| cost of living | Baseline 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Bedroom Properties - Average (mean) Monthly Rents (£) | 562 | 582 | 581 |
| Workless households with children: | 12.6% | 10.6% | Not yet available |
| Total early learning and childcare services per 10 000 children | 54.7% | 53.4% | 66.2% |
| Population reported that public transport was easy to access | 70.7% | 73 (2018) | Not yet available |
| New social housing applicants | 2156 | 1770 | 1358 |
| Households in Fuel Poverty | 20% | 20% | 20% |
Two thirds of children in poverty live in working households. While the poverty risk is much lower for children in working households compared to those in non-working households, not all work pays enough to lift the household above the poverty threshold. It is estimated that in 2017-20, 68% of children in relative poverty after housing costs were living in working households.
Fuel poverty levels in Angus remain static at 20% from 2018/19. The number of energy switches by Angus residents recorded via Home Energy Scotland has continued to rise this year up from 150 in 2018/19 to 170 for 2019/20. The number o
f Angus households referred for a benefits/financial health check has also continued to rise from 138 in 2018/19 to 171 for 2019/20. Through learning from local people at online listening events our actions have been co-produced to ensure that resources are being directed to those most in need. An investigation of School Meal Debt was carried out in order to facilitate the debt being written off and families empowered to make regular meal payments. Questionnaires were sent to primary school parents who had school meal debts exceeding £20 to gather details on digital exclusion issues and financial hardship and offered income maximisation advice.
For 2021/22 a number of actions have been identified to support this work further including:
- Families will have additional funds to support food insecurities during the holiday periods.
- New build and regeneration programmes to provide more accommodation for families with new facilities and improved outdoor space including safe access routes for children.
- Improving the energy efficiency of both Council and private sector properties, helping reduce energy bills and improve comfort and wellbeing. Local delivery of Ending Homelessness Together and the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan to ensure homelessness is prevented where possible, and those who experience homelessness reach a settled housing option as quickly as possible.
- Access to free digital devices – Connecting Scotland Funding.
- Free re-useable period products available throughout Angus – since the launch in 2020 2,860 people have requested sustainable products.
- Creation of referral membership scheme to ANGUSalive facilities for families in hardship across Angus.
- Direct payment to families in receipt of School Clothing Grant to support access to food and energy. Allocation of £45 per child.
- Cost of the School Day (COSD) guidance to be implemented in all Angus schools.
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