Below is Calderdale Council’s March Cost of Living and Tackling Poverty Newsletter. It’s a huge aggregation of information from many sources. At the foot of the newsletter is a link to sign up to receive future editions. Whilst we don’t expect everyone to read the entire newsletter, there is some great information included!
Welcome to the March edition. This is your one stop shop for local and national news covering Cost of Living and Anti-Poverty, Money and Debt, Energy and Affordable Warmth, Food Poverty, Housing, Employment and Digital Inclusion. If you would like to submit news for next month’s newsletter please email antipovertyaction@calderdale.g
<https://mcusercontent.com/3c
Local
VSI Alliance Cost of Living Newsletter
Did you know there is a bi-monthly VSI Alliance Cost of Living Newsletter, with news, funding options and resources for help for your organisation and your clients? You can find the most recent edition on the VSI Alliance website <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
You can also check out the new VSI Alliance Cost of Living social media pages for local news and information about the cost of living crisis in Calderdale:
Twitter // X <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Facebook <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
February Cost of Living and Anti-Poverty Campaign Messages – Help raise awareness locally by sharing these messages:
Help to Save: Residents may be missing out on schemes such as Help to Save. Local promotion of the scheme will ensure more people access the savings they are entitled to.
* X (formerly Twitter) – Help to Save is a government savings scheme for low-income earners <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Council Tax Support: Residents may be missing out on discounts and exemptions to pay their Council Tax. Local promotion of the schemes will ensure more people access the discounts and exemptions <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* Facebook – If you currently receive Council Tax… – Calderdale Council | Facebook <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* Facebook – Did you know you can spread the cost… – Calderdale Council | Facebook <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* X (formerly Twitter) – If you’re struggling to pay your Council Tax, help is available. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* X (formerly Twitter) – Did you know you can spread the cost of your Council Tax bill over 12 months <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Help with childcare costs
Working parents with children aged 2 can access 15 hours childcare per week. To be eligible, each parent needs to be working and earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week at national minimum wage and under £100,000 per year.
* Facebook – Parents are now able to apply for 15 hours childcare per week for their 2-year-old. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* X (formerly Twitter) – Parents are now able to apply for 15 hours childcare per week for their 2-year-old. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
National
Spring Budget – Announcements regarding Household Support Fund, Debt Relief Order fees, the loan repayment period for UC claimants and Child Benefit earnings cap.
In the Spring Budget <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* The extension of the Household Support Fund <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* Removal of the £90 administration fee for Debt Relief Orders from the 6th April 2024.
* Households on Universal Credit will get an extra year to repay emergency loans (from 12 to 24 months).
* The child benefit earnings cap will rise from £50,000 to £60,00.
Citizens Advice Data Insights & National Red Index
The event in February focused on measures of hardship. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Cost of living hits poorest households most
Britain’s poorest households have suffered a £4,500 hit to their finances since the start of the Covid pandemic, according to a report from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
UK middle classes struggle to maintain decent living standard
Households defined as middle class, earning between £30,000 and £60,000 a year, are struggling to maintain a decent standard of living according to a report by the Financial Fairness Trust <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Families in poverty despite parents working full-time
More than 300,000 families with children are living in poverty despite their parents being in full-time work, research from Action for Children <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Closing the Attainment Gap
The attainment gap <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Inflation remains flat
The UK’s inflation rate remained unchanged last month <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
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Local
Financial Resilience Courses
Proper Job Theatre Company are running LAB courses over the coming months. If you’d like to find out more contact engagement@properjob.org.uk <mailto:engagement@properjob.o
* LAB Project (Employability): Friday 8th March to Friday 22nd March 2024: (10-days, 10am to 4pm, Mon to Fri)
Noah’s Ark run Budget Like a Boss!!!! courses on a regular basis. If you’d like to find out more contact debt@noahsarkcentre.org.uk <mailto:debt@noahsarkcentre.or
* 7th March to 26th March
Calderdale Academy offers various free numeracy courses on a regular basis to help you manage your money and budget effectively, support your child with homework, and improve your numeracy skills with confidence. For more information or to enrol, please email hub.calderdaleacademy@outlook.
* Essential Numeracy Skills – 19th February to 18th March (10.00-12.30pm)
* Monster Maths – 21st February to 20th March (10.00-12.30pm)
* Numeracy Skills Bootcamp – 24th February to 2nd March (10.00am -1.00pm)
Halifax Opportunities Trust Make it Count Budgeting & Financial Resilience course. Delivered in community settings in Park, Warley & Boothtown. If you are a community organisation based in these areas, please get in touch with lisa.connelly@regen.org.uk <mailto:lisa.connelly@regen.or
Events for Money Guiders (login to the Money Guiders Community Hub)
* Wellbeing Sessions for Money Guidance Practitioners: 13th March 9.00-10.00
* Beat the Loan Sharks – Bite Back!: 21st March 10.00-11.30
* Family financial resilience networking <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
If you would like to become a Money Guider or find out more about the programme, please contact rachel.stewart@calderdale.gov.
