priority within the plan (i.e. the provision of money and benefits advice) • 5 are updated to better reflect the current status of the action • 3 are closed as these are now complete 4. Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Update Strategic Priority One: Improving Financial Security Advice statistics for quarter 1 4.1. During quarter 1, Renfrewshire Council’s Advice Works Service received 903 referrals, including self-referrals and assisted 718 new clients. Within the quarter, they supported 3,278 benefit claims and won 26 appeals, with Client Financial Gain for the quarter being £3,059,751, and debt under management £545,367. 4.2. For Family Advice, 95 new referrals were received this quarter, 45 of these being from the 6 Child Poverty Priority Groups and financial gain of £21,752 made. 88 benefits checks were done, and the gain included Universal Credit of £11,544 and Scottish Child Payment of £8,580. 4.3. For RCAB’s School Support Service for quarter 1: • 94 contacts were made with clients (76 in person, 15 by telephone and 3 by email). • 55 families were assisted during the quarter, including 25 new clients. The service secured a total of £18,083.71 in Client Financial Gains for families during the quarter. This included £6804 from Child Disability Payment. 4.4. With regard to Child Poverty Priority Groups, across both the Advice Works and RCAB advice for families services, the following number of families in priority groups were supported: • 37 lone parent families. • 28 families with a child or adult with a disability • 6 families with three or more children. • 17 minority ethnic families. • 7 families with a child under one year old. • 2 mothers aged under 25. 4.5. For RCAB’s general service in quarter 1, 2,882 individuals sought advice, with 1,163 being seen and financial gain of £399,003. Total debt under management at the moment, including existing Page 37 of 52
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4 PUBLIC debt is £2,124,519 and 134 clients reached a debt solution this quarter. There were also 103 legal clients this quarter, with most of these coming forward with issues around housing (34) and homelessness (18). Debt accounted for 22 client contacts. Stronger Start 4.6. The Stronger Start service, which offers intensive support to pregnant women with complex needs, saw 45 clients in Quarter 1, and received 29 new referrals in this period: 20 from Royal Alexandra Hospital, 1 from Vale Of Leven and 8 from Inverclyde Royal Hospital, with the most common advice topic being benefits. The service gained £41,459 for the clients it worked with. Contract with Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau 4.7. The contract with Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) to provide free general and legal advice to Renfrewshire residents was approved at Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 11 June, and commenced on 1 July. 4.8. A number of meetings have taken place since between Council Officers and the RCAB Chief Executive in line with both the new service specification and Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan. 4.9. A specific meeting regarding outreach has taken place, with Advice Works and RCAB looking at how they can best work together to agree, provide and review outreach advice at locations across Renfrewshire. This includes looking at gaps, duplication and ensuring outreach is fully utilised. Renfrewshire Foodbank 4.10. Officers have met with the new CEO and Manager of Renfrewshire Foodbank who took up post in May and June respectively. In line with the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan, discussion regarding referral took place, with work commencing within the Foodbank to improve and simplify referral processes for all referrers where possible. Advice Works and RCAB in particular have discussed referral and provision of advice to those clients coming forward who need a Foodbank, or multiple Foodbank vouchers. It is expected that this work will also simplify the client journey. 4.11. Discussion also took place around provision of fresh food, potential for links with Invest in Renfrewshire and Foodbank distribution locations. The Foodbank CEO has agreed to take part in the Advice Partnership and Community Food Group and a quarterly meeting has been set up with Council officers to discuss relevant topics. Page 38 of 52
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5 PUBLIC Strategic Priority Two: Strengthening Health, Wellbeing and Community Summer of Fun 4.12. Funding was allocated to another Summer of Fun programme from the Fairer Renfrewshire budget, supported by funding from Scottish Government’s Summer of Sport initiative. As with previous years programmes, this is a partnership programme of events across Renfrewshire including the direct provision of holiday camps and a small grants programme to allow third and community sector partners to deliver local, targeted provision to low-income families across Renfrewshire. 4.13. The Summer of Fun small grants programme opened on 5 May to applications from community groups. Grants of up to £3,000 were available for community organisations for projects to deliver activities over the summer holidays which reach communities that might be underserved by mainstream activities. As in previous years the programme was quickly over-subscribed. 