Poverty in Northampton report: How the Hope Centre found 'super poverty' in the town among other concerns

A mix of fear, suspicion and lack of communication between groups have been pointed to as significant causes of poverty
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After the launch of Northampton Hope Centre's 'Poverty in Northampton' report (March 9), which unearthed what they called "super poverty" amongst mostly BAME and ethnic minority communities in the town, this newspaper has read through the document to see what the report found and what the authors think should be done.

The report was conducted by retired CofE Bishop Andrew Proud and written by Emma Matthews, who is currently doing humanitarian work in Jordan.

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They were also assisted by Robin Burgess, CEO of the Hope Centre and Anne Wankiiri, the chair of Northampton's United African Association, who both spoke at the report's launch to an audience including two Labour councillors.

Pictured: Northampton Hope Centre on Campbell Street.Pictured: Northampton Hope Centre on Campbell Street.
Pictured: Northampton Hope Centre on Campbell Street.

Enquiries were restricted to just Northampton town because the Index of Multiple Deprivation in 2019, (datasets within the UK used to classify the relative deprivation of small areas), found that 31 out of 32 most deprived areas in West Northamptonshire were found in Northampton.

Through a mix of fieldwork, "both group and individual" that involved workshops with various communities, and "desktop research" the report listened chiefly to people who are "the most marginalised", especially black, Asian and EU groups, "whose needs were greatest of all", according to the report.

From their testimonies, the report found that the combination of Covid-19 and cuts to Universal Credit had left many people struggling financially. This has reportedly caused a significant increase in the use of food aide, especially for those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) such as for legal proceedings.

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The report said: "Poverty is a significant problem in our community. The impact of such levels of poverty and deprivation have been shown to be devastating.

"The scale of need has increased sharply during the pandemic, as people have lost sources of income, and living costs have continued to increase. It was therefore unsurprising that a large number of the review’s participants across the communities and groups were reliant on food aid of some sort.

"Even as Covid-19 restrictions ease, demand for their services remains higher than pre-pandemic, suggesting that the proportion of people facing poverty continues to rise.

"The destitution experienced by some of those with the no recourse to public fund condition, highlights the importance of Universal Credit in acting as a safety net for many households.

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"However, the assessment showed that increased living costs and the rise in food prices, have made it challenging for households to live sustainably off Universal Credit in the longer-term, with many spending all the money they receive each month."

At its worst, the report describes "super poverty" where people are left with no income at all, unable to access funds from Government support and reportedly vulnerable to exploitation by those who will take advantage. Predominantly, this affected people who were scared of being deported if they made themselves known to authorities.

Other issues included poor literacy and language skills being key contributors to people not feeling able to engage with the system, often instead relying on word of mouth within their communities which can often be wrong or misleading.

Minority communities also reported feeling "overlooked" by authorities, as they felt they lacked any direct contact between the authorities, like the council, and their societies.

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Combined with an inherited distrust in those from former-communist nations like Poland and Lithuania, the report claims these have made cooperation between the two groups minimal.

However, the report also unearthed attitudes and practices within certain communities that are reportedly hindering, or even worsening their own situation.

Perhaps most concerning was a practice exposed in certain predominantly African and Somali churches where worshippers are heavily pressured to donate, at times, hundreds of pounds, even when they can barely afford rent.

Anne Wankiiri reportedly noted how "it is common for people to give £50 a week, with some giving as much as £200 or £300 per Sunday". There is said to be "huge pressure" for people to donate, with donations often called out publicly at church, placing pressure on those who cannot afford to.

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One respondent said: “There is one story that is very sad, this woman got evicted from their council property… I saw them go to a particular church, and they pay money. The church does these fundraising things, where they say 1we want people to give a thousand, we want people to give this' asking people to pay five hundred, when meanwhile they can’t pay their rent. Why do you have to take money from these vulnerable people? This is what I am fighting.”

The authors hope that by bringing these issues to light, they can produce a unified approach that will, hopefully, bring the marginalised back to the mainstream.