Headlines
- The North East's population has become more ethnically diverse over the past ten years.
- The region now has one of the highest proportions of over-60s in England.
The 2006 Regional Economic Strategy states that ‘ Meeting the challenge to increase levels of economic participation …. requires a strong and inclusive society that promotes the health, education, engagement and cultural distinctiveness of the people of the region.’ In 2007 the region established the North East Equality and Diversity Partnership (NEEDP). The Partnership’s Action Plan (currently being revised) contains the following vision :
Our Vision is that by 2020, the North East of England is a place that embraces diversity, addresses inequality and discrimination and enables all its people to contribute to the economic, social, political and community life of the region.
Implicit in the vision is a view that the economy of the region can be improved if the current gaps in economic participation between specific groups in the community, and the regional average, are reduced. Put another way, if there were greater equality of opportunity and outcome amongst diverse groups, the region’s economy would be stronger. A first objective for the Partnership’s Evidence Task Group was to gain a firmer understanding of the issues facing the different groups in the population, and therefore in 2008 NEEDP commissioned and received a report from Amy O’Donnell in the Centre for Public Policy at Northumbria University entitled ‘Equality and Diversity in the North East: A Statistical Profile’. The report provides an extremely comprehensive overview of the numbers of people in different population groups, and discusses in detail the issues faced by different groups. This was followed in 2010 by the report 'Differing Rates of Employment for a Range of Diverse Groups' which looked at the disadvantages in the labour market faced by women, older people (aged 50+), young people (age 16-24), lone parents, care leavers, refugees, people with mental health issues, and offenders. Regional employability partners are will draw on the contents of these reports to consider the emerging context around welfare to work policy in the North East. Much of the content of the Executive Summary of the ‘Equality and Diversity in the North East: A Statistical Profile’ report follows below. The report acknowledges that there are some areas of policy where good data is not available. In those instances, commentary is given based on national data and qualitative evidence about the region.
Generally, the North East experiences higher concentrations of deprivation than other UK countries and regions, and there is considerable variation at sub-regional level, with the south of the region in particular predicted to experience a population decline in the following decades. In comparison to the rest of the UK, the region’s population is less qualified, commands the lowest gross weekly earnings and experiences lower employment rates and higher unemployment rates than most other regions. Indeed looking across a range of equality indicators, recent data tells us that parts of the North East experience some of the highest levels of multiple deprivation of any region in England.
Much of the following narrative, which relates to specific groups in the population, is taken directly from the Northumbria University report The report contains comprehensive graphs and tables for those looking to explore this detailed area more deeply.
Age:
In line with national trends, the North East population is ageing, and now has one of the highest proportions of over 60s in England. Within the region, however, there is considerable variation, with the rural north displaying a generally older, and the south and urban parts of the region, a comparatively younger age profile. At both ends of the scale, large numbers of the youngest and oldest people in the North East live in poverty. Gross pensioner incomes are well below the UK average, and almost 1 in 4 children under 16 live in households dependent on workless benefits.
Gender:
Women play an increasingly active role in the North East labour market however significant gender divisions persist, particularly in terms of the nature of the work the majority of women currently perform in the region, and also in relation to the burden of caring responsibilities that they continue to shoulder. Women earn less than their male counterparts, continue to be under-represented at professional and managerial levels, and are more likely to be concentrated at the lower skilled end of the market, particularly in the service industries. As at national level, there are also marked differences in the educational performance of boys and girls in the region. Although achievement for all North East pupils is low in comparison with the rest of England, boys in the North East perform particularly badly, with fewer boys achieving good grades at GCSE / A/AS level, and a higher proportion of boys reported as “not settled” at the end of compulsory education.
Ethnicity:
According to experimental ONS statistics (see chart below), the ethnic diversity of the North East has changed significantly between the 2001 Census and 2005. In particular, the region’s non-White population has grown dramatically, there have been marked increases in the Black African, Black Caribbean, Chinese, Mixed heritage, Other Ethnic population groups, as well as in the Other White category. At the same time, the North East remains one of the least diverse regions of the UK, the top five districts with the highest proportion of White British people (99%) are all in this region. In terms of employment and ethnicity, there are some notable trends. In particular, White and mixed race people are the most likely to be employed in routine and manual jobs, whilst Pakistani / Bangladeshi people have the lowest employment rates in the region, and are most likely to be classed as having never worked or long-term unemployed. In 2009, NEEDP received a further report by Lalith Welamedage at Northumbria University entitled ‘Closing the employability gap for BME Groups', which explores in detail the barriers to work for a wide variety of specific ethnic minority groups, and makes recommendations to deal with the barriers.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers:
Newcastle’s ethnic minority population has grown and changed considerably since the 2001 Census, due in particular to the recent expansion of the EU, but also as a result of government’s dispersal policy for asylum seekers and refugees. The majority of asylum seekers are located in ten local authorities in the North East, with Newcastle receiving the largest numbers at present (37% of the regional total – see chart above). The main nationalities of the region’s asylum seekers are Iranian, Iraqi and Zimbabwean, with increasing numbers from some African counties including Eritrea, Angola and the Congo. However, less is known about numbers of failed asylum seekers in the region, particularly those not in receipt of any formal means of support, or in terms of current numbers of resident refugees. Local research has shown that refugees and asylum seekers are a diverse group, with varied educational levels, employment experiences, aspirations, health, abilities, family arrangements and training and support needs. In terms of health needs, however, health providers in the region have found particularly high prevalence of mental health issues amongst this group.
