Our Wakefield. STATE OF THE DISTRICT REPORT April 2012 update

Transcription

1 Our Wakefield STATE OF THE DISTRICT REPORT April 212 update

2 CONTENTS Section Page Introduction 2 Executive Summary 3 Population Profile 5 Employment and Skills 9 Housing and Infrastructure 14 Health 17 Community Safety 22 Environment and Climate Change 26 Culture and Sport 3 Looking Forward Census 35 Information Sources 36 Acknowledgements 4 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. License No. LA

3 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the fourth edition of Wakefield s State of the District report. This report provides a summary of the current social, economic, health and wellbeing trends across the district of Wakefield. With other local information, the report is designed to support and inform the Wakefield Together Partnership in local decision-making and setting of priorities. Included within the report are important facts and figures about the conditions and circumstances affecting people s lives in the District in 212. This includes information on how the demographics of Wakefield are changing and the extent to which people are remaining healthy, safe, financially secure and satisfied with their local environment. It also includes information about the inequalities that exist within the district and conditions within the twelve Priority neighbourhoods, where intelligence has shown that specific support is required in order to address poor outcomes and improve access to services in a targeted way. Nationally, the financial crisis, recession and subsequent faltering recovery have had a significant impact on the financial position of households. Recent Government announcements and advice from the LGA suggests the current economic conditions will continue until at least 217, and possibly beyond, with all public sector services being subject to significantly reduced resources. Housing market conditions and changes to the benefits system are also set to have a significant impact on people. Locally, we are continuing to monitor the labour market and economic statistics and analyse future trends and needs. We are also paying close attention to statistical trends for signs that the quality of outcomes for local people are being maintained or improved, as the Government s spending plans continue to require public sector organisations to consider changes to the way that local services are delivered. Against the tide perhaps, the last couple of years have seen the opening of important new developments within the district s commercial, retail and cultural sectors. In housing too, there have developments in building new, sustainable homes that are likely to attract significant interest nationally. Along with other projects across the district, the impact of these developments will show through in the data and intelligence that is produced locally and nationally and help demonstrate the value of our long-term strategies and planning. The information in this edition has been compiled by the Wakefield Together partner organisations through the Partnership Information and Intelligence Group. The next revision of the State of the District report is planned for autumn 212. For more information or to make suggestions for future reports, please contact: Wakefield Together Partnership Rooms 52/53 County Hall Bond Street Wakefield WF1 2QW Phone: ; lsp@wakefieldlsp.org.uk 2

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The backdrop to this spring 212 update of the State of the District Report is a national economy once again dipping into recession, bringing a strong focus on tackling local economic conditions and some of the most challenging times in history for local government and the public sector as a whole. The Job Seekers Allowance claimant rate remains slightly lower than the regional average and slightly higher than the national rate, but the Wakefield rate has risen from 4.4% in September 211 to 4.6% of working age people in May 212 a further 513 claimants. The latest available figures on the proportion of people claiming all out of work benefits the broader picture of worklessness - show that 15% of working age residents are claiming key out of work benefits in the district, compared to 13% and 12% for the region and Great Britain respectively. The trend shows that claiming levels have still to recover back to pre-downturn levels and marked differences remain within the District. Following a period of above average growth, latest statistics show that the number active businesses fell by 2% (195 fewer businesses) between 29 and 21, which was close to the national trend over the same period (down 1.8%). Measures of economic vitality show a mixed picture. The commercial property occupancy rates as measured by business rates showed a very slight drop in the last quarter of 211/12 but this masks variations Knottingley showed a 1.6% improvement in occupancy rates whilst the south east, Wakefield, Castleford and Pontefract all showed a reduction. A positive side effect is that houses are becoming more affordable, but the ratio of earnings to house prices is still high when looking at long-term trends. The Wakefield Poverty & Prosperity Commission has considered what might be done to reduce poverty and increase prosperity in the district and will report very shortly. This is timely; recent analysis by Experian reaffirmed previous pictures of deprivation in the district but went further to suggest that an additional 2% of households across the district may be on the edge of poverty and thus less resilient to the downturn. More generally, the population is continuing to grow steadily. Latest figures estimate the resident population of Wakefield District at 325,57, making the District the 18 th largest local authority in England and Wales. By 232 it is estimated there will be an additional 47,6 people living in the District. Other key changes since the autumn 211 State of the District Report include: GCSE attainment levels are continuing to rise. In 211, 57% of pupils taking GCSE s achieved five or more passes at grades A*-C including English and maths, a similar result to that across England as a whole. Participation in education post-16 is also increasing. The number of people going to university has gone up, but the rate remains below the national average. 3