4.14. Applications were reviewed by a partnership panel, including members from Engage Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire HSCP along with Council officers. Delegated authority had been provided to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to consider and award grant funding of up to £3,000 per application in consultation with the Council Leader with £49,999.32 being allocated. 4.15. In total 22 organisations received funding for activities which included: o Summer club for families/children o Outdoor activities o Art and music activities o Sports and fitness activities 4.16. As part of Summer of Fun, a small amount of funding was made available to OneRen Libraries to provide activities in areas where no organised activities were taking place, with summer storytelling being organised in these areas. 4.17. Invest in Renfrewshire and OneRen libraries were also linked with the organisations receiving funding so, where applicable, they could discuss their services. In OneRen’s case, this was to carry out conversations with as many people as possible as part of the development of a new Skoobmobile service. 4.18. Summer holiday camps were provided across Renfrewshire by both Connected Communities staff and Street Stuff. As approved at Leadership Board on 17 June, funding of £8,000 was also provided to the Tannahill Centre to extend their service over the summer, and employ 2 Page 39 of 52
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6 PUBLIC sessional workers and provide food, including a hot lunch, and snacks for attendees. This was in place of the CLD summer camp in Glencoats primary school. 4.19. The full Summer of Fun programme will be evaluated and a report brought to elected members later in the year. Community Development – Gallowhill 4.20. Progress has been made on the community development work in Gallowhill, with a number of activities supported by Active Communities now taking place regularly within the area. A separate more detailed update on this work will be delivered by Active Communities as part of the agenda for the August Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee. 4.21. Recent activities in Gallowhill include: • Friday Lunch • Two community litter picks each week (community led) • A walking group which is using the new walking routes in Gallowhill • Weekly exercise class • Weekly art activities for young people 4.22. In addition, utilising Summer of Fun funding, Active Communities are running a programme of free fun activities for the children which will include a healthy lunch. Children will have the opportunity to be involved in the preparation of lunch and learn basic cooking skills. Whilst the children are in this club parents can enjoy their normal weekly Friday lunch club which has activities suitable for them. 4.23. In July Active Communities met with Council Officers from the Transport team to discuss issues that had been raised by the community, for example with regard to road safety, parking and accessibility as well as things like bus shelters in poor condition. It has been arranged that Shopmobility will carry out an accessibility audit on main routes in Gallowhill, including from the schools to shops and to the Community Centre and the result will be share with Transport colleagues to take forward the findings. 4.24. Active Communities were also advised of upcoming initiatives such as Beat the Street which launches in September to share with the Gallowhill community. 4.25. Looking forward, Active Communities are planning a community sharing event in autumn to look at issues that have been previously raised by community members and what has been done, focus and promote the new activities happening in Gallowhill and also encourage the community to come forward with ideas on how to improve the area. Page 40 of 52
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7 PUBLIC Good Food Nation 4.26. As previously reported, it is expected that the first Local Good Food Nation Plan for Renfrewshire will need to be published by 1 April 2028 and plans have been drawn up to allow us to meet this deadline. 4.27. Officers have continued to attend relevant events to support the work of Fair Food Renfrewshire and around the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022. In addition, a meeting with a representative from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board was held in July, to discuss the progress each organisation has made with developing their respective local plans. Subject to the outcomes of discussion with officers from other local authorities, a forum may be established for officers from the Health Board and from all the local authorities within the health board area to meet, discuss and collaborate on aspects within plan development. 4.28. The latest Fair Food Renfrewshire Food Support Forum meeting took place on 20 August, allowing community and emergency food providers the space to discuss issues, provide updates on their individual services, and give feedback on the local Good Food Nation Plan work. Winter Connections 4.29. It is intended that this year’s Winter Connections programme will commence in October, with recommendations presented to Leadership Board in September for approval, to allow for this year’s programme to be launched shortly afterwards. 