County Durham Community Foundation

County Durham Community Foundation has provided The Women and Equalities Committee with evidence that women continue to bear the brunt of the cost of living crisis.

The Committee, which holds the government to account, has sought responses from authoritative sources to questions including: ‘How are rising food, energy, housing, and other costs affecting women compared to men? What are the challenges for women’.

The Foundation’s response is based on worrying findings in its recent report co-authored with Health Equity North titled ‘County Durham and Tees Valley: Health, Wealth and (Unequal) Opportunities to Thrive’.

The ground-breaking report highlights significant gender disparities exacerbated by economic challenges. The study found that women are more likely to be affected by rising food, energy, and housing costs than men.

Dr Michelle Cooper MBE, CEO of County Durham Community Foundation said: “We wanted to submit a response to the committee to further highlight our work and make an impact on future policy making decisions.”

The Foundation’s response highlights the disproportionate effects of escalating food, energy, and housing costs on women. Dr Cooper emphasised that women, who are primarily responsible for household food shopping and preparation, bear the brunt of the 8% increase in food prices since 2012. Additionally, the rise in energy costs, with electricity up by 35% and gas by 41% since 2010, places a heavier burden on women, many of whom spend more time at home due to caregiving duties.

Dr Cooper added: “Our report shows that women in County Durham and Tees Valley are disproportionately affected by rising costs of living. We need to address these disparities urgently to ensure that women have equal opportunities to thrive.”

The following statistics from the report illustrate the impact of rising costs on women:

• Women are 1.5 times more likely than men to live in poverty.
• 1 in 4 women in County Durham and Tees Valley live in poverty.
• Women are more likely than men to work part-time or in low-paid jobs.
• Women are more likely than men to be affected by rising food, energy, and housing costs.

To address these challenges, the report highlights the need for targeted policies, such as addressing the gender pay gap, offering affordable housing, and bolstering social support. The study calls on the government to link benefits to inflation, halt Universal Credit waiting periods, sanctions, and deductions, and expand free school meal programmes.

Highlighting the critical role of community foundations in mitigating disparities, Dr Cooper said: “Financial security and gender equality promotion are essential to drive transformative change.

“The findings emphasise the urgency of implementing multi-agency approaches to address the profound health and economic inequalities faced by women in the North East of England.”

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF COUNTY DURHAM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

NOTES TO EDITORS

https://www.cdcf.org.uk

County Durham Community Foundation works with local communities to fund projects that enrich lives and fight poverty. Founded 28 years ago, the Foundation connects people who love to give with local causes that really matter.