Gypsies and Travellers:
A lack of reliable, comprehensive data on Gypsy and Traveller communities makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the region’s population or the particular issues they face. According to the latest Caravan Count (see chart below), there were 538 caravans in the region, the majority of which were located in County Durham on authorised sites. However, Caravan Count data only provides the minimum number of caravans at any one time and importantly, tells us little about the Gypsy and Traveller population itself. In terms of the health, education and accommodation status of the North East’s Gypsies and Travellers, studies carried out at the national, regional and local level point toward a number of issues for concern. For instance, research indicates that Gypsies and Travellers have significantly poorer health status than other ethnic groups in the UK; levels of educational attainment are extremely low and a number of people, particular those living in unauthorised encampments live with poor basic facilities and experience harassment and abuse from the local community on a fairly regular basis.
Faith and Religion:
Christianity remains the dominant religion in both the North East and the wider UK, with just over half of all adults claiming affiliation, while other faiths account for just 6% of the population. Notably, the Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish faiths make up the majority of other religions worshipped in the North East – see chart above, which uses 2001 census data. However this is not reflected in actual attendance levels; only one in four adults attend a place of worship at least once a year (less than one in five in this region, many for only weddings, christenings etc), and two thirds have no connection with places of worship at all. There is some ethnic variation in this respect; nationally almost half of adults of black ethnic origin are regular attendees at places of worship and in contrast with attendance patterns in the White majority, non-White attendance at places of worship has increased significantly in recent years. It must be noted that census data remains the most recent available, although other data shows that the proportion of North east residents from ethnic minority groups has risen significantly since then.
Disability and Mental Health:
The North East region has the highest proportion of disabled people in England, representing a quarter of the working age population. In comparison with the non-disabled population, employment & economic activity rates and earnings are lower, despite the fact that many inactive disabled people would like to work. Looking at trends in relation to Disability Living Allowance, regional statistics show that most claimants are over 60 (and that number is rising – see chart above), and that the vast majority have been claiming for 5 years or more (this is particularly the case in some local authority areas, such as Easington). Further, a number of health indicators show that the North East has higher rates of mental illness compared with other English regions.
Sexual Orientation:
Government estimates put the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) population at between 5-7% of the population, although much less is known about numbers of transgender people in the UK. Due to the lack of comprehensive data on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) population, particularly at regional level, observed trends are therefore likely to represent only a “snapshot” profile of the North East. At national level, the Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles indicates that either same sex sexual behaviour is increasing, or that people are more willing to report it. At the same time, research shows that homophobic bullying is particularly prevalent in schools, and there is concern about homophobic and discriminatory practices in the NHS and the workplace more generally. At the regional level, a recent Stonewall survey (Stonewall 2008) implies that LGB people in the region have slightly more positive expectations about treatment in the political arena, but more likely to feel negatively about treatment in health and social care, and by the police and justice system
Carers:
According to the 2001 Census, a higher proportion of people in North East are carers compared with the national picture, and the region’s women in particular have a higher likelihood of providing care than nationally. At sub-regional level, County Durham and Tyne and Wear are two of the areas with the largest numbers of carers relative to the population as the above map shows. Research conducted at the national level has found links between deprivation and caring, with people from less advantaged backgrounds more likely to provide unpaid care than those from more advantaged groups. Caring also appears to have a further negative impact on earnings and many carers are in poor health, with care giving itself leading to further health deterioration. The North East itself displays a particularly high prevalence of carers in poor health: more than one in four carers providing over 50 hours of care per week in Gateshead and Sedgefield reported ill-health in the last Census.
