Local groups Power to the People and All About Me have been joined by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty to protest against benefits cuts. The local groups, who meet at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, aim to highlight the plight of families being made homeless as a result of welfare reforms.
More than forty North Edinburgh children and their families could find themselves homeless over the coming weeks and the local campaigners staged a protest at North Edinburgh Local Office in West Pilton yesterday, where one local woman and her family presented themselves as homeless. Further action is planned this morning and the group will also lobby councillors as they arrive to attend the first meeting of the new city council at the City Chambers tomorrow.
A spokesperson said: “We want to show our support for the local children and families who face losing their homes through no fault of their own. Changes to the benefits system and severe cuts to discretionary housing payments are having a catastrophic effect on families and we need our politicians to see the damage these cuts are causing. Our fear is that, unless action is taken and the cuts are halted, thousands more families across the country will find themselves facing eviction.”