4.30. It is anticipated the programme will run in a similar way to previous years and updates will be provided to the Sub-Committee as the programme progresses. Strategic priority three: Embedding Equality and Inclusion Equality Outcomes Action Plan and equality actions 4.31. After the success of the first session on 12 May, an additional RenTalk has been delivered with the Equalities Development Officer and Engage Renfrewshire’s IN-Ren Network Facilitator on inclusive and intercultural communications for employees. The additional talk was delivered after positive feedback at the first session and was designed to reach those who weren’t able to attend the first session. The session supports staff to meet the needs of any service user who is not a native English speaker or who needs a different kind of communication style. Between both sessions, almost 200 staff members have been reached. 4.32. The Diversity Equality Alliance Renfrewshire (DEAR) Group recently reviewed their Terms of Reference and membership. At the DEAR group meeting in May it was agreed which organisations would be invited to join the group to expand the membership. Over June and July Page 41 of 52
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8 PUBLIC several organisations have been contacted and added to the membership of the DEAR group including: My Baby and I, Jubilee House, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, RAMH, West College Scotland and Inspiring Families. 4.33. Expressions of interest from British Sign Language (BSL) users for the BSL User group hosted by the Council closed at the end of July 2026. The BSL user group will bring together BSL users to give feedback on Council services to improve these for the Deaf and Deafblind community. The group has been advertised through the British Deaf Association newsletter, Alliance Scotland, West Scotland BSL social media, several community networks, and social media. Several expressions of interest have been received with a wide range of individuals interested in joining the group. Once those who have expressed an interest have been contacted, it is intended to hold a first meeting in October or November. Development of Renfrewshire Voices 4.34. Within Renfrewshire Council there is an appetite to deliver meaningful programmes of work to reduce inequalities. Data gaps are preventing the implementation of informed, meaningful and impactful work and practice to be responsive to certain equality groups’ needs and experiences. In February 2024, Leadership Board recognised the requirement to further develop the Council’s understanding of, and response to, inequality locally and funding was allocated to commission work to ensure the Council’s response to inequality is shaped by the lived experience of equalities groups. 4.35. As previously discussed at Sub-Committee, work is underway to develop a grants programme to support this work. This grants programme will commission organisations led by, working with, or representing equalities groups to gather and share the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups. The aim of the programme is to fill information gaps, capture and amplify lesser heard voices, understand local challenges and build partnerships for the future. Advice Posters and Leaflets in other languages 4.36. Working with Advice Works and RCAB, posters and leaflets have been developed in 5 languages other than English, encouraging anyone who is struggling with money worries to come forward for advice. The 5 most common languages used by clients contacting the Council through use of Language Line are Arabic, Farsi, Polish, Sorani and Ukrainian, so the posters and leaflets were developed in those languages as likely to be most common in Renfrewshire. 4.37. These were distributed at the IN-Ren Newsy launch on 23 July to a number of organisations who support ethnically diverse clients, including Community Learning and Development colleagues and partners, to distribute at ESOL classes. They will also be distributed to libraries. Page 42 of 52
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9 PUBLIC 4.38. In June 2026, partners in Renfrewshire hosted a Building Stronger Communities session to discuss how we can work together to strengthen connection across our communities, particularly in relation to culturally and ethnically diverse communities. Over 40 people attended the session, with follow up sessions to be held during September to progress some of the ideas discussed. Strategic Priority four: Using Insight and Evidence for Impact Child Poverty Accelerator Fund 4.39. Work continues on the Child Poverty Accelerator Fund project, which will create a locally governed 'Insight Partnership' that uses existing data to identify families showing early signs of child poverty risk. The partnership will then connect these families quickly to the right support, including income maximisation, employability help, cost of living advice and family wellbeing services. 