Spotlight on... Worthing

From a small fishing village, Worthing became a stylish seaside resort in Georgian times, attracting wealthy holidaymakers from all over England. Today, Worthing is still a very popular tourist destination.

Worthing TP image

However, we learnt from our recent Tackling Poverty report that many Worthing residents are experiencing significant levels of deprivation. This is a common trend for most coastal communities in Sussex, where poverty rates are notably high.

In this article we focus on the main challenges affecting the town of Worthing and its residents.

A large number of rough sleepers

In Sussex, the top three Local Authorities for the number of people rough sleeping on a ‘typical night’ - by a significant margin are Brighton & Hove (41), Hastings (34), and Worthing (31).

Case study

SHOUT Worthing Soup Kitchen

SHOUT Worthing Soup Kitchen works with people experiencing homelessness, those in food poverty, and others living in temporary accommodations without cooking facilities. They provide a pop-up food bank alongside a food parcel service weekly for those in need. Talking about their latest project, they said: “The lives of those we support have improved by opening our hub. It has enabled those who were struggling and in food poverty to access food. We have been able to provide a selection of fresh food every Friday through our community fridge for those in need to access."

We recently heard the story of one of their beneficiaries:

“D is a young woman who had never worked and lived in one of our homeless projects in Worthing. She was younger than the other residents, had no work skills and lacked the confidence to approach a work situation. After a little encouragement D finally took the initiative and walked through our door. Under the careful guidance and tuition we provided, D gained a Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2 which eventually led her to secure a part time job in a local café. We are so proud of her. We have watched her learn, grow and blossom and she still will make time to volunteer here when she is free. This is the outcome we had hoped for.”

The challenge of fuel poverty

Fuel Poverty Table in Sussex

Sussex has a higher proportion of households in fuel poverty (9.6%) compared to the South East (8.6%) - the highest concentration can be found in the larger coastal towns,  where a relatively high number of old housing stock is likely to contribute to additional heating costs. As mentioned before, these areas also have a relatively high proportion of low-income households. Worthing has a percentage of 9.32% of households in fuel poverty (4,563).

Case study

Adur East Lions Club CIO

The Club supports those living locally who struggle with poverty and/or disadvantage. They run a project to financially support those in fuel poverty in the local community.

“I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for a while and the whole Covid/Cost of Living crisis just made me want to check out. No one’s life should be this hard every single day. A friend told me about the ‘fuel support’ available from the Lions Club. Once I was warm and eating well again, I felt able to call the fuel company. I still get letters threatening to take me to court but, were it not for that extra support, I may have never phoned up and negotiated an acceptable repayment plan.” (Beneficiary)

“I have been told of several instances where people were about to be cut off by their energy supplier. Through our support they were able to work out payment plans or other arrangements to keep them connected.”

(Member of staff)

Case Study

St Matthew’s Church Worthing

The Foundation’s grant helped St Matthew’s Church operating a “Warm Space Café” two days a week, offering a welcoming environment to the local community. They also opened a foodbank and provided weekly hot lunches during the school holidays.

“One of the ladies attending our café originally found out about us through our foodbank. She had a troubled past and was living in a women’s refuge in Worthing. At the café she met many of our regulars and has since said how much better life is for her through the friends she has made. She now helps as a volunteer for us, which is a remarkable turnaround for her.”

“Increased energy costs have had a huge impact on the church and without the Foundation’s support it is unlikely we could have continued to operate during the winter months and be designated as a ‘Warm Space’ by Worthing Council.” 

Member of staff at St Matthew's Church

High percentage of over 65 years

Worthing has a high percentage of over 65 years – 22.36%, which is significantly higher than in the South East (19.45%) and England (18.41%). With the projected population change between 2020 and 2040 showing the over 65 years jump up to 40.49%, this will have increasing impact in Worthing and right across Sussex.

Alongside these predicted increases, we are seeing potential drops in the 0-15 years population which are likely to present a set of challenges. From rising social care and poor health burdens, to issues involving the labour market, these challenges are likely to lead to further increases in poverty.