5 The overall number of new homes completed fell from 1,61 in 21/11 to 878 in 211/12, but the number of affordable homes completed rose from 258 to 345. It is predicted, however, that this trend will slow down as the National Affordable Housing Programme draws to a close and the replacement programme begins at a lower level. The number of homelessness applications has been rising, from 463 in 21/11 to 688 in 211/12. Overall, crime levels remain fairly static, with a rise of 1% in 211/12. Within this headline, however, there was 12% fall in violent crime and a 16% increase in other theft, which includes shoplifting and a lot of the metal theft that is recorded. There continue to be gradual improvements in life expectancy, although this is lower than the national average and there is variation around the District. Survey data show perceptions of rubbish and litter lying around have improved (down from 49% to 44% of people saying this was a problem), as have perceptions of young people hanging around and being disruptive or a nuisance (down from 43% to 39% of people saying this was a problem). It has been over a year since the last decennial census was taken, but by the time this State of the District report is next refreshed (October 212) the first 211 Census data will have been published, analysis of this detailed resource will have begun and initial findings should be ready to be shared. 4

6 POPULATION PROFILE Wakefield District covers some 35 square kilometres and forms one of five districts which make up the county of West Yorkshire. The main centres of population are Wakefield city; the five towns of the north east (Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley, Normanton and Featherstone); Ossett and Horbury in the west and Hemsworth, South Elmsall and South Kirkby in the south-east. There are also scattered villages in the open countryside. Overall, 7% of the district is designated as Green Belt. Population Size The size of the resident population of Wakefield District is estimated 1 to be 325,57, making the District the 18 th largest local authority in England and Wales (mid-21 estimates). Recent changes to migration estimates 58 suggest there may be a further 2,6 people resident in the district and this will be clarified when the 211 census results start to be published in July 212. As is typical nationally, the Wakefield age profile (Figure 1) shows the effect of baby-boom years of the 195s and 196s and greater numbers of women in older age than men. Overall numbers are projected to keep on increasing, albeit more slowly than elsewhere in the region, with improved life expectancy resulting in a greater proportion of the population being made up of people in older age groups (see outline in Figure 1). When compared with many other metropolitan districts Wakefield s age profile has smaller than average proportions of people in the late-teen, early 2 s age bands. This reflects the absence of any sizeable university presence within Wakefield District. In large university cities such as Leeds, by contrast, increasing levels of participation in higher education in recent decades have created a population where 17.3% of people are aged 16-24, compared to 11.3% in Wakefield District. (projection for 232 outlined) female male Wakefield has a relatively small ethnic minority population. The 21 census recorded that 96.7% of people identified themselves as White British, 1.4% of people described their ethnicity as Asian or Asian British and 1.1% described their ethnicity as White Irish or White Other. Estimates from 29 show that the proportion of the population not White British have grown from 3.3% in 21 to 7% of the total population , 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, people aged -84 Figure 1 Population age profile As people move around for work, leisure and shopping so the size and geography of the population changes by time, day and season. The 21 census showed that 26,7 people aged were living in neighbouring local authority districts but travelling into Wakefield District to work, while 33, residents of Wakefield commuted the other way. Economic migrants from the expanded European Union, particularly Poland, have also swelled the population since 24, although the numbers of new arrivals have fallen in the last couple of years 3. The size of the asylum seeker population has also fallen markedly in 5

7 recent years, to just 135 people in December 211, down from 565 people at the beginning of Population Change The latest projections suggest that Wakefield s population will continue to grow and to age 5. The older population is forecast to increase by around 3% over the next 25 years when mortality among the last of the baby-boom population will slow the increases down. Forecasts suggest year-on-year increases in the young population over the next decade. The working age population will also increase as a result of changes to State Pension Age (SPA), particularly as women start to see their state retirement age move from 6 to 65 years. By 222 it is estimated there will be an additional 29,6 people living in the District an increase of 9% from the 21 mid-year estimate. And by 232 it is estimated there will be an additional 47,6 people living in the District compared to 21. This will comprise, 5,3 more people aged to 19 9, more people aged 2 to 64 33,3 more people aged 65 and over Although these projections have been published recently (March 212) they are likely to be revised again later this year when population figures from the 211 Census are published. The expansion of the European Union in 24 produced an increase in economic migrants coming to Wakefield. The majority of these have come from Poland, with smaller numbers from Slovakia and Latvia and the other new EU countries. The migrants have tended to be young, single people planning to stay for a relatively short time and the majority have found low-skilled, low-paid employment in warehouses and distribution centres. The numbers of migrants registering for the first time for a National Insurance (NI) Number 59 or with a GP 61 peaked in 27/8 and then fell back (Figure 2). In 21/11, however, there was an increase again in people applying for NI numbers NI GP registrations /11 29/1 28/9 27/8 26/7 25/6 24/5 23/4 22/3 Figure 2 Recent upturn in registrations for NI from migrants. 6