4.40. The initial stage of this project examined the type of data that is held across Council services to decide what could be useful to the project. Work has now progressed to ensuring the technical details within a Data Protection Impact Assessment fully satisfy Information Governance requirements, creating an Equality Impact Assessment and finalising a project plan. The steering group, comprised of officers from across relevant Council areas, that has been established to oversee the project has met three times, and the first monitoring and evaluation meeting with the Scottish Government took place on 13th of August 2026. Lived Experience Panel 4.41. Elected Members have been given a number of updates relating to work of the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel. Since the last Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee meeting, the Panel have met with the HSCP Health Improvement Team around the ‘Ask and Act’ pilot they are developing and with Invest in Renfrewshire team to input on Renfrewshire’s proposals for the Scottish Government Parental Transport funding investment. Going forward, the Panel will meet with CLD to discuss services for young people in Renfrewshire. 4.42. The specification for the contract with STAR Project to facilitate and support the Panel for another year has been agreed, with a new contract starting in July 2026. 4.43. During August and September, it has been agreed that the Panel will be evaluated, with an officer from the fairer Renfrewshire team carrying this out. She will speak to Panel members, STAR Project staff and Council Services which have engaged with the Panel to examine how well the Panel is working, what changes have been made sue to Panel feedback and any areas for improvement. Page 43 of 52
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10 PUBLIC 5. Next Steps 5.1. Priorities for next quarter include the following actions: • The Summer of Fun evaluation will be finalised and brought to the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub- Committee. • The Winter Connections programme will be launched in October and be delivered from November 2026 – February 2027. • The Renfrewshire Voices small grant programme will be presented for approval at Leadership Board in September 2026. • A campaign schedule to drive uptake of welfare benefits will be developed to be delivered this financial year. • The evaluation of the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel will be carried out and brought to a future Sub-Committee. • Further development will be done to promote available energy advice across Renfrewshire. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – There are no financial implications associated with this report. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – The Fairer Renfrewshire Programme is a key driver in achieving the ‘Fair’ strategic outcome and theme within the Council Plan, and covers a number of the key actions identified in the plan. It also represents a significant partnership programme of work which supports the ‘Fair’ theme within the Community Plan, with dedicated partnership governance being established to ensure alignment between these areas of work. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – Equality and human rights are a key pillar of this plan, and it is anticipated that the programme will likely advance equality of opportunity. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none Page 44 of 52
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11 PUBLIC 12. Climate risk – none 13. Children’s rights - the articles within UNCRC underpin the work that is being progressed in Renfrewshire through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, particularly in relation to rights in relation to aspects such as life, survival and development, food, clothing and a safe home and supporting the best interests of the child and their families. Child poverty and family wellbeing are key local partnership priorities. 14. COSLA Policy Position – none Author: Annabelle Walter, Connected Communities Manager Page 45 of 52
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13 PUBLIC Ref What we will do Owner Due What success looks like Update Action 1.1 Ensure the provision of money and benefits advice Connected Communities Advice Works Advice Partnership Renfrewshire June 2026 External Advice Services Contract in place Measure: Income maximised (Client financial gain measures) and debt under management across key providers New RCAB contract in place from July 2026. Number of clients using advice services and Client Financial Gain reported to every Fairer Renfrewshire Sub Committee. 