Making life more manageable for poor people Chris Roberts Health, Social Services and Children analytical team, Welsh Government

What will be covered 1.What ‘mitigation’ means and why it matters 2.Examples of why mitigation is needed 3.How making life more manageable brings quick and long-term benefits 4.What we can all do

The Welsh Government Action Plan 3 strands – distinct but connected

‘Mitigation’ / ‘Alleviation’ / ‘making poor lives more manageable’  Improves the ‘lived experience’ of poverty and the subjective and objective well-being of poor people  Makes it more likely that young adults will find a way out of poverty and less likely that poor children will grow into poor adults We should not underestimate the value of doing these!

But - why does poverty matter and what aspects of ‘lived experience’ can we affect? Poverty and social disadvantage can lead to ‘social exclusion’ – preventing full participation in economic, social and political life ‘Mitigation’ or ‘Alleviation’ = “..making more bearable”, “..moderating a condition” It is about reducing the socially unjust and avoidable disadvantages poor people suffer because they are poor

Poor people often have  poorer quality in public services  poorer quality in environment (safety, maintenance)  higher accident risks  poorer quality in food  poorer access to cultural and leisure facilities  poorer quality in clothing  poorer quality in housing  poorer access to goods & other services (or at higher cost)

These are not new problems e.g. ‘Inverse Care Law’

Unsurprisingly, poor people suffer more physical and mental illness, have poorer subjective well- being and die younger. To illustrate – some examples:

Female life expectancy at birth Source: Welsh Government, Statistical Directorate

Adults’ general health

Premature mortality

Infant mortality and low birthweight

Adolescent self-rated health

Adolescent life satisfaction

Adolescent breakfast consumption

Adolescent fruit consumption

Child pedestrian injuries Source: Welsh Government, Statistical Directorate

Oral health

Very little of this is an inevitable consequence of being poor Most of it is socially unjust and most can be remedied

Welsh Government policy goal is to make sure that children are “…not disadvantaged by poverty” Can be read two ways: Improving the ‘lived-experience’ of poverty Helps counter these disadvantages Improves long-term prospects, particularly for children Both are worth doing and OUR actions can help to achieve it No child should suffer poverty If they do, their lives should not be blighted by it

What we should aim for General Rules 1.Equal access to, and quality of, universal public services; but preferably equitable provision - proportionate to need for individuals and areas 2.Equal access to goods and services supplied by funded 3 rd sector organisations, but preferably equitable provision - proportionate to need for individuals and areas 3.Encouragement/support to private sector to provide equal access to needed goods and services with no ‘poverty penalty’

What could make life fairer, less damaging and more bearable for poor people?  More income  Fewer outgoings/goods in kind  Private sector services  Third Sector  Public Services

‘Poverty in all policies’

Thank you for your attention. Acknowledgement: many thanks to Mike Harmer and Semele Mylona for their help in preparing this presentation We welcome your questions, suggestions, comments!