8 Poverty As is the case across the country there are parts of the Wakefield District where people tend to be poorer, or less healthy, or more likely to be out of work than people from other parts of the District. In the past, the district has benefited from regional and European funding support and grow and the local economy and regenerate some of the district s poorest areas. With significant cuts in public expenditure and funding resources becoming scarcer, however, there is a need to develop more efficient ways of supporting and tackling the issues that adversely affect the wellbeing of the district and its communities. In February 212, the Wakefield Commission for Poverty and Prosperity was brought together to support the development of the district; and to draw on the knowledge and experiences of academics, practitioners, business and community leaders and local residents to examine important local issues. The purpose of the Commission is to consider what might be done to reduce poverty and increase prosperity in the district. The Commission s report will be published in the summer, 212. In addition to this local initiative, poverty and its effects continue to be analysed at the national level, with new attention being turned to how best to define and measure poverty. The Guardian newspaper conducted its own research using the Mosaic consumer segmentation data from Experian. When ranked against other English local authorities many of the positions for Wakefield were similar to those shown by the Government s own Indices of Deprivation (see below), but the new analysis goes further and estimates that an additional 2% of households across the district could be on the edge of poverty. Index of Multiple Deprivation 21 The English Indices of Deprivation are the most detailed and frequently used measure of deprivation. The main measure is called the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and it is calculated for every neighbourhood in England every three years. It combines many variables on subjects such as income, employment, education, crime and housing. The IMD 21 has been published recently and shows that conditions have improved for some of the District s most deprived areas relative to deprivation elsewhere in England. At the district level Wakefield is now the 67 th most deprived district in England (out of 326 districts). The IMD 21 also shows that 4,459 people in the District are living in neighbourhoods amongst the top-1% most deprived in England. This is 12.5% of the District s population 6, down from 14.6% of the population in 27. The geography of multiple deprivation is shown in Figure 3. Amongst the district s 12 Priority Neighbourhoods which were defined using the IMD 27 the IMD 21 showed significant improvements in the Moorthorpe, Westfield & Broad Lane, South Elmsall Priority Neighbourhood. The core area of the Broad Lane and Westfield estates still fulfils the Priority Neighbourhood selection criteria, but today it is less likely that a case would be made to also include the two adjacent areas within the Priority Neighbourhood boundary, as IMD conditions in both have improved significantly. There was little change in the amount of deprivation among the other Priority Neighbourhoods and there remains a strong case for them retaining their status. The original start-point for the Priority Neighbourhood selection criteria was the top-1% most 7

9 deprived neighbourhoods in the district. With the IMD 21 this list now includes the Peacock estate, Wakefield, and the Woodhouse estate, Normanton. Figure 3 Index of Multiple Deprivation 21 8

10 EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS Wakefield Together pledge to create job opportunities, raise skill levels and help local people into employment Employment In 21 there were 135,4 people employed at workplaces within the Wakefield District and of these over 68% were working full-time, which is very similar to the national average 7. A further 5,8 people were working in the District as sole traders/proprietors, partners and directors. Despite challenging economic conditions employment growth occurred in some sectors, including warehousing and support services; business support activities; food manufacturing; and civil engineering. The latest estimate of the employment rate of residents aged is 69.1% 9 which is close to the regional (67.9%) and national (7.2%) rates. The District employment rate for people aged 5-64 and 65+ has not yet changed by an amount that we can say is significant but nationally there have been measurable increases in recent years in the employment rate of people in older age groups. Benefits Over the year to May 212, the number of people out of work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) in Wakefield increased by 11.3% to 9,718 people. Reasons for the rise include changes for single mothers in the benefits system, moving from Income Support to JSA and a steep increase in youth unemployment. The District s JSA claimant rate (4.6%) is slightly lower than the regional rate (4.8%), but remains higher than the national rate (3.9%) 1. The overall worklessness rate is significantly higher when other working age benefits such as Incapacity Benefit and Income Support are also taken into account. The latest available figures (November 211) show that 15% of working age residents are claiming key out of work benefits of one sort or another in Wakefield District, compared to 13% and 12% for the 16 region and Great Britain respectively. The trend 15 shows that claiming levels have still to recover Wakefield back to pre-downturn levels (Figure 4) and 14 marked differences remain within the District (Figure 5). 13 Ill health is a major cause of worklessness in the District with 9% (18,53) of working age residents claiming Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance (IB/ESA) compared to 7% in the region and nationally. The majority (63%) of IB/ESA claimants in Wakefield have been claiming for more than five years. The impending welfare benefit reforms Figure 4 Trend in claiming out of work benefits. will mean that many residents will lose their entitlement to Incapacity Benefit entirely or will transfer to Jobseekers Allowance. A study by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research estimates that the reform of incapacity benefits will lead to 7,7 fewer people being 9 % of working age people Feb 27 GB Aug 27 Feb 28 Aug 28 Feb 29 Aug 29 Feb 21 Aug 21 Feb 211 Aug 211

