Corporate Plan 2022/23 to 2027/28

This priority contributes to delivery of the following outcomes or aspects of our vision:

• Children and young people grow up safe, respected, well-educated, and confident in their ability to realise their full potential
• People and businesses are increasingly able to prosper in a local economy which supports low carbon ambitions and offers opportunities for all

Key actions

• Prevent and mitigate the impacts of poverty for children living in Perth and Kinross
• Mitigate cost of living pressures for households experiencing or at risk of poverty
• Maximise income from benefit entitlement and concessions for households
• Promote and encourage local employers to follow the principles of the Scottish Government Fair Work Action Plan, including the real Living Wage and Scottish Business Pledge

View the performance measures and targets (PDF) [38KB] for these actions.

Context

Perth and Kinross has a reputation as an affluent place to live with higher than average rates of employment. However, many children and households experience the damaging effects of poverty and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and current cost of living crisis present significant challenges for many of our households.

Our mix of rural and urban areas means the experience of poverty may be different for people depending on where they live, with a rural poverty premium for people living outside our large settlements. Precarious employment, and costs and availability of affordable housing, transport, and childcare alongside additional costs for essential goods and services mean living in one of our rural areas can be particularly difficult.

Approximately one in four children in Perth and Kinross are living in poverty. That's 5,155 children. The causes and impacts of child poverty are complex. There is no single solution to poverty as each household's circumstances will differ, but the Council, with partners, will lead action to prevent and mitigate the impacts of poverty for children living in Perth and Kinross.

The cost-of-living crisis will impact on all households and many will struggle to meet essential household costs such as heating their homes, putting food on the table and paying for goods and services, The crisis has driven the need for greater focus and action to protect our most vulnerable residents.

Whilst no single service or agency has the power to end poverty, by working in partnership with the Community Planning Partnership and our communities there is much we can do to make the lives and life chances of those living in poverty better and brighter. That is why we supported the launch of the Perth and Kinross Anti-Poverty Taskforce in October 2022 which will help drive partnership work on this issue.