Money and Debt Forum
The next Money and Debt Forum will take place on Thursday 28th March at 14.00 via Teams. Contact for further information: Rachel Stewart rachel.stewart@calderdale.gov.
National
Debt Awareness Week (18th – 24th March)
Calderdale Anti-Poverty Partnership is supporting Debt Awareness Week run by the national debt charity Step Change. This year looks at the main barriers to getting debt advice. Help the campaign reach as many people as possible by downloading the toolkit <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Debt Need Survey 2023
The Debt Needs Survey <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Breathing space from debts
The number of people needing breathing space <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Stop! Think Fraud
The Home Office has launched a campaign to tackle fraud <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Stop Loan Sharks – Newsletter
2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Stop Loan Sharks. Over this time 834 arrests have been made, at least 31,500 people have been supported and at least £91.2m worth of debt has been written off. Read the newsletter <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Supporting older people facing financial hardship (training)
Independent Age <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
DWP training sessions for external partners (includes PIP and DLA)
The Disability Services Advocacy Team support with raising awareness of the different Disability Services benefits and grants. There are sessions in February and March that can be booked online <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Catastrophic caps: An analysis of the impact of the two-child limit and the benefit cap
According to the Resolution Foundation report <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Which: UK Financial Wellbeing – January 2024
The regular update on consumer confidence and financial wellbeing <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* The proportion of households who had missed a housing, bill, loan or credit card payment was at 8.5% in the month to January 12th.
* Six in ten (58%) households reported having made at least one adjustment to cover essential spending such as utility bills, housing costs, groceries, school supplies and medicines in the last month.
* Consumer outlook improved this month with consumers’ confidence in their future household situation recovering 8 points and confidence in the future UK economy increasing by 9 points.
* Despite this improved optimism about the future, more people still think these measures will get worse, rather than better, over the next 12 months.
11 million have less than £1,000 in savings
More than 11 million working-age people don’t have basic savings of at least £1,000, according to a Resolution Foundation report <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
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Local
Free Fuel Poverty Awareness Training Course
The course is delivered by Groundworks Yorkshire and takes place on Wednesday 20th March 2024, 1-4pm. Book on Eventbrite <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Energy bills – help raise awareness about simple changes
X (formerly Twitter) – Could you make a simple change to reduce your energy bills this month? <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Power Calderdale Fuel Voucher Scheme
Power Calderdale Pathway: Since launching the service in November 2023, Newground Together has received 591 referrals for support and a total of 2223 vouchers have been issued. Most referrals have come from North Halifax, followed by Central and then Todmorden. The bulk of those have been made via CMBC, Newground and Together Housing. A total of 21 agencies are making referrals.
Help promote Calderdale’s Warm Spaces
If you have identified that a household is in fuel poverty, you can help them find a warm space that is local to them on our interactive map <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
There are lots of Warm Spaces across… – Calderdale Council | Facebook <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Affordable Warmth Forum
The next Affordable Warmth Forum will take place on Thursday 25th April at 10am via Teams. Contact for further information: Jayne Leech Jayne.Leech2@calderdale.gov.uk <mailto:Jayne.Leech2@calderdal
National
Water bills to rise
Water companies are forecasting an above-inflation rise in average household bills <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Yorkshire Water – Support Schemes
To find out more about the various financial support schemes available, sign up to a one hour webinar:
* March 21st 2024 (12:00-13:00): Click here to register for 21st March <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* May 21st 2024 (15:00-16:00): Click here to register for 21st May <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* May 22nd 2024 (09:00-10:00): Click here to register for 22nd May <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Green Doctor Survey
Groundwork has released the results of their annual survey of Green Doctors <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* 94% of Green Doctors reported supporting households that did not use their central heating at all.
* 85% said they had worked with people cutting back on food or only eating cold meals.
* 68% say they’ve spoken to people who have had to borrow money – either as credit cards or loans or through informal borrowing from friends and family.
UK Government: Fuel Poverty Fact Sheet 2023
The Government has published fuel poverty statistics <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Call for evidence – Default energy tariffs for households
The Government is seeking views on standard energy tariffs <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme
The £25.5 million VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme is now open until August 2024, to help voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in England improve their energy efficiency. Services might include providing food, warmth, and advice services for people experiencing financial, housing, or mental health issues. There are two grants available: Independent Energy Assessments: Apply for the cost and delivery of an independent energy assessment. This will help identify how to reduce bills by improving or installing new energy features, or changing how energy is used and Capital Grants: Organisations with an energy assessment may then be eligible to apply for a capital grant to install the recommended energy efficiency measures. For more information, and to apply, head to their website <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Energy bills to fall
Energy bills are projected to fall by an average of 15 per cent as a mild winter meant high gas storage levels. A forecast by Cornwall Insight <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Almost 10m households living in ‘cold, damp, poorly insulated homes’
Almost 10 million households across the UK are living in cold, damp and poorly insulated homes while not earning enough to be able to make improvements to them, according to analysis. A total of 34 per cent of UK households are living in cold, poorly insulated homes which also have an income below the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s minimum standard for a decent living, according to analysis of the English Housing Survey <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
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Local
Calderdale December 2023 Food Poverty Data
* Food parcels given out: 1104 (data from 4 out of 9 providers)
* Community meals: 2427 (data from 3 out of 10 providers)
* Social Supermarket customers: 580 (data from 3 out of 4 providers)
Date of the next Food Poverty Forum meeting
The next meeting will take place on Thursday 14 March at 10.00 am. To find out more please contact Jane.woodcock@vsialliance.org.