Case Study:

Time to Talk Befriending

Time to Talk Befriending are a frontline service aiming to support lonely and isolated older people aged 65 and above. They organise group meet ups and one-to-one intergenerational befriending, with enhanced support for people living with dementia and suffering from mental health issues. They work in Worthing, Adur and Brighton & Hove.

Image of mugs clinching


“After her husband’s death, Mavis was very isolated and felt extremely lonely. We matched Mavis with a befriending volunteer, Anna. Mavis said: ‘Things were lonely before, but now I have Anna. Anna feels like a kindred spirit, she lifts me up and brightens my day. It is especially lovely during school holidays when Anna brings her little girl along.' Mavis also loves attending our monthly social get together. It gives her a reason to get out of the house and meet people, and she particularly enjoys chatting with our staff and volunteers. The free transport gives her reassurance that she can get safely to the venue and home again.” (Member of staff)

"Our staff are spending a huge amount of time on signposting and referral services, which go beyond our traditional befriending model. We estimate that approximately 50% of this additional workload is down to the Cost of Living crisis and aftermath of the Covid pandemic, which has had a direct impact on our scheme members physical health, mental health and emotional wellbeing."

Member of staff

How you can help

Our Tackling Poverty report highlights the desperate need in parts of Sussex and tells the story of why more local giving is essential, to increase support for people in our county.

Get in touch with the Philanthropy team to discuss how you can help make a difference in Worthing and the surrounding area, or you can donate directly to our Tackling Poverty Fund here.

Spotlight on... Brighton & Hove

Many areas in Sussex rank among the 20% of neighbourhoods in England with the highest levels of deprivation. Our Tackling Poverty report found the highest levels of deprivation are around the Sussex coast, with the eight most underprivileged towns situated in coastal communities, including Brighton & Hove.

Brighton beach with two deck chairs and the west pier

First thoughts about Brighton & Hove tend to focus on the local artistic talents showcased at the creative Brighton Fringe and Festival; historic landmarks such as the iconic Royal Pavilion and the famous Brighton Pier; Georgian buildings along the seafront and of seagulls, Pride flags and fish and chips. An inclusive, free-thinking city in the heart of Sussex.

However, what many people don’t know is that Brighton & Hove has the second highest number of highly deprived areas of any Local Authority in Sussex (15 Lower Super Output Areas in the most deprived 10% nationally in 2019) and contains the third most deprived ward in the county, East Brighton.

Our Tackling Poverty Report highlights three main challenges communities in Brighton & Hove are experiencing:

Table showing initial assessments of homelessness circumstances - showing Brighton has higher levels than the rest of Sussex.

Homelessness

Brighton & Hove has the highest rate of households assessed as homeless in the county (1.44%) and is nearly double the national rate (0.66%). The city also has 0.89% of households threatened with homelessness, meaning it is likely that they will become homeless within 56 days. Both figures are significantly higher than England as a whole.

The report also found Brighton & Hove had the highest number in Sussex of rough sleepers on a typical night, at 41 people.

Pensioner poverty

Brighton & Hove has higher levels of pensioner poverty (15.3%) than the national average and contains the ward with the highest level of pensioner poverty - Queen’s Park. It is also the town with the largest number of households affected by fuel poverty in Sussex.

Poor outcomes for LGBTQ+ people

Brighton & Hove has the largest proportion of people identifying as ‘not straight or heterosexual’ out of all Local Authorities in England and Wales at 11.7%. This section of the population in Brighton & Hove is more likely to experience unemployment than in any other Local Authority in Sussex. 7.1% of people identifying as LGBTQ in the city are unemployed – higher than across any other town in Sussex and notably above the national average unemployment rate which is 2.9%.

Brighton & Hove has the highest number of people experiencing income deprivation and employment deprivation of any Local Authority in Sussex.

What’s happening on the ground?

At the Foundation, we’re proud to support and want to share some of the groups working in Brighton on the challenges highlighted by our Tackling Poverty report.   

Homelessness support - Clock Tower Sanctuary Brighton  

The Clock Tower Sanctuary is a day centre in Brighton & Hove providing vital practical and emotional support to 16-25-year-olds who are homeless and insecurely housed. They recently received a grant from the Foundation towards the cost of their Centre Manager.

