Background to the Research

• The experience of disadvantage often occurs from one generation to the next, making it very difficult for families to emerge from the cycle of poverty.
• Although there may be many reasons why this happens, gathering information or evidence about the exact experiences of people in poverty, particularly families who are unable to break the cycle, will provide an understanding of their lives more clearly and enable better ways to be found to help those suffering disadvantage.
  

Research Approach

• The research was a collaboration between the Social Policy Committee of SVP and the University of Ulster.
• The research had two main parts:
  • Stage 1: A detailed questionnaire filled in face-to-face with the selected client.
  • Stage 2: An informal interview with a smaller number of clients who also completed a questionnaire at Stage 1.
• A questionnaire was designed to explore the nature and extent of disadvantage by asking questions about: income and employment status, housing, transport, the social environment, access to services, education and health. In addition, the impact of disadvantage on health and self-esteem was examined. The support received from SVP was also explored to determine the nature and type of support accessed by the sample and how the service might be improved for those who are currently accessing help from SVP.
• A total of 360 SVP clients participated in the first stage of the research, while 22 of this original group took part in the second stage.
• Data collection was by trained SVP members who followed a detailed set of instructions at both stages of the research process.
  

Main Findings

Profile of the respondents

• 86% of the respondents were female and 14% were male, aged between 18 and 70+ years.
• 81% were Catholic, 12% were Protestant, 3% were of mixed religion, 3% said they had no religion and 1% were of another denomination
• 22% of respondents were married, 22% were lone parents, 20% were single, 14% were separated, 11% were divorced, 8% were widowed and 4% were cohabiting.
• 98% were white, while Chinese, Black, mixed ethnic origin and Irish Traveller represented the remainder of the sample.
• 76% of respondents had dependants.
• There was evidence of 'transgenerational' dependence - i.e. clients with other family members who have received support from SVP.

Support received from SVP

• SVP services have been accessed by respondents for an average of 6 years, ranging from 3 months to 26 years and they were made aware of SVP services mainly through a family member or the church.
• Contact with SVP was made mostly through a friend; however, writing a letter or making contact through the church were also used.
• Financial assistance, followed by friendship and support, represented the key services accessed by respondents.

Income and employment information

• 68% of the sample were unemployed, 14% were employed, 10% were incapacitated and 9% were retired.
• 38% of employed respondents were in permanent part-time posts, followed by permanent full-time posts (26%).
• The average net salary reported by working respondents was £118.95 per week, while the average income per week for permanent part-time positions was £80.63 and £168.33 for permanent full-time positions.
• 52% of employed clients were in receipt of at least one state benefit.
• Unemployed respondents were more likely than employed respondents to have family members who had accessed support in the past.
• Incapacitated respondents tended to be female (67%) mainly aged 41-60 years and single, with 50% having dependants.
• 63% of retired respondents were female and 37% were male, with 60% in the 70+ age group. Most were either single or widowed and 14% had dependants.
• 319 respondents (89%) reported being in receipt of at least one State benefit: the most common benefit received was Income Support, followed by Housing Benefit, Child Benefit and DLA.

Expenditure and debt

• Taking the average amounts given, electricity (£12.07), house keeping (£58.80) and telephone bills (£8.73) were the most costly items in terms of weekly expenditure.
• The employed group had the highest expenditure levels at £201.48 per week, with less difference noted between the unemployed (£134.38) and incapacitated groups (£128.51); retired respondents had the lowest overall average expenditure at £85.09.
• 79% of respondents who gave complete information relating to income and fuel expenditure spent 10% or more on fuel, i.e. they experience fuel poverty.
• 61% of all respondents reported having at least one debt commitment. The most common forms of debt are catalogue repayments (43%), Credit Union loans (43%), and Social Fund loans (37%).

Housing

• The majority of clients were Housing Executive tenants.
• Housing Executive tenants were less likely than those living in other tenures to have insulation in their property.
• They were also most likely to lack a garden and to be waiting for repairs to be carried out to their homes.

Transport

• Only 32% of the sample have access to a car.
• 5% of respondents' income is spent on public transport costs, which accounts for 7% of their total weekly outgoings.

Health

• 54% of respondents have had, or have a family member who has had, a serious illness in the last five years.
• 55% had a history of illness in their family, ranging from heart related problems, cancer, asthma to diabetes.
• Only 23% of respondents had good psychological health as measured by the GHQ12.
• Compared to the results from national surveys, GHQ12 scores for both male and female SVP clients were almost double those which have been found among the general population.

Educational achievement

• 46% of respondents did not have any formal qualifications.
• Individuals who had qualifications were more likely than those without qualifications to have progressed to Further Education.
• None of the respondents aged from 18-30 years who had no qualifications were employed.

Access to services

• Services accessed most frequently were a GP, a health visitor and a social worker; 31% of respondents who said they accessed GP services did so fortnightly or more often.
• The most common transport method of accessing statutory services was by foot, by car or through a home visit.

Social environment

• Respondents had greatest concern about speeding traffic, child safety and crime in the their local neighbourhoods but were less concerned about scruffy/neglected buildings or gardens and the absence of pavements.
• 62% of respondents have experienced at least one crime, mainly violence against the person, criminal damage or burglary.

Aspirations

• For respondent him/herself: better standard of living, employment, better health, housing, education, environment and peace and happiness.
• For career/job: return to work or secure employment, improve current work situation, return to education, continue with education, improve income standards, no aspirations for career/job.
• For children: better education, secure employment, better standards of living and opportunities, happiness and peace, health.
• For partner: better employment prospects, improved health, happiness, better standard of living, no aspirations/negative aspirations.