Number of underweight Calderdale kids rising as cost-of-living crisis deepens

That is according to a Calderdale councillor who issued the stark warning at a meeting to discuss how rising costs are impacting on residents’ health.

Councillor Adam Wilkinson, the council’s cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services also warned that increasing mortgage rates were yet to hit people.

The meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board heard that people are experiencing increased stress, physical and mental health issues, cannot afford to socialise and are changing their food buying behaviour.

Services which help the vulnerable are seeing more people come to them in need of clothes, food and affordable warmth.

And there has been increased homelessness, higher rates of winter illness and rises in crime rates.

In response, councillors heard that Calderdale’s health and care partners are working to reduce costs to households, support the voluntary sector, and ensure health and suicide prevention services have support.

Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Health, Debs Harkins, told the board longer term actions were in place to ensure partners were more resilient for future economic crises.

“Impacts of the pandemic and cost of living, I am afraid are some things we are going to be dealing with for quite a long time,” she said.

Coun Abi Carr (Lib Dem, Warley) asked how people in need of help, some for the first time, be directed towards support.

Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Customer Services, Sarah Richardson, said the council’s website carried pages with up-to-date information for residents, ranging from affordable food, help with bills and how to maximise income.