“Can’t blame somebody for a lack of opportunity that was never here”: Exploring Poverty in Caerau (Bridgend)

Nestled at the head of the Llynfi Valley of Bridgend County is Caerau, which was once a thriving mining community. The village is now quiet with only a few new commercial developments in many decades. The hazards of unemployment, poor housing, and ill health run deep in the community and are reflected in numbers and statistics over the years.

According to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation Report of 2019, Caerau ranks among the most deprived wards in Wales and is in the top 10% in terms of Income, Education, and Community Safety. The WIMD indicator data also shows that 46% of people in Caerau 1 were in income deprivation. And yet, these are only some of the many disturbing statistics.

Behind these statistics are real people suffering because of poor economic development and limited opportunities. This article dives deep into the poverty in Caerau, questioning why it has persisted for generations and what can be done to overcome it. We talk to community workers and a local ward councillor to look for the answers.

DWINDLING INDUSTRIES

The coal mining industry formed the backbone of the Caerau economy until the 1980s. With the shutdown of mines, mass unemployment and loss of local identity began.

Caerau is one of the areas of “deep-rooted” deprivation and has consistently been in the top 50 most deprived areas since WIMD 2005.

Graham Dawe, the Manager/Treasurer at Caerau Development Trust (CDT), says, “ From the time that the mines were taken out here, we lost so much industry. We had three big factories in Maesteg and three mines between Maesteg and Caerau, and when they went, there was nothing in the area.

“I think the decline in Caerau has been because of the lack of work and the lack of transport in the area. A lot of things have a knock-on effect. When people ain’t working. The drugs come into it, and then alcohol. And since people are not working, they have more time to spend doing other things. People need work”

Zoee Smith, the deputy manager of CDT, adds, “I think the sense of identity has gone. The coal mining industry was everything about Caerau, and when the industry ended, I don’t think it’s ever found its way back. It was a very community-led industry.”

POOR TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY

Poverty in the Caerau Ward has been persistent because it is “deeply rooted and multidimensional”, according to Councillor Adam Rhys Davies. A lack of a sustainable transport network is a significant factor.  He highlights:

“The collapse of the coal industry left the valley with a narrow economic base, and the geography of the Llynfi Valley itself has compounded the problem by limiting access to services, jobs and training opportunities. Poor transport links and the extra costs of commuting to Bridgend, Cardiff or beyond make it harder for residents to connect with wider employment markets.”

Graham, who used to be a bus driver himself, recalled that years ago there were buses going on in Caerau to around the industrial areas, and now there is nothing. But now, “If you’re not driving, you can’t get anywhere.”

Increasing the local transport system is essential to accelerate Caerau’s development.  To address WIMD’s “access to services” obstacle, a transport interchange should be utilised to offer more affordable, quicker, and dependable transit to Bridgend and Cardiff.

HEALTH INEQUALITIES

The WIMD 2019 deprivation profile shows that Cerau lies within the 10 most deprived areas for the Employment and Health domains; it is ranked 1 (most deprived) on Health, poor health results in greater poverty.

In Wales, poverty has a significant and long-lasting impact on educational and health outcomes, according to the Poverty in Wales 2025 Report. Compared to their wealthier counterparts, working-age persons living in poverty, especially those between the ages of 35 and 49, are far more likely to suffer from poor health. Those over 65 who live in poverty also have greater health risks, demonstrating that this gap persists into old age.

Councillor Davies observes, “ Health inequalities also play a major role in reinforcing poverty in the area. Rates of long-term illness are higher in deprived communities like Caerau and life expectancy (or rather a healthy life expectancy) is lower than the Welsh average.

“Poor health not only reduces employment prospects but also drives up household costs and reliance on benefits, creating a cycle of disadvantage.”

THE HOUSING CRISIS

As per the WIMD 2019 report, 49% of housing in Caerau was rented, mostly social rented, which accounted for 39% of housing (compared to 16% social rented across Wales).

Zoee tells us,” Obviously, we see a lot of people struggling with just everyday life and affording everyday life. With rent increases, the cost of living crisis has thrown everyone.”

Councillor Davies throws more light on the housing crisis: “Housing issues have deepened the challenges of poverty in Caerau. The failure of external wall insulation schemes under Arbed and CESP left many Caerau households with damp, mould and significant repair costs. Although remedial works are now underway, the impact has been long-lasting, undermining both quality of life and financial security.”

Keeping the homes warm has been a major challenge for people across all age groups, especially older people.  Graham elaborates:

“We deal with a lot of old people. I am old myself! The older people are coming in here because they can’t afford to live. They can’t afford to heat their homes.  We run a special program in winter. It’s for a warm home scheme where people can come and just have a hot meal or a hot cup of tea.”

OVER-DEPENDENCE ON FOOD BANKS

WIMD indicator data shows that 46% of people in Caerau 1 were in income deprivation in 2016-17.

