Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy

We know how important it is to give people the power to make the most of their money and their lives, to give people a fair chance and reduce the stress faced by people moving between benefit entitlements and work. An essential part of this is to tackle inequality so people of all ages have a fair chance and receive an income sufficient for healthy living.

Like most other countries around us, the UK has voluntarily subscribed to international legal standards that declare that everyone is entitled to an adequate standard of living, including healthy food and decent housing.

The action we will take

We will:

• commission and provide advice, information and guidance which is local and meets individuals needs
• promote the real living wage and agile and flexible working to employers
• maximise household income and improve financial skills to increase financial wellbeing across all age groups including pensioners
• encourage the availability of Credit Union facilities for all our communities
• support community-based initiatives and plural forms of ownership that aim to ensure a more sustainable community approach to living
• advocate for vulnerable people and communities to reduce differences in access to local services
• implement the socio-economic duty (Section 1 of the Equality Act, 2010)

We will deliver this through:

• Tackling Poverty in Gateshead Board
• Gateshead Strategic partners
• community wealth building
• North East Strategic Economic Plan
• VCSE networks including Connected Voice

We will know we have made a difference when:

• all working age residents receive a living wage that considers the true cost of healthy living
• individuals and families are supported to have the best possible financial wellbeing, to access debt and social welfare advice, to maximise household income and improve financial management skills
• affordable childcare is accessible to those who need it