Poverty is a key issue for Glasgow City Council and therefore anti-poverty work and initiatives are carried out by many Services within the Council.
- In Work Poverty
Over the last few years, research has been carried out by the Employability Team on the “In Work Poverty Trap” looking at the implications from moving from unemployment into employment.
Glasgow has the largest number of people on Incapacity Benefit in the UK after London and has 110,000people of working age who are not in work. Case studies were carried out which considered Tax Credits which would be received and in work costs such as loss of free school meals, transport, housing and council tax costs etc.
The case studies found that although many households appeared to be better off, once the in work costs were accounted for, the reality meant that low income single earner households were only marginally better off. The main in work costs were found to be housing and council tax costs.
This situation for low income households is continuously monitored.
- Tax Credits and Welfare Benefits
The Employability Team keeps abreast of developments in relation to Tax Credits and Benefits with a view to considering the policy implications and impact on households.
The Team actively monitors the developments and proposals for reform in relation to Incapacity Benefit claimants. This includes work on how it will potentially impact on individuals and equally how it will impact on other initiatives which have been developed by the Council.
Links:
For more information contact:
Liz Maguire
Senior Development Office
Employability Team
Development & Regeneration Services
Exchange House
229 George Street
Glasgow
G1 1DU
Phone : 0141 287 8559 or
Email : liz.maguire@drs.glasgow.gov.uk