Liverpool Council Plans 10-Year Anti-Poverty Strategy
Liverpool City Council is set to approve a new 10-year Anti-Poverty Framework designed to prevent and reduce poverty while improving life chances for residents across the city.
The proposed framework, covering the period from 2026 to 2036, brings together the council’s existing anti-poverty initiatives into a single long-term strategy.
The plan aims to help council services and partner organisations work more closely together while making it easier to measure progress and track outcomes.
New long-term plan aims to tackle poverty across Liverpool
The framework outlines a ten-year vision focused on preventing poverty, reducing its impact and helping residents avoid financial crisis.
Key priorities include acting earlier to support people before they reach crisis point, listening to the lived experiences of residents, improving access to essential services such as food, housing and digital support, and creating better opportunities for children and families.
The strategy also aims to promote inclusive employment and economic growth while ensuring the impact on poverty is considered in major council decisions.
The framework has been shaped through feedback from local communities and partner organisations, as well as analysis of poverty data across the city.
It also aligns with a number of existing city strategies, including the Council Plan, the Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy, the Housing Strategy, the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, the Family Help Partnership Strategy and the Fairer, Healthier Liverpool Partnership.
Liverpool continues to face significant economic challenges. Around 37% of neighbourhoods in the city are ranked among the most deprived 10% nationally, while child poverty remains a major issue, with 53.3% of children living in income-deprived households.
Strategy focuses on support for vulnerable communities
The council says some groups are more likely to experience poverty than others, including children and young people, disabled people and carers, older residents, some ethnic minority communities, lone-parent families and migrants who are unable to access public funds.
Women experiencing economic inequality are also identified as being at greater risk.
The framework therefore adopts an equality-focused approach, aligning with the council’s equality objectives and anti-racism strategy.
A number of practical measures are included within the plan. These include continuing the £2.1 million Liverpool Citizen Support Scheme, improving access to affordable food and Free School Meals, and helping households struggling with energy costs through the Healthy Homes service.
The strategy also highlights efforts to tackle digital exclusion by providing residents with access to devices and free mobile data.
Further commitments include expanding face-to-face support services, rebuilding youth services across the city and establishing a new multi-year Crisis Resilience Fund from April 2026 to provide additional help for residents during difficult times.
The council will also explore creating a Liverpool-specific measure of poverty and carry out a citywide review every two years to better understand the challenges facing residents and monitor progress.
Councillor Ruth Bennett, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation at Liverpool City Council, said the strategy reflects a long-term commitment to tackling poverty in the city.
“This framework sets out our long-term commitment to tackling poverty and improving opportunities for people across Liverpool.
“Too many residents and families continue to face financial hardship, and we know the effects are felt across many areas of life, from housing and employment to education and well-being.
“By bringing our work together in one clear plan, we can take a more joined-up and evidence-based approach with partners across the city.
“Our focus is on supporting people earlier, tackling the root causes of poverty and making sure everyone in Liverpool has the opportunity to succeed.”
