WHEN ENDS

DONT MEET

BUILDING BETTER LIVES

ASSETS,
BUILDING BETTER LIVES

VULNERABILITIES
AND LIVELIHOODS

AN ANALYSIS
B U I L D I N GOF
B E T THOUSEHOLDS
IN THORNABY-ON-TEES
ER LIVES

SHEENA ORR GREG BROWN SUE SMITH CATHERINE MAY MARK WATERS
BUILDING BETTER LIVES
Contents
Executive Summary 2-8 4.4 Social contacts 35
4.5 Faith 36
Section 1 Introduction 4.6 Gender and Social Assets 36
1.1 Background to 9-10
Thrive Initiative Section 5 Public Assets
1.2 Context 10-11 5.1 Community Activity 37-38
1.3 The Sustainable 11-15 5.2 Local Services 38
Livelihoods Approach 5.3 Local Groups for 38-39
1.4 Thornaby households 15 Regeneration
and questionnaire 5.4 Gender and Public Assets 39
1.5 Household types 16-17
1.6 Structure of the report 17 Section 6 Physical Assets
6.1 Productive Equipment 40-41
Section 2 Financial Assets 6.2 Transport 41
2.1 Sources of income 18 6.3 Gender and 41-42
2.2 Savings, credit and debt 18-20 Physical Assets
2.3 Access to Bank Accounts 20-21
and credit Section 7 Inter-relatedness
2.4 Impact of debt 22 of assets
2.5 Debt and Advice 22-23 7.1 Assets Pentagon 43
2.6 Budget Control 23
2.7 Insurance policies 23 Section 8 Livelihood and
2.8 Gender and Financial 24 Strategies Outcomes
Assets 8.1 Surviving and coping 45
8.2 Shocks to Households 45-47
Section 3 Human Assets 8.3 Livelihoods ladder 48-49
3.1 Knowledge and skills 26-27 8.4 Analysis of livelihoods 49-50
3.2 Health and ability to work 27-28 strategies
3.3 Self-esteem 29
3.4 Ill health amongst children 29 Section 9 Looking to 51
3.5 Caring for adults and 30 the Future
children with disabilities
3.6 Women and unpaid work 30 Section 10 Conclusions 52-54
3.7 Gender and Human Assets 31
References 55
Section 4 Social Assets
4.1 The importance of 33-35 Annex 1 overview of households 56
relationships
4.2 Support from 35 NOTE: The names of
previous partners interviewees have been changed
4.3 Care from family 35 in order to protect their identity.
and friends
 Executive Summary
Thornaby on Tees is a town in the North East of England where Church
Action on Poverty has been working since the late 1990s. It is typical of
many towns where, since the 1970s, the key industries have been
declining, and inequality between areas has increased. Containing some
of the poorest wards in England, it has been the focus of significant
regeneration activity over the last few years.

This report describes a pilot project of Church Action on Poverty (CAP) and
Oxfams UK Poverty Programme (UKPP) to explore how men and women in
24 low income households in Thornaby construct their livelihoods. Drawing on
the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) commonly used in international
development, the research is based on detailed interviews with participants,
working with them to understand what assets they have, and their own
analysis of how they are getting by. In addition to the interviews, the project
also carried out some participatory research and an analysis of the local and
regional economy.
crucial in combating the isolation they
Key Findings
experienced. Interviewees recognised
Strength and resilience these assets as really positive
This study affirms the positive features in their lives, and an
aspirations and strengths of men and important element in their coping
women living on low incomes in strategies.
Thornaby. Contrary to the all too
common stereotypes of people on Enduring poverty
low incomes as feckless, The research highlighted the day-to-
irresponsible, and undeserving, the day reality men and women inhabit,
men and women we interviewed and the continuing existence of
demonstrated considerable resilience poverty. Many people had very few
and resourcefulness in the face of financial assets and for some, this
significant barriers and was combined with high levels of
disadvantages, and in hard times unmanageable and unmanaged debt.
they strove to make ends meet, and
to keep going. Use of credit and debt
Debt was particularly common among
Non-financial assets lone parents, who were more likely to
For many people non-financial assets access high cost alternative credit
were often the strongest and most through non-mainstream sources,
important assets they had, with such as doorstep lenders. The
dependence on families and social combination of high interest rates,
networks really standing out as inability to move beyond survival

2
mode, lack of any assets, and mental household, and therefore greater
health problems brought on by debt, flexibility of labour leading to a better
affected women disproportionately. ability to weather external shocks.

Mental health Gender stereotyping

The majority of the households in this Gender stereotyping played a role in
study, and a high proportion of restricting the choices of occupation
women (all but two in the survey) made by women and men in the
experienced mental health problems, study. Many of the women ended up
especially depression (including post- in low paid employment based on
natal). This had a big impact on their stereotypical female roles: for
ability to earn and therefore to example as care workers,
increase financial assets. hairdressers, or classroom assistants.
This affected womens chances of
Women are poorer asset growth, particularly if they were
The factors that made women poorer living on their own. Men, particularly
than men are complex. Many women in couple households, were more
living on their own could not likely to be in higher-level craft skilled
undertake paid work to grow their industrial work, which was better paid.
financial assets, because of their This gave them greater potential to
caring responsibilities, and did not build their assets.
move beyond survival mode. Some
opted to remain on benefits because Political engagement
the transition to work felt too risky to Most people in our survey were
their overall livelihood strategy, and unaware of, or uninterested in, local
they considered that paid work was regeneration schemes. Few had any
not worth it. A number who had involvement in their local council or in
separated from male partners chose the planning and delivery of services,
to give up claims to high value and little belief that their involvement
financial assets such as pensions or would make any difference to local
mortgages, in order to get a clean decisions made.
break from their partner.
Interaction with public services
Couples are better off Both women and mens experience
Couples were more likely to be in a was that when public services were
virtuous circle of asset growth, and approachable and useful, they
single people and lone parents in a benefited a great deal, but when the
vicious circle of asset loss. Couples services were unsupportive and
had more joint capacity for combining treated people without dignity, the
paid and unpaid work, and the impact on the individual and their
potential to negotiate roles within the confidence was immensely damaging.

3
 The Sustainable and situations beyond the control of
Livelihoods Approach the individual, such as relationship
(SLA) breakdown, bereavement, loss of a
job, or even a cooker breaking.
Poverty in the UK is often Together they form a livelihoods
characterised as a combination of ladder which people move up and
powerlessness and material down at different times in their lives.
deprivation, with the result that The aim of the project is to explore
analyses of poverty often do not how people can move on from
consider the assets and positive having a survival strategy to having
strategies that people experiencing a sustainable livelihood.
poverty employ to overcome some of
the obstacles in their lives. Peoples Assets

The Sustainable Livelihoods Financial assets

Approach analyses peoples existing Overall, financial assets were the
assets and how they use these to weakest, especially for single
build a sustainable livelihood. These women and lone parents, with
assets are divided into five main many people reliant on borrowing,
areas: financial, human, social, public and state benefits and experiencing
and physical, which jointly create a poverty on a daily basis.
composite picture of the life of a At one point I couldnt summon
person within their household and enough energy to put out the wheely
community. This understanding is bin. I couldnt understand until a
then considered in the light of the friend from church pointed out I
multitude of factors that have an hadnt eaten enough calories Id
effect on peoples vulnerability to had a few days of just drinking tea til
poverty, including household my money came through.
dynamics, local services and national
policy. The approach includes a Women were the most likely to
strong gender dimension looking at have high levels of debt. This was
how women and men forge their a result of women taking on most
livelihoods together and separately. of the burden for caring, and using
credit to buy family necessities.
To help identify how secure, long Many of the women identified the
term and effective peoples strategies experience of large debts as
are for creating and preserving having a harmful impact on their
assets, the research categorised four health. Debt was described as:
stages: surviving, coping, adapting Depressing, devastating, a curse,
and accumulating (each of which has demoralising, heartbreaking, cant
defining characteristics). One key sleep, housebound, living in denial
factor is the extent to which a
persons livelihoods strategy is able Womens caring responsibilities
to withstand external shocks - events made it hard for them to access

4
 paid work, and hence to build up parents for 11 years which meant
financial assets. that when I lost them, and couldnt
I am unable to work because I cant get back into the job market, my own
afford the childcare, the tax credits health was at risk.
dont cover the cost of sending the
kids to nursery even though my sister Overall, women tended to have
works there and gets a discount, it is fewer and lower post school
expensive and there is a 40 gap I qualifications, despite more of
cant cover them leaving school with higher
qualifications. Many went on to
Human assets community level courses, but for
The loss of human assets had a most this did not translate into jobs.
huge impact on peoples ability to
maintain or build other areas. Social assets
For example when mental health Having strong social assets,
was an area of concern, as it was particularly moral and practical
for all but two of the women we support from family and friends
interviewed, the ability to juggle was very helpful, and had knock on
both caring responsibilities and benefits for other assets.
paid work was compromised. Ive got a lot of friends, and get fed
I used to work in a care home, but I three times a week, and they get to
became overworked. I worked three spend time with me
weeks of double shifts 7.45am - 9pm.
At the same time I was looking after Links with churches, community
my father who was ill receiving groups and projects provided a
treatment in hospital. I had to take strong source of support as well as
him to hospital on my lunchtime. In opportunities for volunteering and
the end, one of the old ladies we supporting others.
were looking after found me crying Im now back at work, though
and looked after me. After that I went keeping up the house on my wage is
on the sick with depression. still difficult. Nonetheless, I help out
at the church now with fundraising
Health was a key issue for those in and helping in study and youth
caring roles, with poor-health of groups. I also do a few hours at the
dependents often being a key charity shop. I feel that with people
reason for not accessing having given so much to me I can
employment. now help in giving something back.
When my parents became ill, I
looked after them for several years. Public assets
As a result I was out of the job The quality of public service assets
market for a very long time and found was important. For example few
it difficult to get employed when I was people engaged with public
ready to work again. It was the structures such as regeneration
exhaustion of looking after my initiatives, but 60% of people cited

5
 using the library on a regular basis. Our research indicates, however, that
Some told of far less positive the reverse scenario can also occur.
experiences. As one asset is increased, there is
Once my cooker broke, and I went an improved ability to withstand
to the job centre for a grant, they just shocks, and to develop other assets.
asked cant you live on sandwiches?
But my local MP, Dari Taylor, got The livelihoods ladder
involved and I got the loan The amount of choice and flexibility
that people have over livelihood
When I was experiencing domestic strategies depends largely on what
violence, I had to travel to Stockton access they have to assets.
to get it dealt with. On one incidence Households may find themselves
it took three hours for the police to anywhere on the spectrum from no
respond to my call for help. In fact, choice (survival), to a limited range of
some times it is better not to report choice (coping) through to households
an attack as my ex-husband told the with more choice (adapting) and
police that I had hit him first; and the finally those with a full range of choice
police said that if I carried on with my (accumulating). An understanding of
claim they would have to arrest me the strategies and outcomes at each
and lock me up. And having 3 level is a useful tool for identifying
children I could not take the risk. positive interventions to support the
livelihoods of women and men
How the assets relate to in poverty.
each other
Although each type of asset is important In this study we identified the
(financial, social etc), looking at how following characteristics within each
they interlink gives a more complete of the above categories:
picture of how livelihoods are
constructed. For example, when an Surviving
external shock leads to the loss of one People feel that they are just
asset, this affects the individuals ability surviving and life is a continual
to grow assets in all areas, and can battle against things going wrong
create a constant condition of insecurity, e.g. redundancy, illness of
and fear of losing other assets. In our themselves or close relative,
group of households a particularly unwanted pregnancy, and are very
common scenario for women was the vulnerable to external shocks
breakdown of a relationship (social Low self-esteem leads to a feeling
asset), leading to poor health (human that no-one is interested in them
asset), leading to decreased ability to and that most support services are
earn and increased debt (financial not for them
assets), leading to poorer housing Total reliance on benefits
(physical assets) sometimes Arrears on rent or utility bills and
compounded by ineffective or unhelpful high take up of doorstep/high
responses from public services. interest credit

6
 Frequent use of strategies such as public life
walking rather than paying for At least one member of the
transport, borrowing from family household working in the formal
and friends, living with in-laws or economy
parents, not sending children on Agreed balance of roles between
school trips, minimising food eaten, male and female partners as to
using candles for light, switching childcare and work
off heating, no treats Accessing mainstream credit

Coping Accumulating
People feel that that they are People feel that life is going well
getting by but there is not much for them and that it will continue to
prospect of them being any better improve. They have a stock of
off in the future. They can cope assets which is used as a basis on
with minor external shocks, which to build in the future, and
but are still vulnerable which they use to cope with
They may take advantage of external shocks
support services but it usually does Working in the formal economy
not help them enough to the next Home ownership
level, and they still feel alienated Gaining advanced qualifications
from power structures Having access to mortgage and
Unpaid and voluntary work and mainstream credit
roles play an important part in
women and mens lives Households placed themselves on
Total or partial reliance on benefits the livelihoods ladder in the
Low paid jobs often working at following way:
night for women or in 3 surviving
dangerous/risky labouring and 14 coping
building jobs for men 6 adapting (researchers felt 2 of
Engaging in the informal economy these would more accurately be
Women still at risk from doorstep described as coping)
lending and high interest rates 1 accumulating

Adapting Most households were either just

People are actively working surviving or coping, and were often
towards the future. They have a reliant on support generously
vision of what they want for the provided by family, friends and
household, and what the sometimes the wider community.
opportunities are for achieving it. These social assets were enabling
The strategies are robust enough them to cope. It appeared, however,
to cope with many, but not all, that the limited assets of a relatively
external shocks. poor community were being shared,
There is an interest in and which helped to prevent the most
engagement with community and serious poverty, but did not allow

7
 people to accumulate stocks of
assets and address their poverty in a
long term sustainable way.