11 eligible, of whom more than 4,4 will be denied benefit entirely 57. Combined with the new requirement on many incapacity claimants to engage in work-related activity, the increase in compulsory labour market engagement will be around 6,6 people. Figure 5 Wide variations across District in working age benefit claiming, August 211. Economy and Business The size of the employment base ranks Wakefield as the 27 th largest local authority in England (out of 326) in terms of jobs 1. Latest available figures show the number of active businesses in the Wakefield district peaked at 8,9 in 29 but fell by 195 (2%) between 29 and 21 which is close to the national trend (1.8%). Prior to the downturn, business growth in Wakefield had been strong with significant increases year on year up to 27. Between 24 and 29 the number of active enterprises in Wakefield increased by 737 representing a growth rate of 9% which compares favourably to the regional (6.3%) and national (8.3%) rates. The commercial property occupancy rates as measured by business rates has shown a very slight drop overall but this masks variations Knottingley showed a 1.6% improvement in occupancy rates whilst the south east, Wakefield, Castleford and Pontefract all showed a reduction of half a percentage point or more. Health is the largest employment sector in the District, as it is nationally. By contrast, the proportion of people working in transport and storage is somewhat higher than the national rate and the proportion of people working in professional, scientific and technical jobs is lower (Table 1). Although there has been a decline in the number of manufacturing jobs, at 11%, the proportion employed in Wakefield remains higher than the national average. Around 26% of jobs are located in the public sector compared to 22% nationally in 21. 1

12 Total employment (incl. sole proprietors) GB employment profile (%) % of total Standard Industry Classification Wakefield Health 2, Manufacturing 15, Retail 15, Education 11, Transport & storage 11, Business administration & support 11, Public administration & defence 1, Accommodation & food services 8, Wholesale 8, Construction 7, Arts, entertainment, recreation & other 5, Professional, scientific & technical 5, Motor trades 3, Information & communication 2, Property 2, Mining, quarrying & utilities 1, Financial & insurance 1, Agriculture, forestry & fishing Table 1 Employment by industry breakdown similar to national profile. Source: BRES 21 The median annual gross earnings of full-time workers employed at workplaces in the Wakefield District in 211 were 27,353 for men and 19,58 for women and were 4.6% and 19% lower than the national median for men and women respectively 11. The median weekly gross pay of part-time workers in Wakefield District in 21 was around one-third that of full-time workers. Education and Skills The academic qualification levels of the District s population are highest among the younger age groups and lowest among the older age groups. This pattern is common nationally but at the time of the 21 census all age groups in the District had lower qualification profiles than the national average. There have been significant improvements in attainment levels of young people in recent years (Figure 6), although inequalities across the District persist. % of pupils Wakefield England In 211, 57.4% of pupils taking GCSEs achieved five or more passes at grades A*-C including GCSE English and maths, compared to 58.2% across England as a whole 12. Thus the District has fallen behind the national average, unlike last year when the District was slightly ahead (by.6%). 3 26/7 27/8 28/9 29/1 21/11 Figure 6 Improving GCSE results. In 211, girls in the district did better at their GCSEs than boys, 6% to 54%, much as they 11

13 tend to at earlier key stages. However, the gender gap has narrowed for the past three years and is 2% lower than the gender gap nationally. Measures of progress have become more prominent in the last few years. Currently pupils are expected to make at least three national curriculum levels of progress between the end of primary school and the end of secondary school at age 16, in both English and maths. Over the last six years, Wakefield s pupils have made progress in English at about the national rate but have fallen behind on the percentage making expected progress in maths (Figure 7). % of pupils progressing 3 levels English % of pupils progressing 3 levels Maths England Figure 7 Good progress with English, less so with maths. The Government has also introduced basic attainment targets for the ends of Key Stage (KS) 2 (year 6) and KS4 (year 11). Currently all Wakefield s secondary schools are above the KS4 target but 23% of primary schools are below the KS2 target, compared to 1% of schools nationally 12. At all the Key Stages there are differences in attainment between pupils eligible or not eligible for free school meals, and the gap widens as children get older. When Wakefield s pupils took their GCSEs in 211, only 31% of those eligible for a free school meal achieved 5+ A*-C passes including English and maths, compared to 6% of those pupils not eligible, a 1 gap of 29% points. The gap is wider than last 95 year but the trend over the past five years is 9 downwards. The equivalent gap at KS2 (%L4+ English and maths) was 22% points, and the 85 trend is also downward. Results continue to 8 improve for both groups of pupils, but the gaps 75 persist. There is a similar persistent attainment gap across England as a whole. 7 At the end of Year 11 the majority of pupils opt to continue in full-time education or training 13 and this proportion has continued to grow (Figure 8). The gap with the England rate continues to narrow. The RPA (Raising the Participation Age) process means that children now 12 % of 16 year olds Figure 8 More pupils staying on in education or training after Year 11.

