Endemic Poverty across Northumberland won’t be eased by Tories not reporting on food poverty in its urban and semi rural areas.

 

Recent Government and newspaper reports on the state of poverty across regions and left behind urban and ex industrial semi rural environments illustrate how the rush to omit Northumberland’s most deprived Wards from the Tory led Councils report on food poverty will open wounds which will never heal.

National news that before rent reduction the North East of England has over 15% of families suffering problems of endemic poverty was released last week by the Government. Critics who work in the arena of poverty action and Northumberland’s Labour Councillors vocally responded to the reports claiming they are a blind to hide the truth, that the release is premature and that the figure is set to rise sharply in May as new benefit claimants are added to the list for the first time in over a year.

Northumberland County Council through its legal responsibilities towards childens and families ran a short term task and finish group earlier this year chaired by the Tory Councillor Wendy Patterson. The minutes of the meetings have just been made available to Councillors and those who represent the most poverty stricken Wards in Northumberland are up in arms with the papers.

Councillor Liz Simpson who represents Newbiggin Central and East Ward which is home to the highest number of children living in homes suffering persistent poverty in the County went public on social media about the reported minutes pointing out how biased they were against Wards where poverty has become endemic over the last decade of Tory Government’s.

We contacted her and asked her what her thoughts were on the matter and she told us “I couldn’t believe the results of the task and finish groups report and how biased it is towards reporting on wealthier areas to show that poverty among families and children isn’t a real problem under a Tory Council”

“Wards with extreme poverty levels like Newbiggin by the Sea from Prudhoe, to Berwick are omitted from the report in favour of looking at low food bank use in places like Ponteland, Warkworth and Morpeth, its a political cover up.”

 “Labour Councillors have been asking for a report to be taken to Cabinet which signposts people towards being able to claim the new weekly food vouchers to help those in need, instead we have a report going to the new cabinet after the elections which will cloud the real issues of a Council where towns making up almost 60% of the County have families and children caught in both the poverty trap and suffering lower than average educational achievement primarily caused through the lack of action on the ground over the last decade from Government for a national relief plan for forgotten places.”

To claim the new benefit, Councillor Simpson explained If families meet the criteria, they can get free vouchers or payments every four weeks to spend on cows' milk; fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables; infant formula milk and fresh, dried, and tinned pulses. They are known as Healthy Food Vouchers.

Pregnant women and those with children aged under four are eligible for the coupons if they receive Child Tax Credit and if their family's annual income is £16,190 or less; Income Support;

Income-based jobseeker's Allowance; Pension Credit which includes the child addition; or Universal Credit and if their family's take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment.

Councillor Simpson also said that in poor areas we have low levels of internet access and my fear is that having to apply for these vouchers on line via the NHS has led to the massively low take up from those in need. The web site for the form is via this link https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply

Its easy if you're eligible or you know someone who is. Please tell them about it and if you can, also help those who need help get online to claim.