Information Bulletin

Summary of News and Publications from the Week ending 31 January 2014

JRF Activity
Social Care: is there an app for that? Blog from Hannah Murphy For young adults, the price of independence has never been higher Blog from Donald Hirsch.

Poverty
New analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, argues that better off households have seen a bigger proportionate fall in income than poorer households, but poorer households have been hit harder by inflation. Food and energy prices, which form a bigger proportion of the spending of poorer households, have risen by 30% and 60% respectively between 2008 and 2013, compared to CPI inflation of 20%. (This work is part of IFS Green Budget 2014 to be released in February). Local government spending cuts are hitting the most deprived areas according to analysis of the figures by Labour. Between 2010/11 and 2015/16, it says, the percentage cut in spending will be 10 times greater in the most deprived areas than in those least deprived. The school attainment gap in England carries on into adulthood and is the primary cause of the relatively high inequality in adult skills, says a new report from the Institute of Education. According to analysis by Demos, almost half of local authorities saw their school attainment gap rise in 2013 and 43% have a larger attainment gap than before the Pupil Premium was introduced. The Guardian Datablog this week looks at patterns of educational inequality and identifies the areas of the country with the biggest attainment gaps and where the gap is closing. Jobcentre Plus key performance indicators should be revised to provide incentives to get jobseekers into work and not just off JSA, according to recommendations in a new report from the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee. UK GDP grew by 1.9% in 2013, but fourth quarter GDP reached only 0.7% compared to 0.8% in the third quarter. Prior to these figures, the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast growth of 2.4% for 2014. Markits Household Finance Index (HFI) for January has hit its joint-highest level since the survey began in February 2009 for current finances. Worries about job security were at their lowest level since 2009 but households financial expectations for the next 12 months were lower than in December. A report from the Council of Europe on the social charter identifies jobseekers allowance, pensions and incapacity benefits in the UK as manifestly inadequate, while Iain DuncanSmith dismisses the findings as lunacy.

Place
The Government has launched an independent review to see how more social homes can be built. This years Cities Outlook report from the Centre for Cities concentrates on the relationship between London and other cities in the UK. London accounted for 80% of all private sector job growth between 2010 and 2012 and one public sector job was created in London for every two lost in other cities. 15% of minority ethnic households in England live in poor housing, according to a study by the Race Equality Foundation and the Building Research Establishment. Homeless Links annual report on young homeless people shows that almost half become homeless because their parents are no longer willing to house them and around half of homeless young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET) when they become homeless. The CAB reports that the number of its clients aged 17-24 without a roof over their head increased by 57% from 2007/08 to 2012/13. A CITB report suggests the demand for building new homes could generate 182,000 extra construction jobs across the whole of the UK over the next five years, including 18,000 in Wales and 30,000 in Scotland. A new TCPA publication explores how we can build new high-quality communities and facilities that stand the test of time. Built Today, Treasured Tomorrow - a good practice guide to long term stewardship models. Kris Hopkins, Housing Minister has announced that from this week, housing associations, councils, and house builders can bid for government funding that, when combined with private investment, is forecast to deliver a 23 billion programme of building an estimated 165,000 affordable homes between 2015 and 2018. Communities will be able to apply for grants to start community energy generation projects, enter a competition to receive funding for innovative approaches to energy saving and apply for grants to fund volunteers who can help vulnerable people with energy saving the measures are part of Britains first Community Energy Strategy launched this week.

An Ageing Society
A new report from the Kings Fund examines evidence from seven countries which deliver integrated care and identifies lessons for policy-makers and service providers. Providing Integrated Care for Older People with Complex Needs Pensions Minister Steve Webb is supporting legislation in the Queens Speech this year, to make it easier for companies to offer collective pension schemes, which can generate 3040% more in returns. The schemes are common in Europe, but dont provide the same guarantees of income as other schemes. Although council leaders back the introduction of a deferred payment scheme to pay for care, which would work in a similar way to student loans, it could cost almost five times more

to administer than the Government estimates, according to new analysis from the Local Government Association. In a new Report, the Joint Committee on Human Rights says that the Care Bill must ensure that all providers of publicly arranged or paid-for social care services are bound by the Human Rights Act. A reported 81% increase in the number of over 90s brought to A&E by ambulance in England over the last three years has been blamed on social care cuts by the opposition. This Information Bulletin is produced on a weekly basis as an update for staff at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) for the purposes of their work it is not intended to be comprehensive but represents a selection of news and reports appearing in the last week. The items contained in this Bulletin are for information only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the JRF and JRHT.