Conclusion
Using an asset-based livelihoods analysis
has enabled us to uncover the reality of
life for people experiencing poverty, the
strategies they used to get by on a daily
basis, and the opportunities they had to
move towards a more sustainable future.

Based on our findings, we believe

the Sustainable Livelihoods
Approach is a useful tool in ensuring
that policy is based on an
understanding of the strategies and
choices that people have to make to
survive. Moreover, SLA can enrich
and broaden understanding of what
is sometimes termed in the UK
asset-based welfare.

Our analysis also suggests that it

would be worthwhile for policy
makers and service providers to
engage more directly with people
experiencing poverty on a systematic
and regular basis, ensuring that
policy is sensitive to the survival
choices people often have to make.

Having undertaken the analysis in

Thornaby, we are working to develop
concrete projects identified by local
people to address two or three key
issues highlighted by the research,
and working with local decision
makers to see how the learning from
this work can illuminate and
contribute to local and regional
economic development.

8
1. Introduction outcomes and how intra-household
dynamics contribute to their success
or failure.
Speak to anyone who has experienced
poverty and somewhere in the Oxfam UK Poverty Programme and
conversation there will be an end Church Action on Poverty have worked
ends that dont meet, the end of their together on this study, which builds on
tether, at wits end. This may recognise previous work done by both
a linear process over time but seldom organisations.
do we get an insight into the multi-
dimensional aspects of poverty into 1.1 Background to
the deeply embedded inter-relatedness Thrive Initiative
of lack of resources, opportunities, assets Oxfam has used sustainable
and hopes.But equally, perceptions of livelihoods as a key element of poverty
poverty can blind us to the sheer analysis both internationally and in the
determination, will to survive and UK (See Hocking, 2003; Gellideg
ingenuity of people forced through Foundation Group and Oxfam, 2003).
circumstance to live near or below the Core to that analysis is gender
poverty line. This study of 24 households difference. Men and women have
in Thornaby takes us into peoples different activities and roles, have
everyday lives. It examines what is different resources, and benefit
happening to men and women, how they differently according to their control
relate to each other and make a living and ownership of resources and
jointly or alone. assets inside and outside the
household. Oxfams UK Poverty
The Thrive project has been set up Programme (UKPP) supports the
as a project of Church Action on Thrive Initiative in working for more
Poverty and is a growing coalition of sustainable livelihoods for some of the
local people who have committed to most deprived men and women in
working publicly to tackle poverty in the Thornaby. It is doing this through
local area. This project came as a gendered household research
result of over a year building contacts, (reported on here), and through
and carrying out qualitative interviews supporting organisations to work
in the town of Thornaby in Teesside in together to develop more effective
order to understand better the holistic action in relieving poverty and tackling
nature of poverty. Using the social exclusion. The UKPP also aims
Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to influence decision makers at local,
(see Section 1.3) the purpose of the regional and national level to amend
interviews is to gain a greater policy measures to tackle the root
understanding of the role of assets causes of poverty through careful
within the household economy, the attention to how and whether women
difference between women and mens and men separately are able to access
access and control of assets, the the necessary assets for them to
resulting household strategies and develop a truly sustainable livelihood.

9
 Church Action on Povertys (CAP) The Tees Valley has a proud
core aim is to work with people living industrial heritage based around
in poverty, the churches and others steel, heavy engineering, shipbuilding
to overcome poverty in the UK. and chemicals. Restructuring of
Two key elements of CAPs overall these industries in the late 1970s
approach are to give a voice to and early 1980s led to major
people in poverty, and to seek to reductions in the number of staff
apply lessons from international employed by the areas major
development to tackling poverty in a employers, British Steel and ICI.
domestic context. The sustainable Manufacturing output decreased
livelihoods approach although dramatically and social problems
widely used in international increased in line with the high levels
development for more than a decade of unemployment. Employment in
has rarely been applied in a UK large corporations had reduced and
context. In contrast to the kind of top business start-up rates were one of
down approaches common in the the lowest in the country. The
UK, the sustainable livelihoods European Union classified the Tees
approach offers the prospect of a Valley area as one that was in
much more holistic and people- industrial decline, and meeting the
centred way of looking at and deprivation levels of Objective 2 of
responding to poverty. Thrive builds the European Structural Fund.
on work which CAP has undertaken
in Thornaby over the past eight years Significant progress has been made
and provides an ideal opportunity in recent years to both diversify the
to model how local people, local economy and to build on existing
churches and other groups within the assets. The areas economic strategy
community can work together to focuses on developing a knowledge
tackle some of the underlying causes driven economy, supported by
of poverty as identified by people infrastructure improvements.
experiencing it firsthand. Teesport is the second largest port in
the UK and is the only deep-sea port
1.2 Context on the east coast. Two universities
The Teesside conurbation grew are based in the area. Research
dramatically between the period from facilities in areas such as health and
1800 1900. Growth started electronics will support existing
following the purchase of land in sectors and assist in diversification of
1829, by a group of Quaker the economy.
businessmen from Darlington. Land
was purchased to further develop the Tees Valley remains the largest
ports, for use by the coalfields of heavy industrial complex in the
Durham. In 1850 iron ore was United Kingdom. The petrochemical
discovered in the Cleveland Hills, this cluster at Wilton, Billingham and Seal
ore was then used to further develop Sands is the largest integrated
the steel industry in the area. complex in the UK and the second

10
largest in Europe and is backed by with a population of just over 22,000.
the largest private sector The residents are grappling with
petrochemical research centre in the finding a new identity and new ways
UK. A variety of companies now of working. This is clearly shown in
occupy the former ICI chemical sites the timeline of key developments in
producing a whole range of products the recent history of Thornaby (Table
and supporting production of 1). The timeline was developed
speciality, pharmaceutical and during a participatory appraisal
biotechnology products. Growth is conducted in the centre of Thornaby
also taking place in the development in 2000 and reflects residents own
of fuel cells and in energy technology. impressions and memories of
The sector contributes 3.5 billion to significant events in the common life
the UK economy. The growth has and development of Thornaby as
concentrated on the development of they see it. It does not record the
knowledge-based value. social changes that are just as
significant eg changes in womens
Linkages and interdependencies status and access to employment,
exist between the areas high key legislation etc. Nonetheless the
performing sectors of Energy and selection of events is important in
the Environment, Healthcare and helping planners to understand what
Health Sciences and Processing is significant to local people.
Technologies. Opportunities exist
for the region to build on these
competencies and gain particular
competitive advantage through
innovation, design and functionality,
by applying scientific and
technological research outcomes.

Several institutions are responsible

for the shape of the redevelopment
and the governance of the area, from
a regional down to local level,
including ONE North East, the
Regional Development Agency;
Government Office North East
(GONE); the Tees Valley Partnership,
a sub-regional strategic body; local
healthcare trusts, and Local Strategic
Partnerships.

Thornaby is typical of other UK towns

recovering from the loss of the
traditional manufacturing industries,

11
 Table 1 THORNABY TIMELINE
1930s to 1990s
1930s New housing in council estates
Great unemployment
Short working week
Trust able to leave doors open
Trams stopped running
Aerodrome opened home of 608 squadron
1940s Full employment war time
Sunday schools very active
Thornaby bombed at various times
Loss of community when Erimus knocked down
1950s Excellent community spirit
Everyone working, unemployment low
3 picture houses, 3 dance halls
Various incidents plague of rats, river overflowed,
milkman and 3 horses died in accident
Queen visited Thornaby (1957/58)
1960s Lot of people left the area
New shopping centre opened (1963)
Thornaby Airfield redeveloped into high density housing
and shops
Thornaby citizenship taken away addresses become
Stockton
Active Town Hall and Local Government
1970s Loss of local industry and way of life
(working from 16 to 64 years)
Part of Old Thornaby demolished to make way for A66
Loss of community spirit
Closure of Old Thornaby police station and library
Demise of Thornaby as a borough council
Social deprivation started
Opening of the Robert Atkinson Community Centre
1980s Closure of Queen Street school
Teesside Development Corporation
Teesdale planned
Decline of Thornaby Railway station
Allotments declining
SBC removed Thornabys Special Landscape Area
(Tees Valley A66) from their local plan
1990s Closure of the Dog track
Durham University built on old Head Wrightsons site
Fishing in the Tees
Widening of A19
Remembering Thornaby Group formed

Source: Abbreviated from a fuller timeline in the Thornaby Participatory

Appraisal, August 2000 (Thornaby Health and Well-being Steering Group and
Centre for Environment and Society , University of Essex)

12
Residents of Thornaby see the town Holistic recognising the multiple
as being divided into three distinct influences, actors, strategies and
parts. The old part is where the big outcomes in peoples lives
industrial plants used to be and Dynamic seeking to understand
where rows of terraced brick houses change and how to support patterns
still survive, including the area of of positive change
Victoria. The middle area contains Building on strengths recognising
both the Village and the Mandale everyones inherent potential
area (which is currently being Making links between the macro and
completely redeveloped), and the the micro bridging the gap between
bottom end where the town centre individual lives and wider policies and
provides the focus surrounded by the institutions that affect them
sprawling housing estate built on a Sustainable in a social and
huge 2WW airfield, including the institutional sense as well as
Stainsby Hill area. economic and environmental.

Taken together, however, Thornaby Figure 1 DFIDs Sustainable

contains some of the poorest wards Livelihoods Framework
in England and has been the focus of
significant regeneration activity over
the last few years. Despite this
investment employment levels,
health, levels of home ownership and
the number of children in low income
households continue to compare
unfavourably with national as well as
regional statistics.

