Key Theme Four

Key Theme 4: Optimising independence and wellbeing: employment, welfare benefit take-up and reducing poverty.

This section of the strategy tells you:

1. What we have identified as the key priorities relating to this theme;
2. Why we have identified these key priorities;
3. What we plan to do to make a positive difference.

Many of the plans set out in this and other themes in the Ageing Well strategy are ambitious, and will require close and effective partnerships across a range of local organisations from the statutory, community and private sectors and, crucially, with local communities for these ambitions to be realised.

This theme is primarily focused on ensuring that people, as they grow older, continue to have opportunities to access the employment market and that whether in or out of work and after retiring people are supported to access the full range of benefits to which they are entitled. The council intends developing an anti-poverty strategy, which will expand on the priorities and actions set out under this theme.

Update Spring 2018

A number of interviews were held in 2017 with external providers including:

• LinkAge+
• members of Tower Hamlets Community Advice Network, Local Link
• Tower Hamlets Health & Advice Links Project
• Toynbee Hall
• Bromley by Bow and
• Groundwork

Similar interviews were held with council services such as Idea Stores, customer service, Anti Poverty Taskforce and WorkPath to discuss and explore what works regarding uptake of benefits, especially Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments, access to employment support, food and fuel poverty, what could be improved and what were the gaps in service provisions and reaching certain parts of the older people in Tower Hamlet, - such as older older people, those who are housebound, of BME background.

These interviews are shaping the action plan as did participation in the Anti Poverty Taskforce reference group meetings. The action plan is currently still in development.

• Action Plan
• Anti Poverty Action Plan (in development)
• JSNA Summary factsheet (see section on wider determinants of health, p4 and 15)
• Demography and deprivation in Southwark and Tower Hamlets
• JRF poverty report
• Enterprise strategy
• Employment strategy
• Economic strategy (in development)
• Growth strategy (in development)

For further information, please contact Maria.Kaustrater@towerhamlets.gov.uk, 020 7364 5163.