3,785 individuals sought advice, with 1,881 being seen and 103 legal clients. CFG - £3,458,754 DUM - £2,669,886 Continue It is recommended that action is continued as it is a key ongoing priority within the Fairer Renfrewshire agenda. Proposed end date: June 27 1.3 Identify need and increase outreach for advice services Connected Communities June 2026 Measure: Number and location of outreach sessions, client numbers, client financial gain, debt managed Initial discussions with RCAB and AW, and request for outreach form being developed as part of this work. Update It is recommended this action is continued and updated to allow further development of outreach provision. Proposed action wording: Coordinate advice outreach provision across services to ensure in suitable places. Proposed end date: June 27 1.4 Promote Family Advice Pathway across Council services and Advice Partnership Connected Communities Advice Partnership June 2026 Measure: Increase in numbers of services/organisation s referring. Increase in numbers using family advice Schools and Family Wellbeing Teams have been advised of Pathway. Pathway has also been presented at ‘Our Children’ network. The new school year will bring further opportunities to promote. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for further promotion and tracking of the impact of the pathway. Proposed end date: September 27 Page 47 of 52
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14 PUBLIC 3.1 Strengthen Food Support Forum and coordination of community food initiatives. Connected Communities June 2026 Meetings held and meeting actions Food support indicators identified and measured. The group has met twice since the FRAP was developed. A new Whatsapp group has been set up for current services to better coordinate. The new Foodbank Manager has joined the group and will look at ways to move service users from Foodbank to community food providers where appropriate. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to bring date in line with the updated timeline for developing and publishing the Council’s Good Food Nation plan. Proposed end date: June 27 4.3 Ensure development opportunities are delivered for staff to encourage continuous improvement and focus on Fairer Renfrewshire principles HR-OD June 2026 Information sessions for staff delivered Materials developed and cascaded 2 RenTalks re. Inclusive and intercultural communications have taken place, with other opportunities being developed. The Connected Communities Team will work with HR- OD to develop further opportunities in line with wider Fairer Renfrewshire agenda. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for further work to be developed in this area. Proposed end date: March 2027 5.2 Explore the potential to expand the Cost of the Nursery Day pilot Health and Social Care Partnership June 2026 Measure: Number of nurseries and early learning and childcare centres engaged 44 staff from 24 establishments engaged to date. HSCP are considering next steps with this programme. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow HSCP to explore next steps. Proposed end date: December 2027 6 Develop ‘early help’ approaches to supporting households Connected Communities June 2026 New model identified As part of wider Connected Communities programme, work is ongoing with regard to ‘early help’ with customer journey work completed and strands looking at the Council website, service directories and triage/shared assessment developed. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow the workstream to move into implementation. Proposed end date: December 2027 Page 48 of 52
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15 PUBLIC 7.1 Review Breakfast Club provision and develop a consistent and sustainable model of provision Connected Communities June 2026 Future model identified to help bring consistency across provision Since the publication of the action plan, the Scottish Government has announced new funding to allow a national roll out of Breakfast Clubs by August 2027. More detail is awaited on this in more to do further design and implementation. Breakfast clubs funded through Fairer Renfrewshire will continue as usual as part of the 2026/27 programme. Update It is recommended this action is continued and updated to allow for the development and implementation of the national breakfast club model. Proposed action wording: Review Breakfast Club provision and develop a consistent and sustainable model of provision in line with national policy. Proposed end date: June 2027 7.3 Consider longer-term sustainable service delivery options for the Skoobmobile project Connected Communities OneRen June 2026 Future model identified £300,000 awarded for a new Skoobmobile as part of Council’s budget in February 2026. Council officers and OneRen will work together to define service, including sustainability. OneRen attending some SOF locations as well as the Wellbeing network to get service user feedback to help plan the new Skoobmobile service. Update It is recommended this action is continued and updated to reflect the development of the new service following budget investment in 2026. Proposed action wording: Design and deliver new sustainable Skoobmobile service for Renfrewshire Proposed end date: June 2027 7.4 Review Peer Health (Hearty Lives) project and consider longer- term sustainable Connected Communities Active Communities June 2026 Future model identified The Hearty lives project funded through Fairer Renfrewshire will continue as usual as part of the 2026/27 programme. Future options will be considered aligned to the Update It is recommended this action is continued in line with proposed timescales for the youth provision review. Page 49 of 52
