Local context

The following local data highlights the financial situation for some Kirklees residents, and the direct impact of poverty on people's health.

Universal credit

The economy report for Kirklees shows that:

• The proportion of working-age Universal Credit claimants in Kirklees is higher than regional and national figures.
• A higher proportion have been on Universal Credit for over three years, compared with regional and national figures.

Data accessed on the Stat-Xplore website for the Department for Work and Pensions showed that the number of Universal Credit or Jobseekers Allowance claimants in Kirklees rose by 2,416 (6%) in 2022.

Food banks

• Referrals to food banks from Kirklees Council's Welfare and Exchequer team doubled in 2022, compared with the previous year, from 3,358 in 2021 to 6,785 in 2022.
• Including all activity for 2022, Batley food bank saw a 13% increase in referrals and the Welcome Centre food bank in Huddersfield issued 20% more food packs, compared with 2021. Batley food bank received 2,865 referrals in 2021 and 3,233 in 2022; Welcome Centre Huddersfield food bank issued 10,172 food packs in 2021 and 12,169 in 2022.

Low income

• Over a quarter (26%) of 0 to 15 year olds in Kirklees were living in relative low-income families in 2022. Read more about Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2022
• The Current Living in Kirklees (CLiK) 2021 Survey showed one in ten respondents were finding it difficult to manage financially.
• The same cLiK survey showed that 36.5% of households having an annual income below £20,000, which is close to the poverty threshold of around £19,000
• The Sub-regional fuel poverty data 2022 shows that in 2020 17% of Kirklees households were in fuel poverty.

Figures are now likely to be much higher, due to the recent increases in cost of living.

Poverty and health

• Local insight gained by Healthwatch Kirklees aligns with national findings found in the Cost of living: People are increasingly avoiding NHS appointments and prescriptions report. This shows more people avoiding NHS appointments because they can't afford to travel, or not making NHS appointments due to costs such as accessing the internet or making a phone call.
• Fewer people are taking up their NHS prescriptions, buying over-the -counter medication, or going to the dentist.
• Healthwatch Kirklees also found that cost-of-living pressures were having a direct impact on people's mental and physical health:
  • Debt and unpaid bills leading to worry and stress.
  • Using less heating leading to damp and mouldy homes and disrupted sleep.
  • Eating less fruit and vegetables and more poor-quality, cheaper food.

Many of these same issues were also raised when we spoke to residents for this report.