REAL LIFE REFORM

1. REAL LIFE REFORM TPAS NORTH CONFERENCE 25th September 2013 Andy Williams – LHT Lisa Pickard - LYHA

2. 18 month study to understand the impact of welfare reforms in the North • Intensive study working with up to 100 household tracking their journey & experiences WHAT IS REAL LIFE REFORM?

3. Leeds Alliance members PARTICIPATING:- Unity Housing- Connect housing

4. 7 providers with: • shared values • Local focus • Commitment to customers & neighbourhoods • Concerns about welfare reforms • Drive to do more • Support • Research • Challenge • Credibility • Contacts

5. Real Life Reform - how we got here!

6. TRYING TO ACHIEVE NOT TRYING TO ACHIEVE Not to prove a point Not about PR Sob stories! Not a Political statement • Raise awareness & profile • Real life examples to show: • If welfare reform objectives actually work or are delivered. • Human impact of changes • Other consequences • Myth Busting! • Neutral politics • Reality & Impact • Show a journey over time • Lobbying & influencing

7. RLR – Making a Difference • Real case studies telling real stories….human impact of welfare reform • Real life information that will shape subsequent policies and strategies for our organisations • Enable a deeper understanding of the impact on customers • Northern Perspective & comparison • Material to share with the All Party Parliamentary Group & stakeholders • Material to use internally and externally for our respective organisations • MATERIAL FOR TENANTS & CUSTOMERS TO USE & RESPOND TO

8. 70-100 case study households • Volunteers • Not hand picked by us! • Quarterly research & interviews • Minimum of 6 • Designed questionnaire & methodology • Ethical Statement • Experience & trends • Front line staff trained as research facilitators • NOT a housing survey! • Tracking landlord trends & performance • Separate to case studies

12. The benefit changes will affect my neighbourhood 76%

13. The benefit changes will affect my support network 66%

15. THE RESULTS…. What did the Phase 1 interviews reveal…

16. Surviving on restricted budgets and struggling to get by. • 65% have less than £10 per weekto live on following rent and essentials such as food and bills. • 37% have nothing left each week.

17. Households are intending to cut back on spending on food and fuel • 63% spend less than £40 per week on food • 25% spend less than £20 per week on food. • Average is £3.28 per person per day

18. Will use the food bank more I already cant afford to feed myself properly…. I should eat better but cannot afford it, local shops have no fresh veg and cant afford to go to Tesco Being much more careful in the supermarket about what I buy. I buy own brands as cheaper

19. Fuel average spend is £26 per week • Excludes winter month uplift • moneySupermarket.com suggest 40% uplift in winter • Where would they find an extra £26 per week when 65% have less than £10 pw to live on after food, rent & bills I wont be able to manage both heating & food in the winter Staying upstairs in the day as its easier to stay warm & limits the heating

20. Eight out of ten households are already in debt. • 83% of families are worried about getting into more debt. • Over half of those in debt doubt when they’ll be able to clear these debts • The average level of debt is £2418. I have to pay the loan shark each week because I use him to survive I pay off what I get in priority debts 1st to make sure we have a roof over our heads

21. Families are reporting increases in levels of stress and depression. • 88% of householdsare worried welfare changes will impact their health and wellbeing • Parents report they are going without to protect their children’s health • Parents report worries that bullying may increase

22. Sometimes I feel like I wasn’t to kill myself its that bad I get energy drinks from my GP as I cant afford to eat properly Have increased my medication by 100% Make my fortnightly prescriptions last a month as I cant afford to get them as often as I should Suffer from stress and when things go badly wrong I get upset & suicidal

23. More people are going to have to move because they cant afford to liver here, those that remain will not have spare money to make the gardens and outside spaces nice • 77% of families report believe the changes will impact on their neighbourhood and there are worries about loan sharks and crime My neighbourhood is a tsunami of fear People will be desperate and robberies will go up We have a small village with community spirit – will split up families & friends who will have to move

24. Many respondents are critical of Job Centre’s efforts to help them find work.

27. How concerned are you? 1 = no concerns 10 = being most concerned

28. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOU

29. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON OTHERS

30. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOUR HEALTH & WELL BEING

31. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

32. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOUR DEBTS

33. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOUR CHILDREN [OR GRANDCHILDRENS] EDUCATION

34. How concerned are you about THE IMPACT OF WELFARE CHANGES ON YOUR HAPPINESS

35. THE RESULTS…. What did our Real Life Reform case studies say when we asked them the same questions….

36. Very Concerned 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8.9 8.6 8.1 7.0 6.9 5.4 Not Concerned

37. Only 11% of the case studies indicated that they felt positive about the future

38. 45% of participants said they agreed or strongly agreed that they were struggling to deal with problems.

39. From this to this … • The pure worry of what’s going to happen has caused me anxiety. I’ve been to see the doctor. I’d rather go hungry than be cold and dark. It feels like that’s where we are heading. I feel lost RLR Participant • We are reforming the welfare system to help more people to move into and progress in work, while supporting the most vulnerable. DWP Policy statement

40. 28% of households report at least 1 person working • Of which • 65% were in part time and 35% full time • National profile is 62% in full time work • 35% of working are looking to increase hours • 62% unemployed • 16% < 12 month • 32% < 2 years • 23% > 10 years • 58% : disabled or with long term, life limiting illness • 23% : caring responsibilities preventing them working

41. What are your 1st impressions? Are the results a surprise to you? Will the results be a surprise to others? What 1st impression do you think our report and findings will make?

43. 24th September 2013 • Phase report published • Guardian & other newspaper interest • Lobbying at Labour Party Conference • @RealLifeReform • Sharing the results • Lobbying & influencing • Internally & externally

44. Phase 2 [3,4,5&6] • October 2013 • 2nd phase interviews • December 2013 • Phase 2 report • Same methodology • Drill down more into current findings • Track progress & changes

45. Is there anything else we should consider? • How else would you like us to use this study? • 76% believe the benefit changes will affect their YOUR neighbourhoods. HOW WILL WE / YOU RESPOND?

46. Andy Williams awilliams@lht.co.uk @AndyWilliamsLHT Lisa Pickard Lisa.pickard@lyha.co.uk @lyha_LisaP @RealLifeReform