14 in Y1 will be expected to stay in education or training until they are 17 and younger children (Y9 or less) until they are 18. The numbers of people accepting places at higher education institutions has also increased in recent years (Figure 9). In 21/11 there were around 7,51 people domiciled from the Wakefield district engaged in higher education across the UK 14. The total includes more women than men the ratio is around 8:5. The latest data show that 1,285 people are currently engaged in postgraduate studies, up 21% from 27/8. In part this will be reflecting choices among undergraduates to further improve their skills and employment chances with a higher degree, and defer entering the currently depressed labour market. The next release of data will become available in January 213, and that should begin to indicate any impact from the increases in tuition fees. females 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, males 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, undergraduate postgraduate 21/11 29/1 28/9 27/8 21/11 29/1 28/9 27/8 Figure 9 Increasing participation in higher education. The Annual Population Survey shows that there are around 29,8 residents across the district without any educational qualification. The proportion of the working age population with higher qualifications is very low by national standards, with only 18% of all residents (37,6 people) qualified to NVQ4+ in 21. By comparison the Yorkshire and Humber figure was 26.4% and the national figure was 31%. This can be partly ascribed to the restructuring of the local economy around sectors which do not have the greatest demand for higher level skills. The Wakefield skills rate has improved over recent years, but the latest available data from the 21 Annual Population Survey shows the gap between Wakefield and Great Britain has widened, with Wakefield s NVQ4+ measure of skills now at 13 percentage points below the national average compared with 7 percentage points in

15 HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE Wakefield Together pledge to meet the housing needs of the District. Housing Stock In 212 there were 147,48 domestic properties across the District 15. The proportion of people that own their own home, either outright or with a mortgage, is not much below the England average 16 but renting from social landlords is a more common type of tenure than is seen nationally and private renting is less common (Table 2). Owned outright or with a mortgage Rented from a social landlord e.g WDH Rented from a private or other landlord Wakefield District 65% 28% 7% England 69% 19% 12% Table 2 Higher proportion of properties rented from social landlords. There is a broad spectrum of house types and house sizes across the District but Council Tax records show the majority of properties (71%) are in the lower-value bands A and B, compared to 64% and 44% for the region and England respectively. New Homes Although the economic downtown has affected new house completions there have been an increasing number of properties built by Registered Providers in the last few years to contribute towards meeting the increasing demand for affordable housing 52 (Figure 1, 211/12 data are provisional). It is predicted, however, that this trend will slow down as the National Affordable Housing Programme draws to a close, and the replacement Affordable Housing Programme begins at a lower level of funding.. In common with the national picture, the number of completed dwellings is below the Local Development Frameworkd (LDF) target and the number of starts has declined over the last few years. completions 1,6 1, /6 affordable private 26/7 27/8 28/9 29/1 21/11 211/12 Figure 1 Increasing amounts of affordable housing has been built. Housing Market The last couple of years have seen a marked slowdown in the owner-occupier housing market, with annual sales volumes less than half what they were 3 or 4 years ago. The slowdown, however, has been felt less in wards such as Altofts and Whitwood, Stanley and Outwood East, and Wakefield Rural; and felt most in wards such as Wakefield North and Normanton. 14

16 The affordability of housing is measured by comparing house prices with the amount of money people earn. In 21, the average house price 53 in the District was 142,19 and the median 54 price was 125,. In affordability terms, in 211, the median house price was 4.6-times the median earnings of people working full-time, down from 5.1-times the previous year, meaning housing became slightly more affordable. Back in 1997 the median price of a house was just 2.9-times median earnings. For people on lower incomes, in 211 the ratio of bottom quartile house prices to bottom quartile annual earnings 56 was 4.7-times, down from 5.1-times in 21 and down from 6.2 four years ago. This reduction in the ratio of house prices to incomes has not however meant that more people are able to afford to buy a home, as changes in the mortgage lending policies of banks and building societies to require large deposits and lend at lower multiples of people s incomes have meant that fewer mortgages have been granted. In particular the number of first time buyers getting mortgages is at an historic low. Repossessions of properties owned with a mortgage peaked in 28 and have since fallen back 84. The trend in Wakefield has been the same as that seen nationally (Figure 11). The economic downturn and subsequent recession were key factors in the peak. The upward trend, however, began in 23, and was fuelled by rising interest rates and the knock-on impact this had on mortgage repayments. There are some indications that repossession levels are rising again as banks and building societies increase the interest rates on mortgages to build up their own capital reserves, as required by Government. The long-term trend in landlord repossessions has been downward, but has risen slightly in the last couple of years across the country as a whole. orders made per 1, households mortgage possessession Wakefield Yorkshire and Humber England orders made per 1, households landlord possession Figure 11 Repossession trends. Housing Quality In 25 around 73% of social rented properties met the Government s Decent Homes Standard but today over 98% of Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) properties now meet or exceed this standard 62. At the end of 211 the WDH Tenant Satisfaction Survey showed that 89% of tenants were satisfied with the overall condition of their home 63. In the private housing sector the poorest property condition is found in the private rented sector and in homes built before In the last survey 2.5% of homes were assessed as unfit, and 19% of homes would not meet the Government s decency standard. There are concentrations of these types of homes in particular wards in the district, including 15

