Anti-Poverty Real outcomes Real people

Why is this important for Reading 14 of Reading’s 93 SOAs are in the most 20%deprived for income. 21 SOAs fall in the most 20% deprived for income deprivation affecting children and 15 SOAs affecting older people. 15% of employed people earn less than £7 / hour. 10,960 people, 11.1%working age adults claim a key out of work benefit. 18.2% of children in Reading live in these families.

And more…. Reading has 11,871 live housing benefit claims. There are now 4,600 unemployed people living in Reading. 10.6% of working age adults have no qualifications. 9.7% of young people (16 – 18) are NEET. 7.8% of live births are low weight.

Case Study 1 – Children’s Centre ‘Triple P’ Parenting Course and Returning to work “Since attending the training course ‘Triple P’ in recent months, I have been more in need of going back to work. The ways in which ‘Triple P’ has helped me with this, is by giving my son more confidence in staying with people other than myself. Also, in developing my own confidence to experience new things and with general confidence to make it easier to speak to new people. Without the ‘Triple P’ course I don’t think I would have been able to want to go back to work.”

Case study 2 – Jobcentre+ / New Directions A lone parent with two children, living in Reading was unemployed for 13 years and was receiving income support. She was dyslexic, had limited reading and writing skills and lacked confidence because she had been away from the work place for a number of years. Her Lone Parent adviser had been checking various jobs and she was referred to a vacancy however, she was unsuccessful because her basic skills for the job, needed to be developed. She wanted to get into care work but to succeed, she needed to obtain an NVQ level 2 or be work towards achieving the qualification. She was referred to New Directions for help with her dyslexia. Because of the drive and enthusiasm from her LP adviser the customer found a job to apply for that offered not only on the job training with a mentor but training in basic skills. A better off calculation was done and the adviser discretionary fund was used for work shoes. She also qualified for In Work Credit. She started work 17 March 2008 for 39 hrs per week with B & M Care, Caversham, Reading and is still in employment.

Case Study 3 – CAB In Q1 2009/10 - "We know our advice and support has brought £332,000 into the community in the last 3 months in benefit claims, compensation, and regained wages." The debt casework, LSC and court teams have negotiated management of £1,636,107 of arrears and debts for 261 households (Average of £9019 debt per household) There is a new fuel poverty adviser from 1 January 09 "The new service took on 34 new enquiries in the first quarter and 29 in the 2 nd Quarter. The caseworker has sent out by direct mailings over 4000 fliers. She has identified fuel savings for the majority of clients although some have been reluctant to take the advice offered. As a benefit check is done for each new client, Attendance Allowance has been identified and successfully applied for two pensioners, more in progress. In the last three months there have been 24 outcomes bringing financial benefits of £8152 to our clients, including £1990 savings on the Social tariffs."

Case study 4 – Reading Credit Union Upcroft Primary School (UPS) was one of four schools who piloted a new school banking service for pupils in conjunction with Reading Credit Union (RCU) and other partners, Extended School Service (ES), Family Holiday Association (FHA). Outputs to date 10% of schools population on roll have joined Junior Savings Club. 1 st term of savings resulted in children saving £ No child withdrew any money before the 6 weeks holiday. A Headteacher’s View. Carolyn Weait Headteacher at Upcroft Primary School commented “It is a great opportunity to help children realize the importance of saving for the future, understand economic wellbeing and gain independence. I am impressed with the regular saving from our children and support from the parents, who think it’s a really good way of adding value to the pupils learning. It is very well organized with good communication from both Extended Services and Credit Union.