1.3 The Sustainable

Livelihoods Approach
The main framework used for the Source: DFID Sustainable
research was the DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets
Livelihoods (SL) Framework shown
in Figure 11. The framework is part of Assets
a wider livelihoods approach which Using the SL Framework means
provides a way of thinking about the starting with an analysis of both the
objectives, scope and priorities for assets that the individual or
bringing about change. The approach household retains, and of how these
is based on a set of core concepts are used to develop a livelihood.
which underpin the wider Thrive These assets are divided into five
initiative these being: categories; financial, social, public,
physical and human.
People centred supporting people
to achieve their own livelihood goals

1
(A full and detailed explanation can be found in the DFID Sustainable
Livelihoods Guidance Sheets available at www.livelihoods.org).
13
 Vulnerability context depending on a range of factors.
Each of the assets needs to be The likelihood is that a move down
considered in relation to one another, the ladder will be the result of a
and in the light of the individuals or shock such as job-loss, relationship
households vulnerability to poverty. breakdown or bereavement. The
further up the ladder a person is, the
For example a car is a physical asset, more likely that they will be able to
but as a long-term strategy (ie if it is use their existing assets to withstand
used to access paid employment) it such shocks without moving down
can also be considered as essential the ladder.
to the development of financial
assets. However if the car has been Gendering the approach
bought through the use of The household needs to be
extortionate credit, it heightens the recognised as a complex unit in
households likeliness of experiencing which conflicting interests and
financial poverty. Also should the car obligations can exist internally and
break down, or payments be missed which is influenced by a range of
on the loan, and the car be political, social and economic forces
repossessed, this then increases the from outside. The Household
households vulnerability to poverty Economy Model shown in Figure 2
as they will no longer be able to use highlights how each individual within
it to access work. a household (indicated by the
individual arrows) can have different
In order to understand fully the access and control of resources, be
livelihoods choices that people make engaged in different activities and
and their vulnerability to external relate differently to external agencies.
factors it is essential to consider The model acknowledges that there
them from a gendered perspective: are a range of household activities
how do women and men form which take place and that these do
their livelihoods both separately not all receive a financial
and together? remuneration e.g. reproductive and
caring roles. Further, carrying out
Livelihoods Ladder one role may prevent participation in
Once the assets and strategies have another role such as taking on paid
been established, it is possible to work in the job market. A gendered
analyse the sustainability of those approach provides an opportunity to
livelihood choices. People place explore how decisions to allocate
themselves at different points on the different activities are made within
livelihoods ladder: surviving, the context of a household and how
coping, adapting or accumulating. this affects the outcomes for the
Each of these points has defining individual and the household as
characteristics, and a person or a whole.
household will move up and down
between the different variables

14
Figure 2 Household Economy Model report we have used five different
compositions of households to draw
1.4 Thornaby Households out the gender differences
and questionnaire distinguishing between a single
Twenty four households responded mother and a single father household
to various requests for volunteers for and likewise between lone male and
research. The sample was therefore lone female households. Even within
shaped by those who could be one type e.g. couples with children,
accessed, and was made up of a great variety of circumstances with
households referred by Sure Start, respect to roles, access and control
5 Lamps (a local community of assets were observed.
organisation), church connections
and individual contacts made by the Most of the interviews took place
project worker in the preceding during the day, therefore those
months. Persistent attempts were available at that time were mainly
made to engage with people in the not in employment. People with
Asian community but no participant chaotic lifestyles were difficult to pin
households were identified within the down and many attempts to interview
timescale of the research although them failed.
one or two preparatory meetings did
take place. A questionnaire was developed
adjusting livelihoods headings for the
As shown by our household UK context. The main change within
typologies the composition of the SLA was that natural capital was
households varied greatly. In this replaced with public capital.

15
 There were three parts to the Overall, 33 people (15 men and 18
questionnaire. The first dealt with women) participated in the interviews
general information about the with just over half containing adults in
household and the individuals within the 20 30s group. All the lone
it including economic and social roles adults, except 1 were over 40. The
of family members. The second part two men living with their parents
was a more detailed exploration of were late 20s and early 30s
the different assets including a look respectively. (See Annex 1).
at ownership, access and control.
Finally, for those with debt an The selection of households for the
additional section was filled out with survey was run through a gender
details of sources and uses of debt. lens throughout. We aimed for
Indicators from the Index of Multiple gender balance (ie interviewing equal
Deprivation were used in a number numbers of men and women) and
of places within the questionnaire to cross checked the actual households
cross-check household status against interviewed against this and made
national definitions of poverty. adjustments at different points in the
process. For example, there was a
Although the focus of the study was proactive search for men to interview
qualitative rather than quantitative, as they were not coming forward.
attempts were made to gather We successfully redressed the
information from a cross-section balance, and noted that this meant
wherever possible. The different wards that men were more isolated from or
were represented geographically avoided contact with the wide range
within Thornaby with 15 households of organisations contacted to find
coming from Victoria & Mandale, 6 interviewees. These were mostly
from Village and 3 from Stainsby. community, voluntary or statutory
sector agencies offering support in
1.5 Household types education, childcare, or employment.
A total of 24 households were visited. It is likely that care of children means
They have been grouped under 5 women are in touch with others and
main household types although these with helping agencies more. It could
headings are often broken down also mean that men are less keen to
further within the report to highlight make contact with the helping
the gender differences: agencies, or are conditioned to feel
that such agencies are not intended
8 couples with children (Referred to for them.
as CC for brevity in the remainder of
the report) In terms of Acorn Classification (a
6 single parents (1 father and 5 widely used demographic
mothers) classification tool based on
6 lone adults (4 women and 2 men) postcodes) 17 households are
2 pensioners (1 couple and 1 lone man) classed as hard-pressed, 6 are of
2 men living with parents moderate means and 1 comfortably

16
off the latter being based on the Each section starts with a definition
postal code of his parents house of the particular asset in question
where he stayed. This was a useful followed by a presentation of the
crosscheck and proved remarkably findings and observations.
accurate in most cases. Particular note is made of the
(See Section 8 where livelihood gender differences in relation to
levels are discussed). different assets.

Housing type The assets pentagon (p??) will then

Five households owned their own be considered, and the need to
homes four couples and one older examine the inter-relatedness of
previously married woman. Two of the assets.
the lone men lived with their parents.
Four lone households (two male, two Section 8 looks at livelihoods
female), two single parent strategies and outcomes, and section
households plus one of the couples 9 focuses on what people saw as
had local authority housing. Housing their opportunities for the future.
Associations were used by both
pensioner households, a single
mother and a lone woman. Private
rented accommodation was occupied
by two couples with children and
three of the single mothers.
(See Annex 1)

1.6 Structure of
the report
The next five sections of this report
examine the findings of our research
based on the 5 categories of assets;
financial, human, social, public and
physical. The section on financial
assets goes into particular detail
about debt as this was one of the
particular areas of focus for the
research contributing to CAPs
ongoing Debt on Your Doorstep
campaign. Information about human
assets is also dealt with in more
detail than social, physical and public
assets which received less attention
due to limits on the time available in
the interviews.

17
 2. Financial Assets
What do we mean by financial assets?
Financial assets are all the financial resources that people use to achieve
their livelihoods objective. Regular inflows of money can include earned
income, pensions, state welfare benefits, maintenance money received from
ex-partners and remittances from people working elsewhere.

Available stocks cover savings and credit facilities. Access to financial capital
or credit, which is gained through financial service organisations such as
banks, is an important area of focus for improving the financial assets for
poorer households. Households may also hold 'liquid assets' i.e. goods that
can quickly be sold for cash such as tools or jewellery.

Source: DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheet Section 2.3.5

Voices from our research

At one point I couldn't summon enough energy to put out the wheely bin.
I couldn't understand until a friend from church pointed out I hadn't eaten enough
calories - I'd had a few days of just drinking tea til my money came through.

2.1 Sources of income

Household income came from
wages, benefits or a pension or a
combination of wages and benefits.
(See Figure 4). As only 6 of the 30
working age adults in the households
were in employment the majority of
our sample were relying exclusively
on benefits. There were a number of
women in our sample undertaking
quite responsible volunteer jobs but
caring responsibilities meant they
could not or did not want to translate
these human assets into doing paid
work, which meant they did not
accumulate financial assets. they could combine paid and unpaid
work more flexibly. Most single
Overall monthly income ranged from parents had an income of around
440 for one of the single parents to 600 p.m, compared to couples
over 1,800 for two of the couple (either with or without a working
households. The couple households member) who had an income of on
were by and large better off because average 1,211.

18
For sixteen households the only stay at home and care for their young
source of income was state benefits children which is what a number of
and within these over half the the mothers stated they wanted to
households, mainly lone male and do, contrary to the governments
female, relied on Incapacity Benefits attempts to support them to work.
or Disability Living Allowance. Trying to get the best out of the
The remainder depended on either system led to one household starting
income support or, in two cases, job and stopping work at various times
seekers allowance. Child benefit was which in the long-run resulted in not
a universal benefit received by all being able to show a good
households with children and in the employment record.
study households this was an
important regular inflow going directly Five of the households had an
to the mother (and in one case to the income from waged employment
single father). Income support was but in two of the cases this was
the main source of income for all the supplemented by benefits and all of
single mothers and father. Child the waged households were in the
caring responsibilities combined with couple with children category. Five
the low wages on offer were cited as of the eight husbands were working.
the main reasons for not taking up Only one of the wives was working in
employment. paid employment. Another said she
was about to start a new job.
Dave has been unemployed since
1998, and he feels his main The pensioner households had
problem is boredom. He's done all additional income over and above the
the training that the Job Centre basic state pension. The couple
offer, and keeps applying for jobs relied on income support and carers
in warehousing but they never get allowance. All financial assets from
back to him. The training schemes the selling of their house had gone
that he has done in workplaces on paying rent for their sheltered
treated him like cheap labour. housing. The single pensioner relied
He lives with his mum, and feels on a small private pension and a
he should be the main small amount of interest from stocks
breadwinner, but can't seem to get and shares to supplement the basic
a job. He used to go to the snooker state pension.
club sometimes, but hasn't been
since his step-brother moved away. Although 3 of the single mothers had
To get a better life, he is sure he children from previous relationships
needs a job. none of them were receiving
maintenance from the father. In some
Working Family Tax Credit had cases this was a deliberate choice to
increased income for working avoid further contact and resulted in
families. Women particularly felt the a conscious decision not to pursue
benefit of this as it allowed them to an entitlement to equal share of

19
 financial assets. But in one case time was a key medium of asset
the father had deliberately given up exchange none the less valuable for
work so that he would not have to being unmonetised.
pay anything.
Significant windfalls were mentioned
2.2 Savings, credit by four households all couples with
and debt children. In three cases sums of
Stocks of financial assets include: money had been inherited ranging
savings, possessions that can be from 1,500 to 7,000. In two cases
easily sold in crisis situations, loans this had been used for renovating the
from family members and friends, house which they owned. One of the
informal loans from doorstep lenders inheriting households also received
through to larger more formal loans 1,500 in compensation for an
through high street banks and accident. A fourth household had
credit companies. received two grants totalling 1,340
from a disability charity.
Very few households had savings of
any kind. Where they did it was very 2.3 Access to Bank
small amounts and usually with Accounts and Credit
Christmas presents or school trips for Access to Bank Accounts varied
children specifically in mind. Only significantly between the household
one person had savings over 300 types. See Figure 5. Just under half of
and this was a pensioner who used the households spoken to had access
the capital to generate a small to full bank accounts (cheque book
amount of interest. and overdraft facility) and these were
either couple or male households.
Liquid assets were fairly minimal All the single mothers or lone women
among the households. Most homes
had a TV but usually on a pay as you
go basis. A range of tools, sewing
machines and beauty equipment
were mentioned when prompted by
the interviewer, but more as things
that could be used to earn money at
some future time, rather than assets
that could be sold for money.

Borrowing from family members Figure 4

was mentioned by a few people but
was not common, and in one case plus 2 couples with children and
had caused problems when the loan one lone man had basic accounts
was called in unexpectedly. Borrowing either at a bank or Post Office.
small amounts from friends was also One household, a lone man, had
used in emergencies. Bartering of no account.