“I started to come to The Clock Tower Sanctuary last year, but it’s helped turn my life around already. With the help of my caseworker, I’ve gone from emergency accommodation into a more permanent, supported accommodation, and I am now waiting to move into independent social housing. It’s so much more than just a place to come and have food or a shower. I now see potential in my life and feel that I’m on way towards a much better place.”

Esther, young person supported by  Clock Tower Sanctuary

LGBTQ+ support - The Ledward Centre

The Ledward Centre is an LGBTQ+ Centre that works to reduce social isolation and improve wellbeing by creating a safe, sober, social space, and organising opportunities for members from across the diverse LGBTQ+ communities. The centre has proved to be an important sober space, allowing a growing number of people to socialise in a safe supportive atmosphere. The community group received a grant last year towards the salary costs of a part-time centre manager and facilitator.

Group of people who were on the LGBTQ+ comedy course

The centre recently ran a beginner’s comedy course for LGBTQ+ women and those who are non-binary for six weeks where participants learnt methods and techniques to create a stand-up comedy set.

“These wonderful funny humans smashed their first gig in front of a live SOBER audience. Alongside performing stand-up, the participants have made a wonderful bond with each other, and the feedback has been amazing!”

Ali, comedy course creator and facilitator

Pensioner poverty - Food and Friendship

Food and Friendship brings people together through food. They exist to tackle loneliness in older, isolated people and adults with learning disabilities. They provide low-cost bi-weekly lunch clubs and evening cooking clubs facilitated by a large community volunteer team. The charity received a grant in March towards their core running costs.

People attending a Food and Friendship lunch around a table

“Too many older people live and eat alone in the city, having lost friends and loved ones. Our lunch clubs are like a large family for people who don't have one where they can enjoy a healthy home-cooked meal and come together to share friendship and laughter. They are a place to feel welcomed and valued, to learn something, to receive support and to help build the resilience to get through another week alone”.

Caroline, Founder

How you can help

Our Tackling Poverty report highlights the desperate need in parts of Sussex and tells the story of why more local giving is essential, to increase support for people in our county.

“The Cullum Family Trust fully recognises that the voluntary sector engages with the local community to help provide the essential, real support to fill the many gaps that are impacting the vulnerable and in particular the older members of our communities. These gaps are ever widening and are exacerbated by the lack of funds to deliver those vital support services that are so essential in what is often very challenging circumstances.”

Claire Cullum-Jay, Fundholder at the Foundation

Get in touch with the Philanthropy team to discuss how you can help make a difference in Brighton & Hove, or you can donate directly to our Tackling Poverty Fund here.

Spotlight on... Hastings

When we think about Sussex and the coastline, we picture summer holidays, fairgrounds and candy floss, fun games on the beach and sunny days. This may be the case for many holiday visitors, but the reality is there are multiple challenges facing the coastal communities here.

Our Tackling Poverty report highlights some of the issues these areas face, from an aging population and poor health and disabilities, to higher housing and living costs and limited job opportunities. The current Cost of Living crisis has only exacerbated the issue.

To explore this in more detail we are taking a focused look at the town of Hastings in East Sussex.

"The sense of community and resilience in Hastings is truly heartwarming. Despite the challenges highlighted in the report, it is uplifting to see dedicated staff and volunteers working tirelessly to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all residents. The generosity of our donors and supporters is also vital to make a positive impact in the local community, and make Sussex a great place to live for everyone." 

Kevin Richmond, CEO Sussex Community Foundation

Table of deprivation for Sussex towns
Hastings is top of the chart where income deprivation scores exceed the national average.

HASTINGS

Hastings has a rich history as a seaside town, attracting people from London and the South East when its ground-breaking pier was built in 1872. As piers fell out of fashion from the 1980s onwards the town’s tourist trade declined.

As highlighted in the report, Hastings is now one of the Sussex towns performing poorly across all seven key deprivation measures, which include income, employment, education and training, health and disability, crime, housing and living environment. The town has the highest multiple deprivation score (34.15) in the county and the highest percentage of income-deprived residents (20.1%).