Lone Parents:
There is limited regional or local data on lone parents that provides a more recent profile than the 2001 Census (see above chart). Data that is available via the Department for Work and Pensions offers only a partial picture as by its very nature, it only includes lone parents currently in receipt of benefits. Based on this data, however, it is clear that as at national level, lone parent claimants in the North East are overwhelmingly female and have comparatively younger dependent children. The main variant compared with England as a whole is in relation to lone parents and disability, where proportionately more of the region’s lone parent claimants are disabled than in other parts of the country.
Offenders:
A third of the region’s offenders are aged between 17 and 24, and the vast majority are White British and male. These trends are also reflected in the North East prison population. Two thirds of the regional prison population is from the North East, with the majority of the remainder from the North of England generally. There is limited regional data on the impact of having a criminal record on an individual’s life chances however, although national qualitative research indicates far higher prevalence of social disadvantage and unemployment amongst this group. The table below shows the prison population, by ethnic group and probation force area, for the North East in 2007.
|
|
Durham
|
Northumbria
|
Teesside
|
Area total
|
| Proportion of prison population from specific groups: |
|
|
|
|
|
Asian or Asian British
|
23 (0.7%)
|
88 (1.2%)
|
93 (2.2%)
|
204 (1.4%)
|
|
Black or Black British
|
8 (0.2%)
|
54 (0.8%)
|
51 (1.2%)
|
113 (0.8%)
|
|
Mixed
|
10 (0.3%)
|
35 (0.5%)
|
47 (1.1%)
|
92 (0.6%)
|
|
Not stated / missing
|
60 (2%)
|
7 (0.1%)
|
118 (2.8%)
|
185 (1.3%)
|
|
Chinese of other Ethnic Group
|
8 (0.2%)
|
35 (0.5%)
|
21 (0.5%)
|
64 (0.4%)
|
|
White
|
2926 (96.4%)
|
7156 (97%)
|
3942 (92.3%)
|
14024 (95.5%)
|
|
Total
|
3035
|
7375
|
4272
|
14682
|
Offenders by race and ethnicity and probation area 2007
Child Poverty
Child Poverty can measured regionally against two indicators, indictor 1: the number of children in absolute low-income households and indicator 2: the number of children in relative low income households.
The HBAI statistical report is based on estimates taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) drawn from a sample of private UK households in the UK. It uses household disposable income (adjusted for size and composition) as a proxy for material living standards. Figures are given for both relative and absolute (fixed to 1998/99) measures and also before and after housing costs (BHC, AHC). Since 2004/05 the HBAI has also included questions on material deprivation. A low income household is one that has an income below 60% of median net income. For 2007/08 this is £236 per week BHC and £199 AHC. Regional disaggregated figures are presented as three year averages to smooth volatile yearly data. No adjustment is made for differences in regional cost of living though the AHC will partly take this into account.
The bar chart below shows that the North East performs badly in terms of children at risk of living in relative low income households with the AHC value at 33% and the BHC value at 28% - this does not compare favourably with the national figures of 30% (AHC) and 22% (BHC).
The bar chart below shows that the North East performs at a similar level to the national average in terms of children at risk of living in absolute low income households with the AHC value at 19% and the BHC value at 14% - compared with UK values of 19% and 14% respectively.
The following four charts show changes in children at risk of living in low income households over time. Generally the trend shows that proportions of children at risk of living in low income households has declined – but that this is much more apparent when measured in absolute terms than when you look at relative terms. In absolute terms the rate has virtually decreased to the national rate for both the BHC and the AHC value.
According to HMRC the proportion of children living in poverty is defined as ‘the proportion of children living in families in receipt of out of work benefits or in receipt of tax credits where their reported income is less than 60 per cent of median income.’
The number of children in families in receipt of out of work benefits - Income Support (IS) and Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA), is produced using administrative data held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Since 2003, parents in receipt of IS or JSA receive their child support through Child Tax Credit rather than a dependent child allowance (family/lone parent premium) via DWP. New IS and JSA claimants automatically enter the Tax Credits System, however families who were claiming these benefits prior to the introduction of tax credits in April 2003 may still receive a child allowance paid through their DWP benefits. This is an ever decreasing number, as families migrate on to tax credits when there is a change to their family or employment circumstances and lone parents are in the process of being migrated automatically.
The indicator includes children under the age of 20. A dependent child is defined as an individual aged under 16. A person will also be defined as a child if they are 16 to 19-years old and they are:
- Not married nor in a Civil Partnership nor living with a partner; and
- Living with parents; and
- In full-time non advanced education or in unwaged government training
This is the same definition as used within tax credits, Child Benefit and Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance.
The chart below shows the proportion of children living in poverty in 2006 and 2007. The North East has the second highest proportion for both years, only London records a higher percentage.