20
In addition to most women only as a way of accessing money to help
having basic accounts one cash flow situations.
household reported difficulties in
getting an account for their daughter The list below shows the different
despite having had accounts types of credit that households had
themselves for some years. used over the last five years. It
shows the prevalence of high cost
Access to mainstream credit alternative credit, and the limited
(through banks or building societies) access to mainstream credit. Some
was by far the single most significant households were using more than
financial asset that households had one kind of credit.
or did not have. Mainstream
facilities, however, were only 4 households had no debt
available to those with a good credit 5 households had arrears
rating and some form of collateral (no interest but high risk of
such as owning a house or having a disconnection or eviction)
steady job. If not able to access 4 households had some form of
mainstream credit (reasonably mainstream credit
priced), people were forced to use 22 households had high cost
high cost alternative lenders to alternative credit
provide loans. The criteria for lending
were not as rigorous as mainstream The average debt on cash and
lenders but the costs were more. voucher loans was around 1000
(989) per household where these
For our households, these forms of facilities had been used. It should be
loans proved easy to get and came noted however that as respondents
in a variety of forms such as cash (particularly lone mothers) were often
lending on the doorstep, vouchers for vague or didnt actually know how far
high street shops, catalogues and payments had progressed this figure
Pay as You View television. is only a rough calculation.
Individual amounts varied between
500 and 2,500 but there was Seven households had taken a social
virtually no limit to what people could fund loan available through the social
borrow from these sources. Over half services department. This is an
the households had loans from 3 or interest free source of cash and
more places; usually a mixture of further applications can be made
catalogue purchases, doorstep loans once a previous loan is paid off.
via Shopacheck or Provident and Repayments are automatically
shopping vouchers. Most of the loans deducted from benefits.
were taken for a variety of things
including home improvements, a car
or equipment and clothing for
children. Getting into Arrears on rent
and utility bills was also widely used

21
 2.4 Impact of debt The women in our research spoke of
A trend throughout the interviews debt being depressing, devastating,
was peoples own unawareness of a curse, demoralising,
exactly how much debt they were in. heartbreaking, cant sleep,
Some households said they didnt housebound, living in denial to
know how much debt they were in describe how they felt. When added
and others only knew roughly how to the high number of women
much, and were often confused as to depressed in our sample, the
what was owed and when. connection between debt, isolation,
shame, and depression is clear.
Debt and credit had varied effects
upon households. The impact of 2.5 Debt and Advice
debt on at least four households In the few instances where people
interviewed could be described as had accessed advice it was often
profound and damaging, both incidentally and through the
financially and in terms of human intervention and signposting on by
assets. Whether debt was the other professionals / intermediaries
cause or symptom of depression is from agencies not specifically
at times unclear, though there was concerned with the issue. One lone
a clear correlation between the two female was referred to Christians
issues in two of the households. Against Poverty by the church pastor
Debt continued to impact upon and another was referred by her
other households, even if they domestic violence support worker.
were now moving towards a better A further household had had its
state of financial health/ home budgeting worked through by a
management. A further group of social worker (again in passing as
around six households were the social worker was intended
managing and seemed to use primarily as a support to people with
debts and credit as a productive disabilities in the household).
factor to build other household
assets, e.g. home improvements, As a general rule, households did not
cars etc. This group comprised seem to go looking for advice
higher income groups mainly of the themselves. Several of the women
couple-children type. Single parent interviewed couldnt bring themselves
mothers and single women felt to think about the problem
more desperate and worried about (envelopes piling up, putting them in
debt than any other household a black bag) which had a big impact
category. Single men in our sample on their readiness to seek solutions.
tended to deal in cash only, and Women in two households mentioned
not have debts, or were not looking at a pile of debt envelopes
concerned by the debts they did and crying. Very few of the
have. Of the people who felt they households mentioned Citizens
were managing, most were couples. Advice Bureaux.

22
Of the four households seemingly on The husband did however retain
the margins of financial sustainability complete control over a credit card
or deep in debt only one was that he used for his own purchases.
accessing advice. One household No detailed information was gathered
had debts from doorstep lenders of for the remaining households.
over 1000 yet wouldnt know where
to go for advice. Of the 5 2.7 Insurance Policies
households previously in debt, but As insurance policies are part of the
who were reducing their debts only financial services industry on the one
two had accessed advice (noted hand and a potential protection
above). One household felt theyd against shocks as far as household
learned the hard way and visiting were concerned we were interested
an advice worker was unnecessary. to know how many households had
policies and of what sort. There was
Quite a few made comments such as a wide range of responses. Only 8
...I already know and Im clued up households claimed to have any
really and that they already insurance policies. Of these some
understood issues of debt very well. had various policies, some had just
A smaller number of households one. Five households had house
hadnt thought about advice and insurance, four had contents
Wouldnt know where to go to tell insurance, and four had life
the truth. insurance. One household had just
surrendered their endowment policy,
2.6 Budget control presumably to benefit from the cash
Where possible information about now. Three households mentioned
who controlled the household budget what they considered to be miss-
was gathered in couple households. selling of policies when the situation
In four households women had they thought they were insured for
handed over control of household wasnt covered leading to significant
budgeting to their male partner. Not financial ramifications. The majority
untypical were comments such as of households, however, regarded
Philips dead good with money policies of any sort out with their
and Doreen is uneasy with reach. It was couple households with
money. In one household the children which tended to have
female had had previous debt policies more than other types of
problems and was now happy for her households.
partner, who was working and the
breadwinner, to take over the
running of the household budgeting.
In a fifth household the wife retained
control of the majority of the budget
although complex and subtle
negotiations went on over some
aspects of spending.

23
 2.8 Gender and Financial Assets
Table 2 shows the key observations about gender and financial assets in the
24 households that were visited.
Table 2
Women Men
Sources of income Sources of income
Mothers with husbands/partners Men were more likely to enter into
generally relied on their partners paid employment.
income from paid employment. Men were more likely to be on Job
Women were less likely to enter Seeker Allowance if they were out
paid employment for a range of of work.
reasons, however some had The jobs that men took paid more
responsible volunteer positions. although they were also more
Most mothers cared for their physically demanding.
children fulltime rather than take In some cases men deliberately
paid employment. forfeited income to avoid working
When women got jobs they away from home.
tended to be lower paid and
part-time.
Younger women did not tend to
push for maintenance from ex-
partners preferring a clean break.
Differences

Bank Accounts Bank Accounts

Women, especially those heading Men were more likely to have a
up a household on their own, were access to a full bank account.
more likely to have a basic bank
account.

Credit and Debt Credit and Debt

Women signed up for more debt The group least likely to have debt
than men both within couples and was single males and older
by themselves. households
Women tended to get into more
problems with debt especially lone Budgeting
mothers. Men were perceived to be better
Women were less likely to know at managing money by women
how much debt they were in and in 4 households women had
High cost alternative credit was handed control over to the partner
used mainly by women. completely.

Overall looking at financial assets showed how women are placed in more
vulnerable positions through lack of access to mainstream banking and credit
facilities and exclusion, from the labour market, primarily because of caring
responsibilities.

24
What did we learn about financial assets?

For most of the households, these were the weakest assets

Only 6 of the 30 working age adults were in employment
Women's caring responsibilities made it harder for them to access
paid work
Couple households were better off as they could combine paid and
unpaid work
Many households relied on Income Support, Incapacity Benefits or
Disability Living Allowance as their main source of income
Very few households had savings to draw on in times of crisis
Couple households had access to mainstream credit and full banking
facilities, and used this to build up assets. Women found it the most
difficult to access these mainstream services, and were most likely to
rely on high cost alternative credit, especially lone mothers.
Asking for financial advice was usually suggested by a third party
rather than coming from within the household. People felt powerless
about debt.
The effect of being in debt was immensely stressful, especially for the
women interviewed
Mis-selling of insurance policies was an issue for a number of
households

25
 3. Human Assets
What do we mean by human assets?
Human assets represent the skills, knowledge, ability to labour and good
health that together enable people to pursue different livelihood strategies and
achieve their livelihood objectives.

Human assets are required to make use of any of the other four types of
assets. They are therefore necessary, but not on their own sufficient, for the
achievement of positive livelihood outcomes.

Voices from our research

I've had depression since day one of having my eldest son, I felt on my own,
the really bad bout lasted 5 years.

I left school at 15 and went to work on a YTS, looking after older people and
children for 2 years, but there were no job prospects at the end

3.1 Knowledge and Skills

Amongst the people we spoke to, jobs. This highlights the low value of
having children seemed to be the key locally available community level
indicator as to whether parents had courses, which mostly women took
taken post-school qualifications. advantage of, and the lack of
All couple-children households connection to what employers want,
contained at least one person with a and the local availability of jobs. (See
vocational qualification or in two Grant and Buckner, 2006).
households a higher level diploma.
In most cases this was the male Those people living on their own
partner. Two women in couple were the least likely to have a post-
households have vocational school qualification, particularly the
qualifications and a further three lone men and the lone father. This
significant work experience. Most group were also the group most likely
single mothers and the couple to have significant health issues.
pensioners also had various These issues may have prevented
vocational qualifications. For some them physically or mentally from
mothers continuing education was undertaking training and/or entering
stated as a desire to be able to help into paid employment. This illustrates
their children with their homework. the connection between the level of
Those women that did go on to quality of human assets, in terms of
undertake training once they left good health, and the ability to build
school tended to take short courses financial assets.
but for most this did not translate into

26
 Susan left school at the age of 15 when she became pregnant.
She married the father, with whom she still lives, and they now have 4
children, 3 of them still living at home. Since leaving school Susan has
taken various short courses but has only ever been able to get a job as a
cleaner. While working in this capacity at a large supermarket she
remembers being told that she wasn't 'qualified to stack a shelf'. She has
taken on various voluntary teaching assistant positions but so far she
has not got the job of a teaching assistant that she desires. She is just
starting a new job working night shifts. Her husband works full-time as a
skilled worker but 'hates' the job. He gets about half the pay he did
working away from home but Susan missed him being away so he got a
job nearer home.

However, some households product research (e.g. for a car or a

expressed a resigned feeling towards loan). One person mentioned having
education: people my age dont have to use a computer as part of their
qualifications. Others reported work. A few mentioned taking basic
negative experiences of training computer course but none mentioned
schemes. Attitudes to opportunities using computers subsequently for
also varied, one woman expressed a further learning.
desire to go to university while
another person (young man) felt this 3.2 Health and ability
was unattainable. to work
A major factor in peoples ability to
The couple-children households had work and earn was their health.
the highest qualifications and the Only 6 of the 30 working age adults
ability to take advantage of this by in the households were in
one member of the household employment. 3 were seeking work
working while the other took care of and a further 9 saw caring for
the children. children or ill adults as their job, or as
a reason for not currently seeking
Computing skills were increasingly work. The remaining 12 individuals
seen as an important basic skill to were not able to work due to mental
have. Two thirds of the women were ill-health or long-term physical ill-
able to use computers including the health. Two of the working men also
lone mothers who used it as to email had long-term health conditions but
friends and for on-line shopping, and were able to work in a limited
in one case looking for jobs. Only a capacity. Overall, the biggest health
third of men could use a computer issue was that of mental ill-health.
and this was usually for gaming or

27
 In the snap-shot shown in Figure 10, problems associated with birth and
8 people (5 women and 3 men) child care. Reasons for depression
stated they were not currently for men included being violently
working due to mental ill-health. attacked, death of father, death of a
A look over time however, showed child, multiple deaths of close
that all the women except 2 had relatives, stopping smoking, bullying
experienced some form of at work and redundancy. Three
depression that prevented them from women had suffered post-natal
working for longer or shorter periods depression, one suffered depression
within the previous 5 years compared following domestic abuse and three
to 5 of the 15 men. None of the following the breakdown of a
women described themselves as relationship. Other catalysts
having unqualified good health and mentioned were debt, falling out with
only 3 of the men felt fully fit. a family member and having to care

There are clear gender-related for a relative. In some cases the

causes of ill-health, for instance, men depression was caused by a
were more vulnerable to violence in combination of circumstances.
public places, women to health

Robin is a single male in his 30s. Bullying at school and then at work have
contributed to his ongoing mental ill-health that has been difficult to
overcome and Robin has not worked for the last 10 years. During one of
his breakdowns Robin ran up debts for sheltered accommodation.
The first he knew of this was when he was sent a note of arrears from the
Mental Health Trust. He felt 'crucified' by the debt which he eventually
managed to pay off. Unable to work he volunteers time regularly to various
local organisations. He also receives a lot of moral support from his family
and wider community. He would rather have this than their financial
support he says.