An aging population

As one of the biggest towns in the South East, Hastings’ population has increased to just over 92,000 (Census 2021). 20.22% are over 65 with 15.3% of residents claiming Pension Credit, exceeding the national average of 11.3%.

Looking at changes in population there is a projected decline in Sussex of the 0-19 age group and Hastings has a much larger decline (-14.7%). Whilst the working age population is likely to remain static across Sussex, the proportion of those aged 15-64 in Hastings is expected to fall by a considerable amount (5.6%), which is, in turn, likely to have an impact on the labour market, with associated consequences.

Health & disability

One of the likely causes of the challenges faced by Hastings residents is linked to long-term health issues and poor outcomes for those with disabilities. Hastings has also the highest percentage of disabled individuals among all Local Authorities in Sussex (21.7% compared to 16.9% nationally). Additionally, it has the largest proportion of individuals with premature disabilities, as 14.7% of those under 65 are disabled under the Equality Act.

Unemployment and worklessness

Another reason for this high level of deprivation is linked to high levels of unemployment in the town. Hastings stands out with the highest percentage of individuals aged 18-24 claiming unemployment benefits (8.99%), which is more than twice the average in Sussex. The link with health and poverty is clear with 75% of all out-of-work benefits claimants and 69.1% of homeless households being people with health-related conditions.

SO WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?

At the Foundation we see and hear examples of the amazing work done by groups and charities in and around Hastings. Local organisations, like many of those we work with, are helping to tackle these challenges. Their dedication has a huge impact across our communities, offering support to residents struggling to make ends meet. From food and warmth, non critical debt advice and getting people off the street, these groups, very often small and local, are there for Hastings.

In this post we've highlighted some stories from charities and groups based in Hastings.

Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC)

HARC offers specialist welfare benefit advice and representation. Their free and confidential service addresses inequalities, relieves poverty and improves the quality of life for vulnerable and disadvantaged people across the county.

Their community work is carried out at a range of venues and home visits, and provides support to some of the hardest to reach in the community. It effectively removes barriers imposed by homelessness, insecure housing, poor physical and mental health, lack of transport and social isolation.

“Family ‘C’ met with our advisor following a visit to the local foodbank. It was the start of multiple appointments which led to a payment and debt management plan. The support received has made a huge difference for the family: their income has been increased and debts are being managed. The pressure on their mental and physical health has been alleviated and the wellbeing and quality of life for the whole family has vastly improved.”

Member of staff at HARC


Education Futures Trust

Education Futures Trust provides high quality and innovative support and learning tailored to improve the life chances of vulnerable children and adults, particularly in Hastings.

The grant awarded by the Foundation enabled the group to set up a ‘warm space’ to offer their clients a refuge from the cold during the winter months. Warm drinks, snacks and hot meals were offered throughout the day, while skills-based activities would take place for those who wanted to be involved. The staff also offered advice, for example how to reduce the heating bills, or how to cook simple meals at home. Those attending used the 'warm space' to its full potential - to access hot food and drink, as well as to build social relationships.

“Those that use our services tell us that they are struggling. When attending our all-day courses, many come without food and try to hide this. When provided with donated pastries, they will often keep one to take home for ‘tea’. Those receiving our food hampers tell us that they only want food that can be eaten cold from the can; avoiding potatoes and items requiring heat or preparation. 

We have learned that those we work with are going hungry and are cold. The choice between food and heat is no longer the challenge: many have neither.”

Member of staff at Education Futures Trust

Bags of Taste

Bags of Taste supports vulnerable people in poverty in Hastings. Their Mentored Home Cooking courses are attended by those on a low income, who live in areas of high deprivation or are at risk of poor health outcomes.

One of the goals of the courses run by the group is to reduce health inequalities by encouraging individuals with limited budgets to prepare affordable and nutritious meals. Their initiative helps develop positive dietary habits, improved financial situations and overall wellbeing for the long term.

Their work is specifically focused on the most vulnerable in society, and they work closely with local referrers to identify beneficiaries. All attendees are disadvantaged by poverty and many have multiple and complex challenges, facing unemployment or suffering from mental health issues.

