2019 - 2021 Fairness Commission
When this commission started in 2019, they followed a similar structure to the previous commission. Commissioners shared stories, decided what issues to address and built relationships. Late 2019 the Commissioners chose 3 themes: Disability; Food & Fuel Poverty and Treatment from Staff.
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Then the Covid-19 pandemic happened.
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Commissioners reassessed the themes they wanted to explore during the summer of 2020 and decided that it was not the right time to explore the way staff treat people (with a particular focus on the DWP), but that mental health and well-being was, again, a core issue, similar to the 2017-2018 commission. The Commission produced a Relaunch Report in August 2020, to show the journey they took during the early stages of the pandemic.
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"I’m worried about what affects this will have on my community. All of the usual problems of life are still happening. And then you have the fear of this virus on top of things. It’s a lot." - Community Commissioner
"I was always invested in the work we were undertaking as a subgroup around food and fuel poverty. My experiences through Lockdown have cemented that determination to do all that I can to support communities to change the narrative we have in the city of poverty in these areas." - Civic Commissioner
During August 2020 the Commissioners conducted a city-wide survey around their themes:
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Mental Health & Well-Being
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Disability
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Food & Fuel Poverty
452 people from across Dundee took part in this survey. The commission had analysis support from:
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The Senior Research and Information Officer, Research and Information Team, Dundee City Council
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The Senior Public Health Officer, Directorate of Public Health, NHS Tayside
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The Health Intelligence Manager, NHS Tayside
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The Community Health Inequalities Manager, Housing and Communities/ Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership
With that support, the Commission produced a comprehensive report identifying the key challenges people in Dundee are facing during the pandemic. You can read the report here. This also gave the working groups a clear way forward as they moved into the community research phase of the Commission.
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Over 6 months time, the working groups became pros at using zoom and other video conferencing mediums and met with individuals and organisations to deepen their understanding of these issues and to listen to people with lived experience to hear their ideas and solutions. Each Working Group then developed key recommendations to be presented at their Final Event and also to the Dundee Partnership in May 2021.
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​​This Commission ended in May 2021. To read about the solutions the working groups came up with for the issues they identified, read their full report here.
Dundee Poverty Profile
18.5%
OF EMPLOYEES EARNING LESS THAN THE LIVING WAGE
31.1%
OF HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCE BOTH LOW INCOME AND MATERIAL DEPRIVATION
31%
OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE FUEL POOR
34%
OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE NO SAVINGS TO FALL BACK ON
17.6%
OF THE POPULATION ARE IN WORKLESS HOUSEHOLDS
5695
CHILDREN LIVING IN OUT OF WORK BENEFIT CLAIMANT HOUSEHOLDS
For more poverty statistics on the City of Dundee, view this report
During this group's time together, they explored these issues:
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Disability health and support services stopped suddenly during lockdown and this has had detrimental effects on people's daily lives
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People with disabilities still not getting all the benefits they are entitled to because there is a stigma and fear around the DWP
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What will supporting people with the PIP system look like until it is replaced by Social Security Scotland.
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During this group's time together, they explored these issues:
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Fuel cost have increased because people have to stay home more during the pandemic.
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People are unaware of the fuel support and schemes that are available and end up in fuel debt
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People’s housing situation impacts their fuel costs
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People are struggling to afford the increasing costs of food.
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During this group's time together, they explored these issues:
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Employability services and support for people struggling with mental health
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Anxiety of Covid messaging and involvement of people with lived experience in the design of messaging
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Social isolation and loneliness – the priority groups and what might help as we move towards recovery
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The impact financial uncertainty has on people’s mental health and wellbeing