17 Featherstone, Castleford Central and Glasshoughton, Wakefield North, Hemsworth and Airedale and Ferry Fryston, and it is in these areas that the Council does most of its work with owners and landlords to support them in improving the condition of their homes. Homelessness Homelessness affects a wide variety of people with some groups of people more vulnerable to homelessness because they have fewer rights, particular needs or are less able to cope by themselves. The last few years have been some small increases in the numbers of people being accepted as homeless and in priority need. In 29/1 there were 158 homelessness acceptances within the District but this figure remains low compared with the regional and England rates 21. However, more recent and unpublished local data is showing that the number of homelessness applications has been rising steeply, from 463 in 21/11 to 688 in 211/12. In common with national patterns 22 a disproportionate number of Wakefield s homeless people are from ethnic minority groups. Changes to Government policy on housing and benefits may create further homelessness pressures, and local analysis has estimated, for example, that around 35 people in the district are likely to see their housing benefit restricted to less than the rent for the private rented home they currently live in because people under 35 will only be able to receive housing benefit on the basis of the cost of renting a room in a shared house. Other changes to housing and benefits policy are summarised in the Looking Forward section at the end of the report. National analysis shows that over the last 1 years an increasing number of young people have been living with their parents. Figures published in the press suggest the that 23% of people aged 2-34 in Wakefield are living this way 88 the same as the national average but the data, taken from the Labour Force Survey, are not statistically reliable at the district level. Transport Wakefield has good transport links to the wider region and UK, being served by the M1 and M62 motorways and an extensive network of rail and bus services. Levels of car ownership in the District are in line with those for the region but are below national rate. More people use their cars to travel to work in Wakefield than in the region as a whole and nationally (Table 3), and journeys tend to be longer. This is likely to reflect the dispersed nature of settlements in the District. Nevertheless, the 21 census showed that 41% of people travelled less that 5km to work each day. % of employed people aged Mode of transport Wakefield District Yorkshire and Humber England By car On foot By bus By train By motorbike By bicycle Table 3 Methods of travelling to work, census

18 HEALTH Wakefield Together pledge to reduce health inequalities between different parts of the District. Life Expectancy Over recent years there have been gradual improvements to the life expectancy in the Wakefield District. Based on the latest 28-1 calculations, male children born today can expect to live to the age of 77, compared to around 78.5 years of age across England as a whole. As is the pattern nationally, women are expected to live longer than men, to about the age of 81. This compares to a national life expectancy amongst women to 82.5 (Figure 11). life expectancy at birth (years) Despite the progress overall, there are Figure 11 Increasing life expectancy. significant differences that exist within the District. An analysis technique called the slope index of inequality is a reliable method of assessing gaps. This shows, using 28-1 data and the 21 Index of Multiple Deprivation, that males born today in the most deprived parts of the district (top 1%) can expect to live 9.9 years less than their more affluent counterparts. For females the gap is 7.9 years. There is also evidence to suggest that this gap is widening 23. Wakefield loses a disproportionately large amount of its life-years in the most deprived communities to chronic heart disease (CHD), lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and particularly in men chronic liver disease 64. Although it is not known for certain what led to these early deaths, the likely causes smoking, poor diet, low exercise, excessive drinking are known, and are all preventable. Added to this, there are concerns that although people are living longer the number of years that people remain healthy is not increasing at the same rate. Mortality Data for 28-1 show that given the age profile of Wakefield and the national annual mortality rate, for every 1 deaths that would be expected, 112 deaths actually occurred across the District 24. This expression is referred to as Wakefield s Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR) and is one measure of the poorer health outcomes seen in the District when compared to the national average (of 1). The Wakefield SMR is also slightly higher than the region s SMR (16) and our ONS cluster (19). Cancer incidence and mortality for Wakefield is higher than Yorkshire & Humber, other manufacturing towns, and England. This differs between the tumour sites, with lung cancer having a much higher incidence and mortality 67. All-age lung cancer mortality rates continue to improve slowly, but are well above the national rate and unless smoking rates 17

