Sponsored by
1 in 4 living on breadline
SHOCKING figures reveal that one in four families in Hartlepool are living on the breadline.
It also emerged that five in nine homes fall into the same category or are classed as being "credit hungry" or in "elderly deprivation".
And 47 per cent of all households in Hartlepool have a poor credit rating, meaning desperate families find it harder to loan money from banks and turn to loan sharks or high-cost money lenders instead.
Meanwhile, a staggering 85 per cent of inquiries to the Citizens Advice Bureau and West View Advice Resource Centre are for money advice or debt-related issues.
The figure of 47 per cent puts Hartlepool in the bottom 50 of more than 400 local authorities across the UK.
Councillors have called for funds to be invested now in a bid to save money in the long-term, but warned that it wont be a "quick fix".
The figures have come from information shared by the Financial Inclusion Partnership, which is made up of the Hartlepool Credit Union, Citizens Advice Bureau, West View Advice Resource Centre and other organisations.
The issue came to light at a meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council's cabinet committee, which had met to discuss a report into child poverty.
It is estimated that 29 per cent of children, around 7,500, are currently living in poverty, compared to the regional baseline of 24.2 per cent.
Child poverty is measured by people's incomes and their general standards of living and civic chiefs have pledged to do all they can to remove children from poverty.
Labour councillor Chris Simmons, who presented the scrutiny co-ordinating committee report, said: "These children are living in poverty and it is not their fault, we need to keep that at the forefront of our minds.
"We need to do more so that these families do not look to loan sharks as the first port of call as that will drive them further into debt."
He added: "We need to spend money now to tackle this. It has to be an investment now to save money in the future."
Councillors praised the work of the Financial Inclusion Partnership and the signing of the Child Poverty Pledge as major steps forward.
Mayor Stuart Drummond, who said it was important that health, police and other organisations work together, added: "I am confident that we are taking this issue forward but it is not the sole responsibility of the council.
"It is very easy to sign the Child Poverty Pledge and do nothing. We need to get all parties together to keep this at the forefront of the agenda."
Labour councillor Pamela Hargreaves, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: "We can never do enough to address this issue as it cannot be defined as one thing; it involves everything from cradle to grave.
"It is so complex, it is health, education, culture and some times it is how parents prioritise their spending.
"It is not the children's fault."
Email to a friend
Print this page- VIDEO: 999 call police car ploughs into house
- Toon target set to seal ‘dream’ move
- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Thursday, May 24: Newcastle, Demba Ba, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City deny Tevez rumours, Man Utd, Porto
- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Friday, May 25: Man city, Man utd, Spurs, Arsenal,
- Arrests after trap driver injured
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hartlepool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