28
3.3 Self-esteem 3.4 Ill health
As well as education and health, amongst children
human assets also cover a persons Half the households interviewed had
self-esteem and belief in themselves. children of a range of ages living
In a number of cases it was clearly with them. Children were a cause
the actions and attitudes within both of growth in assets, and of loss.
external agencies which had knocked In some cases older children brought
peoples confidence and discouraged money into the household, or looked
them from progressing rather than after younger children. Relationships
encouraging them. These included: particularly between daughters and
mothers were a source of emotional
Low expectations about getting a support to both. In some cases the
job sometimes internally felt but support was the other way round,
also externally imposed with particularly mothers continuing
Negative experiences of training to give to their older children who
which had put people off further had left home, even though nothing
training came back in return.
Bad experiences with the
employment service by some The assets of around half of all the
Negative experience of work households with children were
included difficult conditions affected by the ill health of at least
undertaking paid care work, sexual one, and often more, of their
harassment and bullying. For those children. This ranged from occasional
in work most of them did not enjoy hospitalisations due to infections
the work they do through to ongoing issues including
Red tape, health and safety physical and learning disabilities,
issues and a lack of a drivers asthma, bowel disease, epilepsy,
licence were mentioned as barriers severe food allergies and challenging
to becoming self employed or behaviour. Three households had
starting a business tried claiming disability living
One single mother with allowance but were turned down
considerable voluntary experience despite the obvious burden to the
told the employment service she family. Clearly the effect of coping
wasnt happy with their job with a sick child over a period of
selections for her time had taken its toll for many; both
on the health of the parents, and on
I applied for a job at the big retail their relationships with others
park where I heard there were a meaning a likelihood of a run down
couple of hundred jobs packing. of all assets even though some of
I never heard anything back from the children brought state benefits
them, but when I told that to the into the family.
dole, they look at you as if you're
lying and never applied in the
first place

29
 3.5 Caring for adults and 3.6 Women and
children with disabilities unpaid work
A third of the households we spoke Within the household economy
to had significant caring women were far more likely to have
responsibilities within the household. caring and reproductive roles. For
The effects of this on the household the household this role allowed other
made themselves felt in two ways. members of the household, usually
Firstly there was the inability to enter the male partner, to engage in paid
the labour market as a result of work. The decision was usually
looking after others. This prevented talked through and made on the
carers from being able to earn basis that the man could gain access
money and build their own skills and to a higher paid job than the woman
human capital. Secondly, and related, although in other households there
the consumption of time and effort in was the 'Victorian expectation' as
looking after dependent household one wife put it that she should stay at
members had a knock-on effect on home and the husband go to work.
the individuals health. The extra A negotiated balance between paid
stress placed on carers looking and unpaid roles in the household
after household members was was a clear strategy for building
frequently mentioned. assets and allowed greater flexibility
in households with two adults. The
When my parents became ill, different contribution that each other
I looked after them for several made was generally recognised in
years. As a result I was out of the families. But the caring role was also
job market for a very long time and a barrier to participation in the labour
found it difficult to get employed market especially for lone mothers.
when I was ready to work again. It As one mother identified
was the exhaustion of looking after
my parents for 11 years which I am unable to work because I
meant that when I lost them, and can't afford the childcare, the tax
couldn't get back into the job credits don't cover the cost of
market, my own health was at risk. sending the kids to nursery even
though my sister works there and
Resources exist for carers (Stockton gets a discount, it is expensive and
Borough Council Carers Resource there is a 40 gap I can't cover
Centre / MIND support groups etc)
but none of the households
mentioned accessing these. The
support that was mentioned included
Sure Start, secondary care, social
services and faith groups.

30
 3.7 Gender and Human Assets
Table 3 Gender and Human Assets
Women Men
Knowledge and skills Knowledge and skills
Of those who stayed on at school Fewer men stayed on at school
more were women who gained at but they went on to get better
least 2 GCSEs. vocational qualifications.
3 women left school due to early Males in couple households had
pregnancies. vocational qualifications whereas
Single mothers were more likely to lone males had none.
have vocational qualifications In couple households with one
compared to lone women and person working it was the male
single fathers. that used existing skills to gain
Overall, however, women tend to paid employment.
have fewer and lower post school
qualifications despite leaving
school with higher qualifications
Differences

then men.

Health Health
Women mentioned cancer, Physical ill-health for men included
epilepsy, diabetes, learning back and knee injuries, diabetes
disabilities and heart murmur. and some unknown illness.
Depression in women was due to Depression in men was due to
post-natal depression, domestic being violently attacked, family
abuse, relationship breakdown, deaths, bullying, redundancy and
debt, stress of caring, loss of job or the stress of stopping smoking.
a combination of some of these.

Caring
More women carried out caring
roles with the result that they were
less able to access paid work.

The picture found among the households visited is not an uncommon one
among what are recognised as poorer households low qualifications, poor
health, low self-esteem. What did surprise us was the extent of mental ill-
health. Its effects impacted on most households, and, as we discuss in
Section 7, are wide ranging. The extent and costs of caring were also
highlighted through our discussions with households.

31
 What did we learn about human assets?

Women are less likely to have post school qualifications than men,
despite more of them leaving school with higher qualifications.
Those that did go on to undertake training once they left school tended
to take short courses but for most this did not translate into jobs.
Many people interviewed had suffered some form of ill-health over the
previous 5 years
Depression had impacted on virtually all the women spoken to and a
third of the men. There were clear gender-related catalysts that led to
the depression both for women and men, although for some it was a
combination of events.
For people living alone, ill health featured significantly, and this
seemed to prevent them taking training and/or entering into
paid employment.
Disability and ill-health of children in the family was a major factor in
the number and severity of barriers faced by households
Both men and women experience negative and discouraging attitudes
from external agencies, and this had impacted upon their confidence

32
4. Social Assets
What do we mean by social assets?
Social Assets are the social resources upon which people draw in pursuit of
their livelihood objectives. These are developed through
1. relationships of trust, reciprocity and exchanges which may provide a
basis for informal safety nets
2. more formalised groupings based on common interests
3. networks and connectedness either vertical or horizontal which increase
people's trust and ability to work together and expand their access to
wider institutions such as political or civic bodies

Source: DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheet Section 2.3.2

Voices from our research

I've got a lot of friends, and get fed three times a week, and they get to spend
time with me

I help out at the church now with fundraising and helping in study and youth
groups. I also do a few hours at the charity shop. I feel that with people having
given so much to me I can now help in giving something back

This section focuses on social Women and relationships

contacts within both households and over time
the wider community2. Of the 18 women in the survey, the
ones in couple households were the
4.1 The importance of best off. 7 of the 8 women in couples
relationships were in long-term relationships and
A third of the households were this was their first marriage. These
affected by the breakdown of were the only women who lived in
marital/partner relationships and our bought homes, apart from one older
findings were that this affected divorced woman. They also had
assets, as opportunities to work and more access to assets such as cars
asset build were more difficult as a and computers. The remaining
lone parent or single person. In this woman in this group, and her
section we look at the patterns of children, had just moved in with her
household composition that formed boyfriend and felt that things had
over time for the people we stabilised after a period in debt. Paid
interviewed. work seemed more of a possibility for
these women although some had
made a decision with their partner
not to take on paid work.

2
See One NorthEast (2005) for a discussion of economic development and social capital in Tees Valley.

33
 The women who made up the single Fiona, a single mother, was
parent group of households had a working full-time when she met her
much more varied pattern. 2 or 3 had first partner. After 5 years together
had a number of relationships Fiona got pregnant but her partner
resulting in children from different wasn't interested in the baby. She
fathers. None of this group lived in got severe post-natal depression
a bought home and they all found it which resulted in her going off sick
very difficult to take on paid work and from work. Her partner also started
care for young children at the same drinking more and became abusive
time. In 3 cases a relationship break and two years later she left him.
up had caused a serious erosion of Initially her ex-partner paid
financial and physical assets, maintenance but after a while he
although one of the women was gave up his job to avoid having to
expecting something from the sale of pay. After living in a relative's
the marital home. In the remaining house for a while Fiona moved into
households it had been impossible a council house of her own. She
to build up financial assets, indeed went onto income support for the
reliance on high cost alternative first time in her life - a situation she
credit was one of the defining finds humiliating. Now the baby is
features of lone parents and single one year old she keeps her
women. Another characteristic of this depression at bay by volunteering -
group was the decision by most of a way of getting herself out of the
the women not to chase up ex- house. She is keen to find a job
partners for maintenance preferring again but doesn't want to rush into
a clean break. Domestic violence a low paid job which she feels will
was a reason for a relationship make the situation worse.
breakdown in at least four of the ten
single headed households. Men and relationships over time
Of the 15 men in the households 8 of
All the lone women had previously them were in a couple household.
been in a couple relationship and Like their female partners this was
had grown-up children but were now their first marriage/partnership, apart
living on their own. Two of the older from the one couple who had just
women in this group had been moved in together. 5 men were in
married twice. One had managed to paid employment, one cared for his
retain some of the money she partner of 9 years, 1 is unable to
brought into the second marriage, but work and 1 is a registered job seeker.
the other had lost everything over the Although the decision about who
years. In addition, three of the four in should seek paid work was
this group were in receipt of discussed in some of the homes,
incapacity or disability allowances. in others there was a clear
expectation on the mans part that
the woman stays at home and looks
after the children.

34
One of the men interviewed was a interested in their child for the last nine
single father who had won custody of months. One former partner had just
his child although -he had suffered been released from prison and was
considerable stress over the break-up beginning to show some interest. For
of the relationship with the mother. some a conscious decision to make a
This had put him in the same position clean break had been made while
as a single mother finding it others realised the benefit of having a
impossible to work and care for his father figure in their childs life and
pre-school son at the same time. were actively seeking to rebuild the
He was therefore unemployed, but relationship between child and father.
intended to seek paid work once his
son is at school. 4.3 Care from family
and friends
In contrast to the lone women who had A few households had strong support
all had children by previous from family and friends and this was
relationships the four working age lone clearly a very important asset,
men had never had children or owned described for example as brilliant
their own property. Two lived in their and couldnt manage without.
parents home, and two in local The other side of the coin was that
authority housing. Depression was 3 households themselves provided
common among this group brought on support for members of their extended
by redundancy, accidents, violence and family. Only one person described
death of close family. A sense of themselves as self-sufficient, but that
hopelessness and pessimism pervaded person was paradoxically part of a
this group more than any other. strong friendship group. Two
households reported reciprocal caring
The stories above emphasise how arrangements with family and friends.
problems such as relationship
breakdown, violence, redundancy and 4.4 Social Contacts
caring for ill relatives can have a knock- A wide range of social contacts was
on effect on other assets often making reported by most households which
women and men much more provided people with a diverse range
vulnerable to future shocks leading of assets. In 14 households friends
to longer-term illness and low levels were a key provider of support and
of income. help. The range of support from family
and friends was greatly varied
4.2 Support from previous including: financial support, especially
partners: loans; food in exchange for child
There was very little reported support minding; hair cuts; nursery discounts;
in this area and responses showed no meals; shopping; cheap tobacco; a
pattern. One household said that a fridge in return for advice; lifts in a car;
previous partner stays away, another toys and clothes; support and
was reported as using drugs, another friendship. Four households reported
said that the ex had not been no help at all from these sources.

35
 4.5 Faith had received a Christmas hamper
Ten households reported links with local from the Salvation Army and many
churches - this represents a far higher mentioned the non-material help in
incidence than the national average terms of emotional support at difficult
and probably reflects the channels times. Help with mental illness and
through which some of the respondents signposting to help with debt were
were identified. Nonetheless, for five other ways that people had been
households church support/contact was helped by their church. One person
described in strong terms, for example who has been involved with a church
it helps overcome depression and for the past four years described it as
always someone at the end of the giving stability and grounding.
phone or email to talk to.
4.6 Gender and
People mentioned being involved in Social Assets
churches in a variety of ways over During the research we found it a lot
and above the traditional activities of easier to access women than men,
services and bible studies. For a suggesting that women are more likely
number of people volunteering with to be involved in some form of social
church related activities such as Kids grouping, such as Sure Start or a local
clubs, running a church shop, helping church. However, women were also
with older people and driving the more likely to be providing support to
church minibus gave them a structure family members living outside the
and purpose which they felt was household, including to children,
important particularly if they were parents and an uncle. Women suffered
unable to work in regular paid a loss of assets as a result of
employment, and was a way of relationship breakdown. Men living
contributing to society. Two families alone were noted to be the most
had received specific help with pessimistic of all the groups, often
children who had long-term illnesses citing negative forecasts for their
and others had benefited from being futures, and seeming to have the least
gifted a weekend away. One family social assets.

What did we learn about social assets?

Those households who were supported by external family members or
friends really appreciated this, and the support was a valuable element of
their livelihood strategy
Volunteering either at a church, community organisation or charity shops
was recognised as a positive asset and an opportunity to repay kindness
people had been shown by others. This was particularly the case for
people who were unable to take paid employment.
In our group in Thornaby, women were more likely to have social
interactions, with both formal and informal groups.
Lasting relationships are important assets, particularly for women who
tend to lose the most if the relationship ends
The men who lived alone had not had children, and seemed the most
isolated, hopeless and negative about their futures.