19 are reduced then deaths from lung cancer will continue to place a burden on the local health economy and impact upon both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy 64. Similarly, mortality rates for COPD are higher than the national average. Mortality rates from cardio vascular disease (CVD) are significantly higher than the national rate, but have decreased by 48.1% since There is a definite correlation between deprivation and CVD mortality and this problem is much higher in the twelve Priority Neighbourhoods. The absolute gap in CVD mortality between the most-deprived and least-deprived local areas has decreased by 2.1% between 21 and 29 (for persons under 75 years) 68. The number of people dying from heart attacks (all age CHD mortality) has slightly reduced from the 26-8 level of 1.5 per 1, to 94.7 per 1, in The number of people dying prematurely from heart attacks and strokes (under-75s CVD mortality) has slightly reduced from the 26-8 level of 9.6 per 1, to 85.3 per 1, in The infant mortality rate for the 3-year period was 5.2 deaths per 1, live births 25. This was slightly better than the regional rate (5.5) but above the England rate(4.7). Inequalities Inequalities in life expectancy reflect variations and inequalities across a wide range of health determinants and lifestyles, many of which correlate with the levels of deprivation found within Wakefield. To explore these relationships, the 21 Wakefield District Health Equity Audit 26 uses a method called the Relative Slope Index (RSI) to show the degree of inequality, with higher RSI values representing greater inequalities. Inequalities are greatest for diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) but much less for conditions such as stroke (Table 4), but the inequalities for associated lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol are higher still. Prevalence in GP-registered population 2% least 2% most deprived deprived areas areas England Relative Slope Index Smoking Alcohol admissions - males COPD Diabetes Coronary heart disease High blood pressure Stroke Table 4 Inequalities for selected diseases and determinants. 18

20 Lifestyle Choices The onset of some of the common health problems can be prevented by making better lifestyle choices. Being overweight, smoking and consuming too much alcohol can all increase the risk of a wide range of chronic diseases. Local health data show that less than one third of all adults aged over 2 in Wakefield District have a normal Body Mass Index (BMI). Problems with being overweight or obese are more common among people in middle age and there is a strong correlation between obesity and deprivation 23. National survey results show that smoking prevalence has been in gradual decline over the last 15 years although the reductions have slowed in the last few years. Estimates from showed that smoking levels by adults in Wakefield were significantly worse than the England average 28. Local survey data from 29 showed quite marked differences in adult smoking rates across the district 29, ranging from 29% of adults surveyed in Wakefield East ward and 28% in Knottingley ward, to just 12% in Wakefield Rural and Wrenthorpe and Outwood West wards. Most of Wakefield s health expenditures is dedicated to treating diseases that are already well established. Smoking cost the NHS in the UK 5.2 bn/year (25). In 21/11 Wakefield has 4,14 of 75,56 (5.3%) hospital admissions attributable to smoking costing NHS Wakefield District approx 7.2m or 19 per head of population. The latest reports show that 615 adults died in 21 from diseases that can be caused by smoking. Excessive and unsafe use of alcohol is also a problem within the district and this can significantly affect the health of those who drink excessively and can also affect their families and the wider community. Approximately 14.5% of the adult population across the District are estimated to be drinking at hazardous or harmful levels and men are more than twice as likely women to drink excessively 23. These local figures are likely to underestimate consumption, but they also show the unemployed are significantly more likely to be drinking at higher levels than people who work. At the same time, however, there is also above average amounts hazardous or harmful drinking in the more affluent Ossett and Wakefield Rural wards. Synthetic estimates of the proportion (%) of adults who consume at least twice the daily recommended amount of alcohol in a single drinking session (that is, 8 or more units for men and 6 or more units for women), suggest that Wakefield is significantly worse (26.1% of adults) than the national average. Under-18s admissions to hospital due to alcohol specific conditions (28-1) 88.1 per 1, are higher than the national rate of 62.2, although this does not include attendance at A&E 65. Children and Young People Ensuring the health of children is central to efforts to improve the health of the population as a whole and to help tackle inequalities. The Wakefield Children and Young Person s Strategic Needs Assessment 43 pulls together a wide range of information from different organisations for the first time, a selection of which are presented below. Data show that smoking during pregnancy is a significant problem in Wakefield, with 23% of women from Wakefield District smoking at the time of delivery compared to regional and 19

21 national figures of 16% and 13% respectively 25. Smoking during pregnancy can cause increased risks of miscarriage, reduced birth weight and death at birth. The proportion of babies with a low birth weight (below 2.5kg) is not significantly different from the England average but low birth weight is much more common among mothers from the most deprived parts of the District. Across the District a whole in 29/1, 61% of mothers in Wakefield were initiating breastfeeding at birth, compared to 73% of mothers across England 25. The latest figures (29/1) on childhood weight 27 show that levels of obesity are now close to the England average (Figure 12). 74% of pupils in their reception year are a healthy weight and 66% of pupils in Year 6. The reception year measurements are very slightly below the England rate (76%) but the Year 6 figure is about the average; neither set of results are significantly different from the previous year. The teenage conception rate for women aged under-18 in Wakefield has shown some improvements in recent single years but the general trend (24-26 compared to 27-29) has been fairly static locally, regionally and nationally. The Wakefield rate for the last 3-year period was 51.7 conceptions per 1, women aged 15-17, compared to a rate of 4.3 for England and Wales as a whole. Walking and cycling to school can be a good way of building exercise into children s daily routine and can help reduce the risk of becoming overweight. In 28/9, more children aged 5-1 (56.2% of children) walked to school than children aged (5% of children), but then journeys to primary schools tend to be shorter. Cycling to school is more usual among older pupils but is still not common (only 1.6% of journeys for pupils aged 11-15) 43. The walking rates have improved in recent years (Figure 13) and are similar to the national average Trends in the numbers of children killed or seriously injured on the District s roads have been gradually downward over the last six years (Figure 14). Of the 18 children killed or 2 rate per 1, population % Figure 12 Childhood obesity near England average Wakefield /7 27/8 28/9 29/1 Figure 13 Percent of children who walk to school. Region Figure 14 Children killed or seriously injured on the roads.