Since the start of the programme, the group has successfully delivered over 4,000 courses, reaching many residents suffering from mental and physical health illnesses or disabilities, as well as carers and single parents.

“I feel more confident about preparing food from scratch. I always used to think it was much harder than it actually was. This course has helped me realise that it’s not always more expensive to cook from scratch, and I can definitely make a saving in my food shop; buying in bulk helps us get us through the month.” 

Course attendee

Our Tackling Poverty report highlights the desperate need in parts of Sussex, and offers insight and evidence of the need for more philanthropy, so we can make even more of a difference. The data and insights outlined in this report will also be a valuable resource for the voluntary sector in the county, providing crucial data to support funding applications to the Foundation and other funders.

Get in touch with the Philanthropy team to discuss how your donation can help make a difference in the Hastings area, Or you can donate directly to our Tackling Poverty Fund.

Uncovering Sussex: How evidence-based research helps Sussex Community Foundation to tackle poverty

Sussex Community Foundation commissioned our research team at Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) to produce a Tackling Poverty report, to gain insights into Sussex's poverty levels, continuing the 'Sussex Uncovered' series.

The report establishes a baseline of data about poverty in Sussex, and the Foundation intends to use the evidence gathered in this report to inform their development as a community foundation. 

Methodology

We began our work by analysing and evaluating data under five key themes that emerged from conversations with the Foundation on their key strategic priorities for addressing poverty across Sussex. These are: 

We used our experience in producing Needs Profiles for other Community Foundations and knowledge of the data landscape to identify key metrics to analyse under those themes.

We explored data from a range of sources, including administrative datasets (data which is created or collected when people interact with public services, such as schools, the NHS, the courts or the benefits system, and collated by the government) collected by government departments, such as claimants of means tested benefits and homeless statistical returns. We also explored self-reported survey data from the 2021 Census.

Where possible, data was collected over a five-to-ten-year timeframe to allow exploration of the impacts of wider socio-economic changes and challenges over time, particularly in the context of the pandemic and cost of living crisis. 

We investigated the performance of Sussex’s Local Authorities, major towns, rural areas, and neighbourhoods, and produced our findings as a narrative analysis, supplemented with data visualisations. We used our data mapping and reporting platform, Local Insight, to simplify aggregation of data to the Sussex neighbourhoods and quickly export population statistics for the areas under review.

We chose to use this narrative-driven approach to highlight the trends and issues we discovered in a way that builds an easy to understand story of a local place. This allows stakeholders to see the woods for the trees and aids in gaining a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and how they intersect with each other. 

Findings

We identified four clear challenges faced by Sussex communities in their campaign against poverty.

Challenge 1: An ageing population

Sussex’s population is older than the national average, and the 65+ population is projected to grow by 41.3% between 2020 and 2040. Already, rising social care and poor health burdens are creating challenges for the region’s public health services. The associated fall in the working-age population will likely lead to a reduction in labour market demand and may also increase labour market costs, while the potential loss of salaried employees could reduce disposable incomes and impact on consumer spending.

Challenge 2: High levels of long-term illness and poor outcomes for those with a disability

17.6% of people in Sussex have a disability, compared to 15.6% in the South East and 16.9% in England. There is strong evidence to suggest that people with disabilities across Sussex are more likely to experience material deprivation challenges - alongside the general health challenges associated with long-term illness and disability.

Challenge 3: Inflationary pressures are contributing towards financial hardship

The region is experiencing financial pressures due to the rising costs of living, which is impacting on the availability of affordable housing and the overall cost of essentials. Those in Sussex’s rural and coastal communities are especially vulnerable to the rising costs of energy bills, with 8.2% of homes in those areas found to have had a low energy efficiency rating - more than double the national average (3.3%).

Challenge 4: Multiple deprivation challenges in coastal communities​​

Each of the eight most deprived towns in Sussex is located in coastal communities. These towns face a range of issues, from economic struggles to social welfare concerns.

Stefan Noble
Director and Head of Research, OCSI

January 2024

Help us now on tackling poverty.

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