36
5. Public Assets
What do we mean by public assets?
Note: Natural Assets is the 5th asset in the DFID Sustainable Livelihoods
Framework. We did not find it useful in the UK urban context and have
replaced it with public assets.
This is because in the UK people are much less likely to rely on the land and
nature as a means of accessing livelihood strategies.
By public assets we mean public services beyond basic infrastructure
mentioned in physical assets. This includes libraries, local organizations and
regeneration groups as well as people's general engagement within their
community beyond the immediate circle of friends and family.

Voices from our research

When I was experiencing domestic violence, I had to travel to Stockton to get it
dealt with. On one incidence it took three hours for the police to respond to
my call for help. In fact, some times it is better not to report an attack as my
ex-husband told the police that I had hit him first; and the police said that if I
carried on with my claim they would have to arrest me and lock me up. And
having 3 children I could not take the risk.

5.1 Community Activity At a more general level most people

There was a general lack of felt that they didnt have a voice in
involvement in community Thornaby sometimes this was
development organizations across because people felt they werent
households. The main engagement heard when they did speak up, for
with any organisation was 5 Lamps others they did not see the point in
(a local community centre), which speaking because no-one will listen.
was mentioned frequently but usually Most people had never met their
in connection with some sort of local councillor and a few did not
training course rather than anything know who their councillor was.
to do with community action. The
Mandale redevelopment had left Interest in being involved in
many residents in that area sceptical improving life in Thornaby:
of the value of their views. They felt Ten households expressed an
their suggestions and wishes had interest in working to improve the
been ignored. In a few cases lives of others, although most
residents were pleased with the responses were weak/passive; for
outcome and were looking forward to example If I could; or If I was of
being able to buy a share in a house use, suggesting a lack of confidence
in Mandale but most felt that they in this area or perhaps not
had been forced out of the area to recognising that they had anything to
make way for expensive houses. give. Three households felt that they

37
 had to improve their own lot first with the programme. One household
before it would be possible to help said Sure Start was brilliant; another
anyone else. said that they had ceased to be
involved with Sure Start because they
5.2 Local Services felt there was a lack of consultation in
In terms of local services libraries its processes. Eight households felt
were used by over two thirds of involvement was not applicable to
households. For five households this them, because they did not have any
use was exclusively for their children, children under the age of four.
and for two others it was for course
work and research. One person said Several households told stories of
that they never borrowed books negative interactions with public
because they always forgot to take services, experiencing a lack of
them back although they still used understanding or sensitivity to their
the library. One household mentioned position, which in some cases
not using the library because they amounted to prejudice. In the case
had too many unpaid fines. below, the attitude of staff at the Job
Centre was very unhelpful, and
Those who had no computer of their provision of a service was achieved
own often used computers available only through another public channel
at various community buildings either (the MP).
at the library, South Thornaby
Community Centre or at the Five Once my cooker broke, and I went
Lamps organisation. Eight to the job centre for a grant, they
households mentioned accessing just asked can't you live on
computers in this way. sandwiches? But my local MP,
Dari Taylor, got involved and I got
Eleven of the sample households the loan
regularly used public transport,
especially buses at the time of 5.3 Local Groups for
survey. Three reported never using Regeneration
buses. Three households were There was very little evidence of
regular users of taxis and two people engagement with local decision
used to use trains one for travelling making fora among the families
to a training venue, the other to get spoken to. Five households said that
to hospital. Buses were described as they had no involvement with local
terrible by one person and very groups for regeneration. One person
expensive by two others but in reported going to poorly-controlled
general people felt that Thornaby meetings about housing development
was well-served by public transport. on the Mandale estate which was
described as more screaming and
Five households were actively shouting than anything else. Another
involved with the local Sure Start, and was involved with the Friends of
five more had a history of involvement South Thornaby Community Centre

38
but with a similar experience: I dont their time spent with children, but
think it makes any real difference, also lone women identified using
local people being involved in things these assets. The Sure Start initiative
like that. Overall this pointed to a was particularly useful for women
clear sense of alienation from local with younger children, and was used
structures and resources. by quite a few of our sample.

Knowledge is important in order to Women were also far more likely to

exploit community resources outside volunteer than men, in some cases
of the household and mobilise human the women chose not to earn money
assets within. Given the low levels of with the skills they have in order to
confidence and post-16 qualifications be flexible around household needs.
amongst our households this sort of These women are building
mobilisation was challenging for capabilities, and providing an
them. The low numbers of house- important service for others, but they
holds accessing advice services are not translating these skills into
illustrates this. Many houses were financial assets for themselves.
characterised by a lack of awareness
of many such services. Others didnt As demonstrated by the quote at the
perceive any value in them, or found beginning of Section 5 relating to
them inaccessible. domestic violence, it is very important
that public services engage with
5.4 Gender and women, in particular when they are
Public Assets at risk. Without this gendered
Women were more likely to access engagement, there is a heightened
public assets such as libraries, chance of women becoming more
leisure centres and healthy eating vulnerable as they decide not to trust
classes. This was often as part of the authorities.

What did we learn about public assets?

People did use community centres (5 Lamps), libraries (over two-thirds
of households), and Sure Start, and women accessed such assets more
than men.
Most people did not feel they had a voice or political engagement
Few people accessed advice or support from formal services
Public assets need to recognise needs of women and men separately,
and the caring responsibilities of women if they are to engage with
people most at risk
Where public services were delivered well, people benefited a great
deal, but when services were unsupportive, the impact on the individual
was damaging.

39
 6. Physical Assets
What do we mean by physical assets?
Physical capital covers the tools and equipment that people need to be
productive along with the basic infrastructure needed to function
productively such as affordable transport and energy, decent housing and
access to information.
Source: DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheet Section 2.3.4

Voices from our research

I aspire to the normal things in life like what my brother has; a house, car and
a girlfriend
I borrow the kids' bikes to get about

This section looks at two particular mobile phones. Some households

aspects of physical capital which mentioned saving TV time for when
potentially allow people to be the children were in so it kept them
productive. None of the people we quiet. For others it was a source of
spoke to were self-employed entertainment when other forms of
although some had been in the past entertainment are too expensive e.g.
on a very small informal basis. taking the family to the cinema costs
over 25 once transport, tickets and
6.1 Productive Equipment snacks are included. Most were
The amount of significant rented through Pay As You View or
possessions that households claimed other doorstep schemes, greatly
to own showed something of the increasing the costs of such
material poverty of their lives. Three commodities.
women mentioned owning productive
equipment such as beauty equipment Nine households had mobile phones.
and flower arranging stands but none Complete information was not
were currently using these to earn available regarding landlines,
money although two of them however at least two of the houses
intended to when their children were had their phones disconnected due
a bit older. This may be as much a to late payment of bills. Two
question of being time poor as asset households cited their DVD/CD
poor. Two of the men had tools and collections as assets. Seven
decorating equipment but again none households reported no significant
were being used to earn money. material possessions (this was
obvious from observation) or made
Most physical assets were non- no comment. One household talked
productive. Apart from basic about an eight oven ring thing, and
household furniture the key items said that one partner had an
mentioned by people were TVs and expensive camera and Star Trek

40
memorabilia. Another household 6.2 Transport
talked about the herbs they grew in Four households regularly used a bike
the garden as significant as a main means of transport, one
possessions, and said that all of their further person used to use a bike to
furniture was second hand. The lone get to work, but no longer. Seven of
father had slowly built up a collection the 24 households owned a car, which
of camping equipment as an was valued for a means of transport to
investment in cheap holidays with his work as well as for collecting and
son for the future. dropping off children. Car ownership
was most usual in couple households.
Nine households had their own One of the other households (a single
computer, but of these only 4 had father) had a car which was currently
access to the internet, or used it off the road in need of repair. Two
regularly. For example, one others reported walking everywhere. In
household had bought a broken two households a car owned by
computer at a car boot sale. Another someone else, a partner or family
had been given one by their son but member, was shared with a relative or
did not use it. However, another household member. Nine households
person had been given a computer had neither a car nor a bike. Not
by an uncle and used it to buy having a car was mentioned as a
bargains on Ebay. One household barrier to work as well as the high cost
had owned a computer but had been of bus fares by a few households.
forced to sell it for financial reasons.
Thirteen households had no 6.3 Gender and
computer. As mentioned in the Physical Assets
Human Assets section more women Some of the women owned
than men had computer skills and productive assets, but were not
the uses of computer were different, planning to use them to gain an
with men using computers for games income until their children had left
and price comparing while women home. Most of the ownership of cars
used computers for emailing friends was by couples, with both using, but
and on-line shopping for bargains. most often belonging to the man.

What did we learn about physical assets?

None of the people we spoke to used their physical assets to earn
further money
TVs, Mobile phones and computers are all physical assets, that were
commonly owned and valued
Not having a car was recognised as a barrier to accessing work,
as well as the high costs of bus fares

41
 7. Inter-relatedness of assets
This section explores the interaction Our research also indicates that the
that takes place between different reverse scenario can occur. As one
types of assets and considers the asset is increased, there is an
vicious and virtuous cycles of asset- improved ability to withstand shocks,
loss or gain that emerge. While each and to develop other assets as
type of asset is important (financial, demonstrated in the below example.
social etc) in itself, looking at how
they interlink gives a more complete Jim and Anne have been married for
picture of how sustainable a over 10 years. The early years were
livelihood is in the face of an external difficult while Jim studied and then
shock. For example, when a shock was in part-time work. When Jim
leads to the loss of one asset, this was offered full-time work they were
affects the individuals ability to grow able to buy a house with a loan from
assets in all areas, and can create a Jim's mother for the deposit. The
constant condition of insecurity, and following year an inheritance from
fear of losing other assets. Jim's relation plus some savings
which Anne had allowed some basic
In our group of households a upgrading to be done to the house.
particularly common scenario for Subsequent manageable loans and
women was the breakdown of a more recently a remortgage have
relationship (social asset), leading to allowed them to buy a car and do
poor health (human asset), leading to further renovations to the house.
decreased ability to earn and Workwise Anne has had a number
increased debt (financial assets), of part-time jobs but these were
leading to poorer housing (physical always low paid and poor
assets) sometimes compounded by conditions. Since 1999, when
ineffective or unhelpful responses Working Family Tax Credit
from public services. increased substantially, she decided
it was better to stay at home and
An example from the research of look after the children than to
this kind of cycle is narrated in the engage in paid work.
box below:

Susan is in her 40s and lives on her own. When her father became ill and
needed care Susan entered into a vicious circle of asset loss. She initially
lost her job through the stress caused by caring for her father who was
dying of cancer. Her debts for a car caught up with her and her depression
deepened. She felt she had to return to work to pay off the debts which
were accruing more interest but did so too soon and ended up having to go
off sick again. The loan insurance policy would not pay out because she
was off again with the same illness. She ended up losing the car but still
having to make payments. She is still off work with depression

42
 At times, people chose to cut back the family. In one of the cases this
on one asset in order to maintain or reduced the income earned by half
build another. For instance, in two of but meant the husband no longer
the households deliberate decisions worked away from home.
were made by the couple that the This is a reminder that it is not just
male partner would take a lower paid financial outcomes that households
job in order to spend more time with look for.

7.1 Assets Pentagon: Summary of Key Observations

HUMAN
Health, and especially mental health, an issue across the
board, particularly for women
Lots of post school training course especially for women
available but not ending up in jobs
Most people had left school at earliest opportunity
Low levels of confidence in talking to officials
Low aspirations/low self-esteem
High level of unemployment
SOCIAL/POLITICAL Relationship breakdown a common
Important role of support by feature of most non-couple
brothers/sisters/parents households FINANCE
Caring for parents, older Working in low paid jobs, only 5 working
neighbours, disabled children High reliance on benefits for lone adults
mostly by women Care responsibilities other reason for not
Important role of volunteering as working
a source of meaning and Income support main source of income
structure especially for most for lone parents
vulnerable people especially Debt a necessary part of life - many
lone women
Assets couldn't say exactly what they owed
Very little political involvement - Pentagon Most single women only have basic
people don't feel they have a bank accounts, and took on more debt
voice than men at very high interest rates
Crime not an issue identified by Couples more likely to access
most people as a problem mainstream credit

PUBLIC PHYSICAL
Use of leisure facilities Housing: mainly rented
Wide use of Surestart children's centres Cars identified as important means to
Libraries widely access employment
Many short training courses provided by All have big TVs (easy to get on
public sector credit) - entertainment when can't
Public transport generally OK but expensive afford to go out
Frustration dealing with employment Computers recognised as asset for
schemes social interaction
Higher proportion of women than men use No tools and machines used to
public assets for selves and children earn money

43
 8. Livelihood Strategies and Outcomes
What do we mean by Livelihood Strategies?
Livelihood strategies are about the range and combination of activities and the
choices that people make/undertake in order to achieve their livelihood goals.
This includes productive activities, investment strategies and reproductive
choices, etc.

