Information Bulletin

Summary of Reports, Statistics and Policy News from the Week ending 9 January 2015

JRF Activity
Blog from Helen Barnard - The NHS: reducing poverty is the key to easing pressure on health
services.

Poverty
November saw the highest level of consumer unsecured debt (loans, credit cards and
overdrafts) since February 2008, according to new Bank of England figures. Unsecured lending
in the three months to November grew at its fastest rate since October 2005. Debt advice
organisations have described it as a worrying rise in consumer reliance on credit.
One in five parents who pay for childcare is considering giving up work or reducing their hours
in 2015, because of high childcare costs, according to a survey of 1,000 parents by charity
4Children.
A report from the LGA warns that more councils will be forced to ask for minimum payments
from low-income families, which have previously been exempt from council tax, because of
the gap between the funding provided to local authorities by the government for council tax
support schemes and the cost of funding them.
A new economic development plan for London has been launched, produced by London First
for the London Enterprise Panel. London 2036: An Agenda for Jobs and Growth sets out a
plan based on contact with 400 stakeholders in business, government and education over the
last 12 months. The plan aims to boost the capital by achieving world-beating income growth,
greater job opportunities, a diverse and shock-proof economy, more homes and better
transportation, as well as more balanced economic growth across the UK.
A new 22 million scheme will introduce a nationally co-ordinated approach to working with
schools, universities and colleges to help people access higher education. Thirty-five local
networks will cover the whole of England to form the National Networks for Collaborative
Outreach (NNCO), providing a single point of contact to help teachers and advisers find out
about higher education outreach activity in their area.

Place
Half of all fuel poor households in England are in work, representing around 1.1 million
households, according to a new report from the Policy Exchange Warmer Homes: Improving
fuel poverty and energy efficiency policy in the UK. 10% of all households in England are in fuel
poverty, rising to 19% of households living in private rented accommodation. Households in the
most energy inefficient properties have to spend up to 1,700 extra a year to heat their homes.
The government has shortlisted 29 areas which will now bid to become one of 10 designated
Housing Zones outside London, which will benefit from a series of measures designed to make
building homes on brownfield sites quicker and easier. 20 zones will be introduced in London.

Shelter research shows an estimated one in nine households, equating to over 3 million
households across Britain are concerned they wont be able to pay their housing costs in
January. In total, 60% of people surveyed said they were struggling to meet their housing costs.
Analysis of Scotlands homelessness statistics shows that the proportion of homeless
applications from households renting in the private sector has grown from 13% in 2008-09 to
18% in 2013-14, and is disproportionate to the number of households in the sector.
The Treasury is said to be investigating utilities and airlines sectors to see if companies are
passing on the falls in oil and gas prices to consumers, in the same way as the price of fuel at
the pumps has been falling.

An Ageing Society
Just over 350 inspections of social care homes have been carried out since the Care Quality
Commissions new rating system began in October 2014. In total 2 have been rated
outstanding, 245 good, 81 required improvement and 24 were rated inadequate.
63% fewer Meals on Wheels are being delivered to older people than in 2010, according to
estimates based on freedom of information requests by the Labour party.
A Blog from the Chartered Institute of Housing discusses how better housing and support
services for older people could help reduce the pressure on the NHS.
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.