Tackling poverty

Introduction

Tackling Poverty in North Lanarkshire

North Lanarkshire’s refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy, Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire, continues the commitment set out in our first Tackling Poverty Strategy from 2020, to tackle poverty in our communities and ensure equality of opportunity for all. Our ambition is to drive inclusive growth and achieve prosperity for the people and communities of North Lanarkshire.

The Action Plan within the Strategy sets out how we will do this and is centred around the four Drivers of Poverty:

Increase Income via Employment
Reduce the Cost of Living
Maximise income via social security benefits
Holistic Support

The Tackling Poverty Strategy uses an integrated multi-service approach within the council alongside an increased focus on working with community planning partners, community and voluntary agencies, communities and those, who themselves have lived experience of poverty.

North Lanarkshire Council together with NHS Lanarkshire also jointly develop, publish and action an annual Local Child Poverty Action Report. 2023/2024 sees our sixth report which highlights work specifically targeting child poverty across our communities.

The 2023/24 Local Child Poverty Action Report demonstrates the work being carried out to achieve goals set out in our Action Plan and will introduce new actions to focus our commitment to tackling child poverty across council and partner services.

Last year, North Lanarkshire adopted “Holistic Supports” as a fourth formal driver to tackle poverty and inequality. Holistic Supports will embed a “No Wrong Door” approach across our Services to ensure that those living in poverty and those at risk of poverty will receive the right support at the right time.

“Our community planning partners, and voluntary and community sector colleagues are committed to tackling poverty and inequality and our action plan sets our approach to do this. The close involvement of our communities in shaping our approach will ensure that we are meeting the differing needs in all the communities in North Lanarkshire.”