The more choice and flexibility that people have in their livelihood strategies
the greater their ability to withstand or adapt to the shocks and stresses of
the vulnerability context.

Access to assets is the major influence on choice of livelihoods. Transforming

structures and processes can reinforce positive choices or they can also
constrain choice, reduce access and restrict mobility.

Source: DFID Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheet Section 2.5

Voices from our research

I got the mantelpiece from a friend, and I'm paying it back at 10 a week for 6
weeks, the fridge I got from a neighbour. We help each other out with food and
things when we can. Any work I took would need to fit around looking after my
child. My main job is as a father. I could have got incapacity benefit for my bad
back, but I wanted to prove I was a fit father so they wouldn't take him away so I
gave that up, and just get jobseekers and child benefit. I've bought a computer
from a carboot sale for 3 so me and the kid can learn how to type

The amount of choice and flexibility ladder. This was a useful tool for
that people had over livelihood starting to identify positive
strategies depended largely on what interventions to support the
access they had to assets. livelihoods of women and men in
Households found themselves poverty in Thornaby.
anywhere on the spectrum from no
choice (survival), to a limited range of This section looks at the livelihood
choice (coping) through to strategies used by poorer
households with more choice households in Thornaby. It then
(adapting) and finally those with a full examines the impact of external
range of choice (accumulating). shocks on households, goes on to
As we built up an understanding of map where households put
the strategies at each level we began themselves on the spectrum, and
to see associated characteristics, finally presents a livelihoods ladder
and the resulting outcomes, which arising from the observations of
we brought together in a livelihoods this study.

44
8.1 Surviving and Coping The high incidence of people having
Within a household there may be a to reduce consumption (including of
range of individual strategies used in essentials such as food and heating)
order to bring about the best demonstrates the shortage of options
outcomes possible, some of which that poverty brings. As one man
are financial, while others are about describes, when the children need
developing personal or social assets. extra money for school Poor Sandra
(the wife) goes without. However, it
A range of strategies were described also reveals the resourcefulness that
in our research at survival and can be found by drawing on social
coping levels, and we have assets and exchanging favours when
separated these into different types: times are tough. But even these
resources only seem to ensure a
Reducing consumption: continuation at the same level of
cheap tobacco or cutting back asset-ownership, not a means for
on smoking people to build on the assets that
minimising food eaten they already have. Using these
having no treats or withholding strategies allows people to struggle
treats from self for the benefit and to cope, but not to develop
of children towards adapting or accumulating.
not sending children on school trips
wife going without 8.2 Shocks to households
switching off the heating Shocks are events and situations
using candles for light which are beyond the control of the
cutting back on shopping individual who is being effected, but
which create a problem that the
Exchanging goods and services: person has to deal with. Sometimes
a fridge in return for advice these are major events such as
food in exchange for child minding bereavement or loss of employment
gardening in exchange for or a home, and sometimes these
prayer lessons may seem minor but are also very
stressful. For example, a washing
Favours from friends and family: machine breaks down, which leaves
borrowing in-laws car when needed a choice between paying to call a
living with in-laws or parents for a plumber who may not be able to fix
period it, finding the money for a new
money loans washing machine, using the local
hair cuts laundrette which is an expensive way
meals of washing and drying clothes, or
hand washing clothes.
Intensifying labour in order to
reduce costs: Relationships, while clearly a social
walk rather than use asset when working well, can also
public transport function as a shock, for example

45
 when there is a breakdown or the workplace and poor working
bereavement. The level and conditions was another factor that
sustainability of assets is a major had a negative impact on womens
factor in the vulnerability of people to assets. Some women had been
such external shocks, and their affected by redundancy.
capacity to withstand them. Bereavements, including a number of
deaths in quick succession and
Simon, now in his late 30s, has untimely deaths, were also
worked hard since leaving school at mentioned. Some had been involved
the age of 16. He got married just in car accidents with both negative
over 10 years ago and after having (health wise) and positive (financial
two children he and his wife decided compensation) effects.
to buy the council house they were
living in. Within a few months, Catherine, now in her 50s, lives on
however, Simon was unexpectedly her own in rented accommodation.
made redundant and was unable to She previously owned a house
find another job. He suffered which she was able to keep after
depression and his wife also began her first marriage ended. But a
to feel unwell. The situation was short disastrous second marriage
made worse by the increasing debt led to her having to give up the
that Simon and his wife incurred in house and move into the rented
an attempt to maintain previous house she is now in. Her health
income levels. In turn, this caused also deteriorated rapidly to the
arguments putting strain on the point where she has been unable
relationship. The two children also to work for the last 15 years. She
have poor health placing extra now has very few possessions and
demands on the family. is demoralised by being constantly
in debt. Catherine has a strong
Shocks to women social network including church
Post-natal depression affected 3 of links which she relies on for
the women we spoke to but all the support in a variety of ways.
women at one stage or another had
been affected by depression to some Shocks to men
degree. Women tended to be more For men the main shocks were
affected financially and sometimes redundancy, industrial injury, bullying
emotionally by the breakdown of their in the workplace and street violence.
marriage or significant relationship. In Depression in these cases was not
other cases there was relief at the uncommon. Experience of
end of an abusive or controlling redundancy and industrial accidents
relationship. Domestic violence was both reflected the fact that more men
experienced by 5 of the 18 women have paid employment and that the
interviewed. A breakdown in nature of the work tends to be more
relationships with siblings also physical. Fewer men we interviewed
featured. Unreasonable stress within had gone through a broken

46
relationship, particularly ones 3 of the households felt they were just
involving children, and in general the surviving with two of these being
effects of this were not (apparently) single parent households. In the other
as damaging, particularly financially, household disability and depression
as for women. The death of a father were key features.
was also mentioned as having severe
impact on one of the respondents as 14 of the households visited felt they
were experiencing a number of were coping. Life was still difficult but
deaths in a short time period. through a combination of means they
were getting by.
Both men and women mentioned
anti-social behaviour by neighbours 6 households placed themselves at
as causing problems. In one of the the adapting level in the belief that
households this led to the couple they were preparing for the future and
moving home and having to give up that things were getting better. In
work until work in the new area could reality at least two of these households
be found. fitted the characteristics of the coping
level more accurately.
8.3 Livelihoods Ladder
To help identify how secure, long 1 household felt they were at the
term and effective peoples strategies accumulating level but this was more
were for creating and preserving in terms of things going better for them
assets, the research categorised four than they had been. The household, a
stages: surviving, coping, adapting couple with children, still had debt but
and accumulating (each of which has the husband had a good job and they
defining characteristics). Together were positive about the future.
they form a livelihoods ladder which
people move up and down at Not every household fitted neatly into
different times in their lives. one of the four levels but the
livelihoods ladder did provide a useful
Households were asked where they guide to the different strategies found
saw themselves in response to 4 among the households, and the results
statements representing the four in impact on households in terms of
levels of surviving, coping, adapting assets and outcomes.
and accumulating. The responses
are shown in Figure 6. Not surprisingly most households felt
that they had little choice in their
strategy. People do not choose to be
Figure 6 poor and where apparent choices
might exist, for instance take up of
training or jobs, there were very real
reasons why people felt this was not
the best thing to do in the
circumstances they were in.

47
 Livelihoods Ladder
Based on Thornaby Households

Level Characteristics Strategies Assets & Outcomes

People feel that life is going Working in the formal Increase in stocks of assets
well for them and that it will economy. e.g. savings and investments
Accumulating

continue to improve. They Running a business are growing.

have a stock of assets, which Investing in shares of People are healthier on the
is used to build on past property. whole.
achievements. Mostly couple Gaining advanced There is a feeling of well
households in this category. qualifications. being.
Highly dependent on formal Job satisfaction is much more
and increasingly electronic common than lower down the
forms of communication and ladder.
information. Men more likely than women
Men more likely than women to be in highly skilled, well
to be gaining highly skilled paid occupations.
qualifications.
Having access to mortgage
and mainstream credit.

People are actively working At least one member of the Assets are being developed.
towards the future. They have household working in the Shocks to the household are
a vision of what they want for formal economy. easily absorbed or quickly
the household and how they Gaining qualifications. recovered from due to stocks
are going to achieve it. Starting up a small business. of assets.
There is an interest in and Agreed balance of roles Wider choice of training and
engagement with community between male and female jobs.
Adapting

and public life. partners as to childcare and Sense of improved well-being

A feeling that there are work. and health
opportunities that can be Accessing mainstream credit.
taken advantage of. No need for survival/ coping
Women recently separated strategies.
are often hopeful about asset- Mostly couple households in
growth, but not realistic about this category.
financial consequences of
split and unwilling to claim
their share of joint assets.
Inheritance or other positive
shock can help households to
develop assets further.

People feel that that they are Total or partial reliance on Assets Assets such as health,
getting by but there is not income benefits and income and physical assets
Coping

much prospect of them being disability/incapacity. are generally maintained.

any better off in the future. Low paid jobs often working at If in a job it is not one that
They may take advantage of night for women or in usually gives much job
support services but it usually dangerous/ risky labouring and satisfaction.
does not help them enough to building jobs for men. If there is a shock to the
the next level. Engaging in the informal household such as illness,
People feel alienated from economy. redundancy, etc it is usually
power structures Less frequent use of able to recover.
Most couples and lone men survival/coping strategies (see Single and lone parent women
and women were in this box below) including borrowing most asset-poor and liable to
category; parents or in-laws car. be thrown into poverty by
unpaid and voluntary work Use of high cost alternative shocks.
and roles play an important credit if mainstream credit is
part in the lives of both men unavailable
and women Women particularly at risk
from doorstep lending and
high interest rates.

48
 Level Characteristics Strategies Assets & Outcomes

People feel that they are just Total reliance on benefits This results in an erosion of
surviving and life is a Take up of doorstep/ different assets e.g.
Surviving

continual battle against things alternative credit Health deteriorates both

going wrong e.g. redundancy, Use of Social Fund physically and mentally.
illness of themselves or close Arrears on rent or utility bills Notable presence of lone
relative, unwanted pregnancy, Frequent use of various parent women here
relationship breakdown. survival strategies such as Debt increases
Low self-esteem leads to a walking rather than paying for Physical assets of value are
feeling that no-one is transport, borrowing from sold
interested in them and that family and friends, living with Social capital is stretched to
most support services are not in-laws or parents, unable to its limits
for them send children on school trips, Families with disabled
Lone parents more likely to be minimising food eaten, using children are least able to grow
in this category plus some candles for light, switching off assets
lone men and women heating, no treats
Disability both for men and High incidence of mental
women is a feature in this health problems in women
category who feel they are not coping
Caught in benefits trap eg with debt
Active decision particularly by Engaging in the informal
women to look after children economy
full-time (lone parents forced Strong reliance on informal
into it?) information especially among
women in relation to job
information

8.4 Analysis of livelihoods continue at their sustained level.

strategies This means they get by, but their
The livelihood strategies found in this livelihood persists to be in relative
research involve an assortment of poverty, with little opportunity for
activities and the choices that people gaining a more sustainable basis.
make in order to get by. The access
to assets is a major influence on a Shocks impact on everyone however
persons choice of livelihood. The for a person at the coping or
more choice and flexibility that surviving level, they can have a more
people have in their livelihood negative impact. This may involve a
strategies the greater their ability to deterioration of other assets and a
withstand or adapt to the shocks longer-term loss of status. However,
and stresses of the vulnerability on some occasions people managed
context. to overcome the shocks, and build
their assets over time.
Those people who are surviving or
coping often rely on favours from Mostly, although not exclusively,
friends or family, or are forced to couples were doing better in terms of
reduce consumption, in order to livelihoods outcomes than the single

49
 men or women, or single parents. gender contract arrangements for
The couples tended to own cars, running the household tended to be
some had mortgages, and benefited shared to some extent, which meant
from pooled income in couples where couples could substitute for each
the woman worked. There was also other, reducing stress. The single
significant sharing of household parent women felt trapped by their
labour in couple households, where inability to grow financial assets, and
men participated in shopping, in many cases they hoped things
cooking and child care thus freeing would improve when the
up women for paid employment in responsibility of growing the human
one or two cases. This seemed to be assets of others has gone, or been
because they were able to cover the passed on to others (children at
range of responsibilities in building school or leaving home).
financial and human assets more
successfully. Women particularly benefited in
terms of financial asset building from
In terms of building financial assets, being in couple households. It was
the pattern was stereotypical. The also noticeable that being in a couple
men had the paid jobs, and the led to greater optimism. Couples
women cared for children or parents tended to be more hopeful, and have
and/or did voluntary work. The specific visions and dreams.

