Ending Poverty: Solutions from the Front Line

A4e's Manifesto for twenty first century public services

Much has been achieved in the fight against poverty over the last ten years. Over 600,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty. There are 2.8 million more people back in work. The number of people without a qualification has fallen by a third. There is much to celebrate and be proud of.

Yet with few exceptions, yesterday’s poorest areas are still today’s poorest areas. Poor areas of the nineteenth century are the ‘pockets of deprivation’ and the areas of ‘persistent worklessness’ of today. The longest period of sustained economic growth in recorded history has been unable to lift more people and communities out of poverty.

Despite substantive efforts, the Government remain some way off its goal of economic equality. Poverty remains steadfast on its impact on children. 14% of households are workless in the UK and 17% of children live in workless households. And for the last two years, child poverty has increased in the UK.

All of us, whether frontline service providers or policy makers, face a huge and growing challenge. This is not to paint an unduly negative picture: we are attempting to reverse in some cases decades of structural, economic and social decline. But we are facing a confluence of events and circumstances that makes the current model of public service delivery unsustainable.

The significant investment and expansion of public services has created a substantial improvement in the quality of public services. But it has also created an environment in which consumers look to the state for the answers and solutions to all their ills. If something goes wrong, it’s the government’s fault. ‘When is the government going to do something about it?’ is now the de facto position of society. Personal and social responsibility and self reliance has diminished.

At the same time, consumers’ expectations of public services continue to rise unabated, in many cases outpacing the state’s ability to deliver. Higher quality; greater accessibility; more choice; personalised service – the reform agenda knows the concepts but can’t match the pace of rising demand and expectations. This has diminished trust between citizen and state. Lower and lower turnouts in local and general elections has left a significant minority of society disengaged and disenfranchised.

The answer is not more money. A4e operates in a Public Services Industry worth some £79bn a year. There has never been so much money invested in tackling poverty – with expenditure set to increase by £950m by 2010/11. But even if more money was the answer, the current economic climate effectively rules out this option. Tax receipts are slowing and consumers are feeling the squeeze from the increased cost of living. The ability to continue the inexorable rise in state funded programmes or initiatives is firmly capped.

So the time is now right to step back, take stock, and make a giant leap forward in introducing new ways to eradicate poverty. I hope this manifesto goes some way in making this happen. But this manifesto is not an academic paper. It is a hotline from the front line. It demonstrates the way things can be done by a provider that employs many former clients who have successfully overcome disadvantage in their own lives. That despite the difficulties and the challenges, so much can be achieved. It demonstrates practical examples and success stories. It illustrates new ideas and innovation in public service delivery. It provides a challenge to policy makers to listen, respond and take action.

Work with us to re-define the future of front line public services and end poverty.

Mark Lovell
Executive Chairman, A4e