Shocking number of destitute households in Wigan

Analysis of figures from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and the Government by the JPIMedia Data Unit suggests there were around 1,100 homes in the borough experiencing destitution every week in 2019.

That means they could not afford at least two of the following six things: food, shelter, heating, lighting, clothing and footwear, or basic toiletries.

A hard-hitting report by the charity suggests there was a significant rise in severe financial hardship across the country between 2017 and 2019.

This means conditions for millions of people in the UK were worsening even before the Covid-19 pandemic, which has pushed many people who were already struggling closer to the brink as services and support mechanisms were altered or closed.

The JRF wants the £20 uplift to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits introduced in March to be made permanent, for the additional money to be offered to those on other benefits, changes to debt repayment arrangements and more support for local welfare assistance.

JRF director Helen Barnard said: “It is appalling that so many people are going through this distressing and degrading experience, and we should not tolerate it. No one in our society should be unable to afford to eat or keep clean and sheltered. We can and must do more.

“The pandemic has shown just how much we want to look out for each other in difficult times, but the sobering truth is that even before Covid-19 hit, the number of people in destitution was rising sharply.

“Our social security system should act as an anchor to hold us steady when we’re pulled down by powerful currents like job loss, illness or relationship breakdown. But right now, our system is not doing enough to protect people from destitution.”

The JRF’s figures found that around 0.77 per cent of households in Wigan experienced destitution on a weekly basis last year.

The JPIMedia Data Unit has combined this with estimates of how many households are in the local authority to create the figure of around 1,100 homes.

The figures are only estimates as the JRF says the household projections from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) would not necessarily include all families who might be destitute, such as those living in temporary accommodation.

The figures put Wigan just outside the 100 worst-affected local authorities in the country.

However, the JRF says the North West as a whole is the third-worst region for destitution in its report, behind the North East and London.

There are a number of Greater Manchester boroughs experiencing shocking levels of destitution, with Manchester thought to have the second-worst problem in the JPIMedia Data Unit’s ranking and Salford being placed eighth.

Wigan Council has outlined the help which is available locally.

Lesley O’Halloran, director for customer services and culture, said: “The council is committed to ensuring that families who need our help and support receive from our Universal, Early Help and statutory services at the time they need it.

“Our Start Well programme which was launched in 2016 is designed to transform services for families to give children the best start in life.

“We offer targeted support for those families that need it most alongside the services that families told us they valued.

“Our Start Well programme is designed to provide integrated, wrap around care to a range of families, working in partnership with other key agencies who work with our families, such as schools and GPs.

“Anyone finding themselves in this situation can access support through the Council’s Welfare Offer. As part of the offer, families and individuals can receive support with a whole range of issues including benefit maximisation, housing, food and fuel poverty, furniture, white goods and debt and money management from our partners at Citizens Advice and Unify Credit Union.

“The council can also provide help with healthy eating on a budget and free access to play and physical activity.”

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