What have we learnt about Livelihoods strategies

and outcomes?
People face very limited choices, but despite this, use resourcefulness and
creativity in order to develop a strategy on a daily basis to cope or survive
These strategies may depend on support from family and friends, or
from cutting back on consumption. Sometimes they may be long-term,
and include accruing assets such as saving for a car. Most often they
are short-term measures to get through to the next pay packet or
benefits payment
Limited assets were shared generously within a relatively poor
community, which helped to prevent the most serious poverty, but did
not allow people to asset build and address their poverty in a long term
sustainable way
Couples do better than single people, both in terms of physical and
financial assets, and in their general sense of optimism and well-being
Lives change. People move up and down the ladder - and the more
assets they have, the more they can protect themselves from the
shocks that might push others further into poverty

50
9. Looking to the future
One of the key issues is how households can graduate from a lower level to
the next level up. It is also useful to understand the factors which lie behind
moves down the livelihoods ladder. For most of our households there had
usually been better times. For some of them this was a lifecycle issue. For
instance, households with young families, and particularly the women in them,
felt that once children were at school or if older have left school, that things
will improve and more opportunities will open up. For others the contrast was
between times when they had a job and/or steady partner and now when they
have no job and less assets. At least two women had lost property through
divorce or separation. When asked about the future the majority of
households, said they did not think about it life is lived one day to the next.
One male respondent felt hopeless: I have given everything up. Table 4 takes
the comments made by people and arranges by opportunities and barriers
according to gender.
Table 4 Looking to the future

Opportunities Barriers

Training leading to job. Managing money.

Dont feel I have any at the moment Looking after kids
Women

(single mother). Bad luck.

If I get a bit of good luck Im always Relationships.
looking out for the bad. Illness, long-term sickness.
Never thought about opportunities. Age (55). Partly self, partly government
Would like to be a teaching assistant demands.
when my son goes to school. Dont have a clue what I am doing
Starting up a business. tomorrow. Managing on benefits

Starting Clearing debt. No driving licence. Lack of Money.

Focus on one goal at a time. Own behaviour and attitudes
Men

A job. spending money on silly things.

Benefits system have to work a lot
more to get a bit more than on benefits.

When asked to reflect upon the a choice over how he spent the little
future the women in the households money he got.
were more willing to do this as shown
by the responses above. Women Among those who could see things
also seemed to appreciate a wider improving in the future women
range of barriers having faced them tended to speak about training and
themselves. For men jobs and children getting older as being the
money came across as the main things that would help them to get on
concerns. One of the younger men most. For men it was more about
did identify his own attitude as being finding a decent job.
a barrier recognising that he did have

51
10. Conclusions basis. It would be useful for them to
engage more directly with people
experiencing poverty, ensuring that
Livelihoods strength and resilience
policy is sensitive to the survival
This study provides a positive
choices people often have to make.
affirmation of the aspirations and
strengths of men and women in Non-financial assets
Thornaby. In hard times, they know For many people non-financial assets
how to cut corners and make ends were often the strongest and most
meet, and just keeping going when important assets they had, with
they have to. There are stories of dependence on families and social
unstinting generosity towards family networks really standing out as crucial
and friends, and these forms of social in combating the isolation they
assets are crucial to people. experienced. Interviewees recognised
Strategies are often sophisticated these assets as really positive
for example a number of men and features in their lives, and an
women combined work and caring important element in their coping
responsibilities between them at strategies.
different times in their lives in order to
grow assets for the household. People The limits of coping strategies
put in many hours of unpaid work to Most households were either just
their communities and church; surviving or coping, and were often
investments for more than the strictly reliant on support generously
financial future. The study emphasises provided by family, friends and
their resilience and resourcefulness in sometimes the wider community.
the face of significant barriers and These social assets were enabling
disadvantages. Using the assets they them to cope. It appeared, however,
do have often enables people to that the limited assets of a relatively
overcome shocks such as poor community were being shared,
bereavement, or losing a job, and which helped to prevent the most
make plans for the future. serious poverty, but did not allow
people to accumulate stocks of
Enduring poverty; bridging the gap assets and address their poverty in a
with policy long term sustainable way.
This study has highlighted the day-to-
day reality men and women inhabit, Use of credit and debt
and the continuing existence of We found high levels of
poverty. Many people had very few unmanageable and unmanaged debt,
financial assets and for some, this particularly among female lone
was combined with debts. It would be parents, who are more likely to access
helpful for policy makers and service credit through high cost alternative
providers to hear real stories coming sources such as doorstep lenders.
from households such as these in The combination of high interest rates,
Thornaby, on a systematic and regular inability to move beyond survival

52
mode, lack of any assets, and mental on benefits because the transition to
health problems caused by debt, work felt too risky to their overall
means the women in our sample were livelihood strategy; concluding that
in a particularly poor situation. Most of paid work was not worth it. Women
the men (except those in couples) were also far more likely to be
avoided taking on debt, probably carrying caring responsibilities.
because they had fewer Women living either alone or in lone
responsibilities for children. Women in parent households were poorer than
particular took on debt to meet social women in couple households.
pressures for possessions via their
children. Couples are better off
Couples were more likely to be in a
Mental health virtuous circle of asset growth, and
The majority of the households in this singles and lone parents in a vicious
study experienced mental health circle of asset loss. Lone women, and
problems, and an especially high single parents, (mostly women) found
proportion of women (all but 2 in the it harder to build assets from what
survey). This had a big impact on their they had. In contrast, many of the
ability to earn and therefore to couple households had a greater
increase their asset levels. In four of potential to grow assets if the
the ten single-headed households, household contains two income
domestic violence led to lack of streams rather than one. They had
confidence, poor mental health, and more joint capacity for a combination
the loss of a job. A high proportion of of paid and unpaid work, the potential
the households had children with to negotiate roles within the
disabilities. The practical difficulties household and therefore greater
and stresses of living with and caring flexibility of labour leading to greater
for disabled children, combined with ability to weather shocks.
the complexity of the benefits system,
made a growth of assets especially Gender stereotyping
difficult and in some cases was a Gender stereotyping plays a role in
contributory cause of family break-up. restricting the choices of occupation
made by women and men in the
Women are poorer study, and determining how they
The factors that made women poor, access financial assets. Many of the
are complex. Many women on their women ended up in work which is low
own could not use paid work to grow paid, but fits stereotypical female roles
their financial assets, and did not (eg care work, hairdresser, or
move beyond survival phase. For classroom assistant) and which fit
example, while more women in the around their caring responsibilities.
sample than men took community This impacts on womens chances of
education courses, such courses did asset growth particularly if living on
not lead to any work, or better paid their own. Men, particularly in couple
work. Many women opted to remain households, were more likely to be in

53
 higher-level craft skilled industrial Using the sustainable livelihoods
work, which is better paid. This gave approach
them greater potential to build their The use of the asset-based
assets, particularly as fewer of them livelihoods analysis has enabled us
had caring responsibilities. However, to uncover the reality of life for
there were also examples of men people experiencing poverty, the
choosing to reduce their income in strategies they used to get by on a
order to invest in their family assets, daily basis, and the opportunities
by taking lower-paid but more local they had to move towards a more
employment. A number of women sustainable future.
who had separated from partners
chose to give up claims to high value Based on our findings, we believe
assets such as pensions or the Sustainable Livelihoods
mortgages, in order to get a clean Approach is a useful tool in ensuring
break from their partner, foregoing that policy is based on an
significant financial assets. understanding of the strategies and
choices that people have to make to
Political engagement survive. Moreover, SLA can enrich
While one or two people had become and broaden understanding of what
engaged in community decision- is sometimes termed in the UK
making, and had met their local asset-based welfare.
councillors, most people in our survey
were unaware of, or uninterested in, Our analysis also suggests that it
local regeneration schemes. Few had would be worthwhile for policy
any involvement in their local council makers and service providers to
or in the planning and delivery of engage more directly with people
services with the exception of Sure experiencing poverty on a systematic
Start, and little belief that their and regular basis, ensuring that
involvement would make any policy is sensitive to the survival
difference to local decisions made. choices people often have to make.

Interaction with public services Having undertaken the analysis in

Both womens and mens experience Thornaby, we are working to develop
are that when the public services were concrete projects identified by local
approachable and useful, they people to address two or three key
benefited a great deal such as being issues highlighted by the research,
able to access secondary care when and working with local decision
suffering from depression. However, makers to see how the learning from
when the services were unsupportive this work can illuminate and
and treated people without dignity, the contribute to local and regional
impact was huge on the individual and economic development.
their confidence, an experience
especially associated with the Job
Centre Plus.

54
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Chen, M.A. & Dunn, E (1996) Household Economic Portfolio. AIMS , USAID.
http://www.usaidmicro.org/pubs
Equal Opportunities Commission EOC working paper No 6 2004 Gender and
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ESRC seminar series mapping the public policy landscape, Changing
household and family structures and complex living arrangements
Furbey, R et al (2006) Faith as Social Capital: Connecting or Dividing?
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Gellideg Foundation Group and Oxfam (2003) Fifty voices are better than one
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synthesis report. Centre for Social Inclusion, Sheffield Hallam University,
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Hocking, G (2003) Oxfam Great Britain and sustainable livelihoods in the UK.
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EOC working paper No. 8

Abbreviations
CAPChurch Action on Poverty
CC Couple children households one of the categories used in this report
DFIDDepartment for International Development
DLA Disability Living Allowance

55
 Annex 1 Overview of households
Benefits (data incomplete) Housing

Private Landlord

Household Age In Not in

Job Seeker Allowance

Housing Association
Type Group Employment Employment

Incapacity Benefit

Private Landlord
Income Support

Housing Benefit

Disability Living
Households No

Local Authority
Child Benefit

With parents
Owned
1 Couple + 2c 30-40 Husband Wife
6 Couple +2c 20-30 Both
8 Couple +3c 30-40 Both work
10 Couple +3c 30-40 Male Partner Female Partner
(unemployed)
11 Couple +3c 30-40 Husband Wife (homemaker)
12 Couple +3c 40-60 Both
22 Couple +3c 20-30 Wife unable to work
Husband is carer
13 Couple + 4c 30-40 Husband Wife unable to work
2 Single dad 30-40 Caring for son
+1c
15 Single 30-40 Caring for children
mother +2c
17 Single 30-40 Caring for children
mother +2c
18 Single 30-40 Caring for children
mother +2c
19 Single Caring for children
mother +2c
14 Single 30-40 Caring for children
mother+5c
3 Lone female 50-60 Long-term ill health
4 Lone female 40-50 Learning disabilities
7 Lone female 40-50 Depression
16 Lone female 50-60 About to set up
business
5 Lone male 30-40 Depression
9 Lone male 40-50 Looking for work
23 Lone male 70-80 Retired
(pensioner)
20 Living 30-40 Looking for work
with parents
21 Living 20-30 Depression
with parents
24 Couple - 70-80 Retired
pensioner

56
Acknowledgements
This report was written by:
Sheena Orr, Greg Brown, Sue Smith, Catherine May, Mark Waters.
It was edited by Catherine May and Julie Jarman.

Printed by Church Action on Poverty, November 2006.

Church Action on Poverty and Oxfam GB 2006

ISBN 1-874115-05-2
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