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16 PUBLIC service delivery options review of youth provision in Renfrewshire. Proposed end date: December 2026 9.1 Improve promotion and increase numbers attending Adult and Family Learning provision Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Measures reported through CLD Plan Measure: Numbers attending, client outcomes Work is planned as part of the CLD Partnership to articulate and promote the Council’s CLD offer, with work planned later in 2026 to update advertising and promotion in line with new Connected Communities service. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for work to promote the service and tracking of impact. Proposed end date: December 2026 9.2 Expand the provision of English Speakers of other Languages (ESoL) Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Measures reported through CLD Plan Measure: Numbers attending, client outcomes Funding has been secured to expand ESOL provision in Renfrewshire with an enhances and flexible ESOL offer, linked to improved partnership coordination. Recruitment is currently underway for additional posts, with the enhanced service due to be in place in Autumn 2026. Update It is recommended this action is continued and updated to reflect the transition to implementation of the new service offer. Proposed action wording: Proposed end date: June 2027 9.3 Review of youth provision across Renfrewshire, in particular the provision of supports for young people with high risk and/or distressed behaviours Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Future model identified The review of youth provision in Renfrewshire is making good progress. The first stage of mapping current activity involving young people and partner agencies is complete. Work will now be undertaken alongside partners and young people to explore the results and identify any recommendations. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for completion of the review. Proposed end date: December 2026 13.1 Review and refresh the membership and purpose of the Diversity and Equality Connected Communities Jun 2026 Refreshed terms of reference Reviewed and Terms of Reference developed in May 2026 and new members identified and invited to join. Close It is recommended this action is closed as it is now complete and the continuation of the DEAR Page 50 of 52
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17 PUBLIC Alliance in Renfrewshire (DEAR) group remains business as usual. 14.1 Complete New Scots Needs Assessment Strategy, Policy & Insight Feb 2026 The Needs Assessment has now been completed. The next stages of this work are included within Action 14.3. Close It is recommended this action is closed as it is now complete and superseded by action 14.3. 14.2 Support development of information pack for New Scots, which is accessible for all Strategy, Policy & Insight Connected Communities Jun 2026 Information pack produced Community feedback Draft pack developed and checked with Fairer Renfrewshire Panel. Awaiting the publication of the pack from Refugee Resettlement team to inform the wider welcome pack. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for its completion aligned to work being undertaken by the Refugee Resettlement team. Proposed end date: March 2027 14.3 Develop New Scots Action Plan for Renfrewshire Connected Communities June 2026 Action plan developed with clear milestones and resources allocated by partners to support its delivery. Building strong communities partnership session held on 19th June 2026. Work is ongoing with the IN-Ren Network which received funding to continue this work for 2 years at the end of July 2026. Continue It is recommended this action is continued to allow for the development of the partnership programme following the session in June. Proposed end date: March 2027 15.1 Analyse and respond to equalities outcome consultation and develop a SMART action plan Connected Communities Feb 2026 Action plan produced and reported Equalities outcome consultation was reported to Leadership Board on 29th with an associated action plan. Close It is recommended this action is closed as it is now complete. 16.1 Develop Cost of Living dashboard and strengthen Connected Communities June 2026 Dashboard produced and shared regularly Dashboard is produced for each Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee meeting. Work continues to Continue Page 51 of 52
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18 PUBLIC partnerships for data exchange strengthen partnerships for existing and potential new data exchanges. 17.4 Ensure the voice of young people are captured and acted upon, including Care Experienced Young People Childrens Services Connected Communities Mar 2026 and ongoi ng Measure reported through Children’s Service Partnership Plan Work continues to support young people to actively participate in decision making and influence issues that affect their lives through a range of youth voice and participation groups, including Renfrewshire Youth Voice, Erskine Youth Council, The Promise Champions, and the Scottish Youth Parliament. Youth voice has formed an important part of the development of the interim Children’s Services Plan. Continue Page 52 of 52