Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

Regional Social Strategy – the strategy to achieve social inclusion throughout the East of England
2.3 Social exclusion in the East of England, its main causes and impacts
A central feature of social exclusion is low income. Poverty is defined as 60% median income after housing
costs and is associated with many disadvantages that are perpetuated across generations. For example,
children in low-income households have a higher risk of experiencing unemployment, ill health and low
income in later life (Households Below Average Income 1994/5-2004/5, DWP). Poverty can carry through
to old age because people cannot save for their retirement.
Discrimination is also considered to be a major cause of social exclusion. For example, individuals may face
discrimination in the work place or in accessing training opportunities.
Communities can also be discriminated against, not because of who they are but because of where they live or
what they look like. This in turn can affect access to services and increase social isolation for people already at
risk of social exclusion, often people with mental health needs, older people, BME communities and lone parents.
Cultural differences and misunderstanding can create tensions, very often racial, within a community. In
addition, the common use of the medical model of disability, which focuses on the individual’s condition,
reinforces negative images and attitudes. In contrast, the social model more helpfully views disability as a
potential limitation of opportunities to fully participate in society because of society’s barriers. The 2005 report,
Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People (Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit), has the aspiration that within
20 years ‘disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life
and will be respected and included as equal members of society.’
While some discrimination may occur as a result of individual prejudice and/or ill-informed personal opinion
affecting the judgement of those who control access to resources, services or work, it can also happen
at an institutional level, as a result of policies and practices that unintentionally have the effect of treating
some people less fairly than others. Statutory agencies, whether national, regional or local have a particular
responsibility to ensure that all people have equity of access. While all public agencies are required to collect
equal opportunities data across a range of services, we need to better understand how that data is being used
to effectively intervene and tackle discrimination.
2.3 – SO1: To tackle poverty and reduce income inequalities
Income differentials have increased over the past 20 years and the number living in relative poverty
as increased. Poverty can affect anyone but some groups are particularly at risk. These include some
pensioners, lone parent families, workless households, people with low qualifications, people who live
in particular areas and types of housing, some BME groups and disabled people.
i) Who experiences poverty in the East of England?
• 34% of all households in the region have an income of £15,000 or less per annum (Paycheck,
CACI Limited, 2003).
• People who are working, but who are in poverty, represent a larger group than the unemployed or
pensioners in poverty (nearly 30% of those living in poverty live in working households) (Households
Below Average Income 1994/5-2004/5, DWP).
• An estimated 17% of individuals, 22% of children and 25% of pensioners are in low-income households.
Overall, an estimated 884,000 individuals in the region are below the poverty threshold (Households
Below Average Income 1994/5-2004/5, DWP).
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