The Caerau Development Trust has seen a steady increase in the number of people relying on their services each day. They themselves depend on funding from the National Lottery Fund and offer food bank and counselling services.

Vans go out seven days a week to collect surplus food from stores like Tesco, Aldi, Marks and Spencer, KFC, which is then sold at lower prices. People can also avail themselves of the services of Citizens Advice, Ty Elis. For people affected by drug and alcohol, the Barod counselling service is available.

Zoee is grateful to be in a rewarding job that helps loads of people every day, but the grim reality is that the bigger picture is too harsh to ignore. She adds, “The demand for our service has gone through the roof. We’ve seen a massive shift in the number of people who are coming through these doors, and this has only been over the last two years.

We used to have a couple of customers every day, then they’d be the same ones, but now you see different faces every day. And they’re here for the fact that it’s not people who you’d think would be struggling with poverty, you know, we have people coming here, they’re working-class people, people who will go out to work every day but still can’t afford the essentials.

DISSATISFIED YOUTH

According to the numbers, Caerau is very youthful. Population estimates (2017) show that 26% of the area’s population is aged under 16, higher than the Wales average of 18%. However, the future seems to hold little hope for them at the moment.

With limited efforts to promote the physical and mental well-being of children and a debilitating NHS service, students have been the worst sufferers. Ever since COVID, it has been difficult to get students back in school. Zoee homeschools her children because they could not go back to school after COVID, and the mental health services have been disappointing.

Zoee would not want her children to grow up in Caerau. She elaborates,” I don’t see much of a sense of opportunity. I want my kids to have every opportunity going for them career-wise.

“There’s just not a lot here for children. Obviously, we’ve got the youth clubs, football clubs, and dance clubs. But unless you’ve got children that are willing to engage in these programmes and services, there’s not a lot of opportunities going forward.”

Councillor Davies offers a solution,” Attendance since the COVID pandemic has far from recovered and is at an all-time low, significantly below the Welsh Government’s target of 95%. In parallel, digital inclusion measures such as community Wi-Fi, device loan schemes and training in digital skills would ensure residents can access work, training and benefits in an increasingly online world.

WHO TAKES THE BLAME?

The poverty in Caerau has many reasons and scapegoats as well. Census area classifications place Caerau (Bridgend) 1 in the “hard-pressed communities” category (and “challenged white communities” group), which has the highest rate of unemployment across categories.

It is also worth noting the August 2025 Ipsos Issues Index, which shows that Immigration is cited as a significant issue confronting Britain by nearly half (48%) of respondents. Supporters of Reform UK remain the most concerned (84%), followed by older adults (55+) and Conservatives (59%), compared to 33% of Labour supporters and 34% of those aged 18 to 34.

While many people think the government is spending vast amounts on refugees and asylum seekers, in 2023, the UK spent £212 billion on health, £141 billion on pensions, and a relatively paltry £3 billion on asylum and immigration.

The data from Data Cymru indicates the percentage of residents by their country of birth, highlighting the really low rates of immigration in Caerau. 98.4% of Caerau residents identify as Welsh/British, with only 1.1% of residents having been born outside the EU, amongst the lowest rates in Wales. 99% speak English as a first language.

With people disappointed in the past and current governments, they are looking for a change. A far-right sentiment seems to be on the rise, and the blame for the lack of development shifts to the immigrants.

However, Zoee argues, “It’s nobody’s fault. You can’t blame somebody who has sought a life away from war. You can’t blame somebody for a lack of opportunity that was never here.

“There is no money being put back into communities. There’s no funding available that’s going to change anything. There’s no evidence there to say it’s immigration.”

THE WAY AHEAD

With more and more people depending on trusts and charities to get through daily life, Caerau is in dire need of significant regional investments to create employment and training opportunities. Caerau needs solutions that are “broad, consistent and tailored to local realities”, notes Councillor Davies.

Zoee thinks, “In general, it would be more helpful for training opportunities, more like education programs, a lot more incentive for people to go out and learn new skills.”

Councillor Davies gives concrete ideas for Caerau’s progress:

“Local skills provision should be aligned with the jobs being created in retrofit, health and care, logistics and digital services, with short courses co-designed with employers and linked to guaranteed interviews. Health and work support can be integrated under one roof at the new Llynfi Valley Health and Wellbeing Centre, combining medical services with advice on employability, debt and mental health, ensuring that poor health does not block access to opportunity.

The future of Caerau depends on learning from past failures and the hope of creating a brighter future. The youthful population of Caerau is looking forward to its development.

Zoee is proud of the community she belongs to and its people, and perhaps she speaks for all the people of Caerau when she says, “I don’t think people feel deprived here because there is such a big community sense, and the people here are amazing. Everyone sort of sticks together, everyone helps each other out, and that’s what I want for the community, isn’t it? People bringing people together is all we could hope for.”