National
Free school meals ‘cut obesity and help reading skills’, study finds
Providing free school meals reduces obesity and boosts reading skills, according to a new study by the Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Feeding Britain Webinars & Updates
Feeding Britain have monthly webinars on a variety of topics.
* Sharing and shaping local authority policy and practice in the prevention of hunger will take place on 21st March at 3.30pm-5pm. You can sign up to attend or to receive a copy of the recording here <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
* 14th March, 4pm-5.30pm – The Children’s Kitchen Quarterly Webinar. Members of The Children’s Kitchen team will be sharing their experiences and good practice of engaging children in healthy food and eating. More information to follow. You can sign up to attend or to receive a copy of the recording here <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Over half of people receiving Universal Credit unable to afford enough food.
According to a Trussell Trust report, <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Food prices drop
Food prices have fallen this month for the first time since September, providing a further signal that inflationary pressures in the economy will continue to ease this year. Food prices fell by 0.1 per cent over the month to February, according to the British Retail Consortium and NielsenIQ’s latest shop prices inflation index. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Red Sea shipping disruptions
Trussell Trust, supported by The Grocer, has warned fresh fruit, vegetable and spice prices are likely to still remain high <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
<https://mcusercontent.com/3c
National
No fault evictions increasing
There has been a rise in the number of Section 21 notices, which can be used to remove tenants from a rented property without requiring a reason for the eviction <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
<https://mcusercontent.com/3c
Local
DWP Update
Claimant figures for Halifax and Todmorden:
Todmorden claimant count: 2,612 (up from the previous weeks figures by 21).
* Intensive customers attending appointments: 511
* Work preparation and work focused in total: 199
Note: The rest are not been seen as they are either working or have been added to caseloads that do not require an appointment.
Halifax claimant count: 22,507 (down by 217 from the previous week)
* Intensive customer attending appointments: 4,798
* Work preparation and work focused: 1,759
Note: The rest are not been seen as they are either working or have been added to caseloads that do not require an appointment.
Migration to Universal Credit:
Throughout 2024 the plan is to issue Migration Notices to the remaining working age benefit customers sequentially, starting with Income Support customers and those claiming tax credits with Housing Benefit from April, Housing Benefit only customers from June, Employment and Support Allowance with Child Tax Credits from July and Jobseekers Allowance in September.
National
Calls to double maternity pay
A survey by charity Maternity Action <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
UK economy fell into recession
The UK economy fell into recession during the final three months of last year, <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Wage growth slows
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed analysis showing that average pay fell to 6.2 per cent in December 2023 <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Employee jobs paid below the Living Wage 2023
According to the Living Wage Foundation report, <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
More people in early 20s out of work from ill health than early 40s, study says
People in their early 20s are more likely to be not working due to ill health than those in their early 40s, a report has found. The Resolution Foundation <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Trainee teachers to be offered fee-free apprenticeship degrees
Trainee teachers will be able to earn while they learn after ministers announced a “game-changing” apprenticeship scheme providing cost-free degrees <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Pension age should rise
The retirement age will have to rise to 71 for middle-aged workers across the UK, according to research from the International Longevity Centre <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
<https://mcusercontent.com/3c
Local
Todmorden Makery
Tech and Tea – drop in to the Makery on the first Friday of each month and get help using the web and phones. No need to book. Digital Devices at the Makery <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
National
Digital For All Campaign
The campaign is running throughout March, aiming to:
* Draw attention to digital exclusion, and the incredible outcomes people achieve when they become digitally included.
* Promote the ways that people can get involved and help fix digital exclusion.
* Spread the word that there’s free support to get online available across the UK.
Help amplify the campaign by engaging with and resharing our stories and social media content:
* Twitter/Instagram/TikTok: @GoodThingsFdn
* Facebook/LinkedIn: @Good Things Foundation
Check out the Digital For All social media toolkit <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Digital inclusion and older people
Are you supporting older people to get online and, if so, are you ready for the switch to digital voice? The next Digital Inclusion for Older People Meet-up will talk about the switch to digital voice in which all landlines will move to an internet based digital network. The Digital Inclusion for Older People Meet-up <https://calderdale.us1.list-m
Help this newsletter reach others
We’re aiming to increase the readership of this newsletter. If you know of a colleague who would be interested in receiving monthly newsletters, please ask them to sign up here. <https://calderdale.us1.list-m