22 seriously injured in 21, 13 were pedestrians and 3 were riding bicycles 31. The district rate of children killed or seriously injured is similar to the regional average. The 29 Annual Report on Child Deaths in Wakefield showed that all five deaths of people aged in that year were the result of road traffic accidents. Mental Health Poor mental health and well-being can have an impact on every area of a person s life; physical health, education, employment, family, relationships, and the effects can last a lifetime. According to local data from September 29, there were 817 children known to the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinic (1.73% of the school population) and 1,615 children were known to have Behavioural, Emotional and Social Discord (BESD) needs. Whilst the number of children with statements relating to ADHD has remained static since 26, there has been an almost doubling of children with statements as a result of BESD over the same period 43. Wakefield s Year 6 children and young people stated in the Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire that SATS/Tests, crime and family problems were the problems that worried them the most, with females generally being more worried than males about these issues. In Year 1, the problems that worried males and females the most were exams and tests and the way they look, with females being almost twice as worried as males in these areas. The top six issues were consistent between males and females. Three out of the six issues were relationship based 43. Common mental disorders (CMDs) are mental conditions that cause marked emotional distress and interfere with daily function, but do not usually affect insight or cognition. They comprise different types of depression and anxiety, and include obsessive compulsive disorder. National research shows that 19.7% of women and 12.5% of men meet the criteria for at least one CMD. From this finding it is estimated that there are currently 32,9 people in Wakefield who have such a disorder 85. Nationally, approximately one in five people over the age of 8 are predicted to suffer from dementia. In addition, it is likely that there will be an increase in the younger age group possibly associated with long term heavy drinking and drug use 89. Applying Dementia UK s prevalence rates to population projections suggests that the number of people in the district over the age of 65 with dementia will rise from 3,7 to 6,9 by Local data from the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) recorded that dementia prevalence in the district was close to the national median. Prevalence of the more severe mental health conditions is on average lower than the England average but is higher within the city centre and our priority neighbourhoods (HEA, 21). Suicide rates are not expected to rise based on demographic change. They have not reacted to the 27/8 economic shocks, but it is not known whether the continuing economic problems will impact on the likelihood of suicide. 21

23 COMMUNITY SAFETY Wakefield Together pledge to continue to make the District safer by reducing the level of crime and anti social behaviour. Crime The District s crime rate fell significantly between 25/6 and 29/1, but since then the trend has been fairly static (Figure 15). The provisional figures for 211/12 show that recorded crime as a whole rose by 1% compared to the previous year. Data for England and Wales will be published in July 212. Among the changes during 211/12 were, violence fell 12% (575 fewer crimes) other burglary fell 7% (159 fewer phones) criminal damage fell 7% (38 fewer crimes) vehicle crime rose 4% (124 more crimes) domestic burglary rose 7% (121 more crimes) other theft rose 16% (1,39 more offences) crimes per 1, population Wakefield England and Wales Figure 14 The all-crime trend has become fairly static. 25/6 26/7 27/8 28/9 29/1 21/11 211/12 Figure 15 Reductions in crime have slowed. Crimes involving domestic violence also fell by 15% in 211/12 and the overall number of domestic abuse incidents (4,256 in 211/12) fell by 5%. Nevertheless, current domestic violence rates are still higher than they were three years ago. Alcohol can be a contributory factor for many types of offence, but particularly for violent crimes. Assessing the scale of this problem is not straightforward, but estimates based on information from the police crime logs suggest there has been a 24% reduction in alcoholrelated crime over the past year (747 fewer crimes), following a 7% reduction the year before. The reasons could be many and varied and need further analysis. There are variations in the risk of becoming a victim of crime depending on where in the District people live. During 211/12 the rates of arson, violent crime and criminal damage were both twice as high in the Priority Neighbourhoods compared to elsewhere in the District (Figure 16). offences per 1, pop All burglary P.N.'s offences per 1, pop Theft of/from vehicles P.N.'s offences per 1, pop Criminal damage 11/12 1/11 9/1 8/9 7/8 6/7 5/6 11/12 1/11 9/1 8/9 7/8 6/7 5/6 11/12 1/11 9/1 8/9 7/8 6/7 5/6 22