UK Government must scrap the unfair two-child limit at the Budget, say leading children’s charities
Since the Labour party took office on 4th July, and by the time the Budget is announced, a staggering 12,500* children have been plunged into poverty due to the two-child limit on benefit payments. This shocking surge adds to the 1.6 million children already suffering under this unnecessary policy.
Leading children’s charities (the End Child Poverty Coalition, Save the Children, Action for Children, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Centre for Young Lives, Gingerbread, Barnardo’s and the National Children’s Bureau) have joined together to call on the government to include scrapping the two-child limit in the Budget on 30th October. Two of these organisations, Save the Children and CPAG, are also assisting the government with evidence gathering ahead of the publication of the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025.**
These charities are supported by the 120 members of the End Child Poverty Coalition, an alliance of national, regional and local anti-poverty organisations, united in the view that child poverty in the UK can be addressed via government action.
Joseph Howes, CEO of Buttle UK and Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition said: ‘The two-child limit must be scrapped: children cannot wait any longer for government action.
“We don’t say only two children in a family can go to school, or that the third sibling cannot receive hospital treatment, so why do we limit benefit payments to only two children? By scrapping this policy, this government would be recognised as one that turns the tide on rising levels of child poverty across the UK’.
Victoria Benson, CEO of Gingerbread said: ‘Scrapping the two-child limit is a quick and cost-effective way to lift children out of poverty and it’s disappointing that our Government hasn’t committed to doing this.
“The majority of families hit by the two-child limit are single parent families who are already almost twice as likely to be living in poverty, compared to couple parent families.
“There is no doubt it is a cruel policy that has done little to meet its aim of increasing employment levels and yet it has left hundreds of thousands of single parent households in poverty.
“If our Government wants to tackle child poverty it must scrap the two child limit as soon as possible.’
Becca Lyon, Head of Child Poverty for Save the Children UK, said:‘The time for action on the two-child limit to benefits is now and the UK Government must scrap this cruel policy.
“Children cannot wait any longer to receive the same amount of money as their siblings. Our society should be one where being born after your siblings shouldn’t exclude you from support. These are political choices, and the Budget is a chance for the UK Government to right the record for thousands of children.”
The two-child limit to benefit payments is an unfair policy which limits the amount of money families in receipt of social security payments receive for the third or subsequent child born after April 2017. Families affected by it miss out on up to £3455 per child per year.
The policy pushes families into poverty. Recent analysis published by CPAG has shown that for every day this policy remains in place, 109 children are being pulled into poverty.* End Child Poverty Coalition analysis has shown there is a strong positive correlation between child poverty figures and the number of children living in families impacted by the two-child limit.***
Unless this issue is urgently addressed, the government’s upcoming Child Poverty Strategy will fall short of delivering meaningful change. Lifting the two-child limit is a critical step towards to halting the harmful cycle of deprivation and despair.
Children can no longer wait for change. The ‘sibling tax’ must be scrapped.
Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man and a woman were assaulted and robbed in the city centre.
A 50-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were at the pedestrian crossing at Leith Street and Princes Street junction around 10pm on Monday, 28 October, 2024 when they were assaulted and robbed by a group of people.
They were both taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment.
The suspects ran off towards St James Quarter and Multrees Walk.
Detective Sergeant Steven Gray of CID said: “This appears to have been a shockingly unprovoked and random attack, which left the victims requiring medical treatment.We are keen to trace three males and a female.
“The first male youth is described as aged between 14 and 16 years of age, tanned complexion, of medium build, with light curly hair which was short on top. He was wearing a black snood, a blue zipped jacket with white down the side.
“The second male is aged between 16 and 20 years of age, with dark hair. He was wearing dark clothing and white trainers.
“The third male is aged between 16-20 years of age, with dark hair. He was wearing dark clothing with white writing across the chest.
“The female is aged between 16 and 20 years of age, five-foot one inch tall, with blonde hair. She was wearing a white jacket.
“As part of our enquiries, we are reviewing CCTV to identify those responsible. We would ask if any has footage of the incident to please come forward.
“If you believe you could help our investigation, please call 101 quoting reference 4015 of 28 October, 2024. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
Tenants have moved into the first ‘net zero ready’ affordable homes to be delivered in Granton Waterfront.
A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh last year and the 75 energy efficient homes for social and mid-market rent at Granton Station View built by CCG (Scotland) Ltd on behalf of the Council are part of the local authority’s £1.3bn regeneration of the area to provide much needed affordable housing.
The project is part of the major transformation of Granton Waterfront to create a new coastal town in the north of the city with tenants and homeowners also due to start moving into over 400 ‘net zero ready’ homes for social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale at Western Villages throughout next year. Work is also well underway to deliver a further 143 ‘net zero ready’ social and mid-market rent homes at Silverlea due for completion in Summer 2026.
The homes at Granton Station View are the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme pilot which is part of a collaborative programme between local and national government, academia and the construction industry that has developed a new model for delivering affordable housing in Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
The homes will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the city’s 2030 net zero target. The homes were largely manufactured offsite and have high performance energy efficient features which will help reduce utility bills for tenants. Features include triple glazing, communal zero direct emissions heating as well as solar panels linked to the communal energy centre being provided. The University of Edinburgh will monitor the energy efficiency of the building design for the first year.
Granton Station View was supported by of over £6.6m funding from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (ASHP).
Other innovative features in the development include an underground waste collection system, cycle parking twice the capacity of the residents living there and links to existing and established walking, cycling and wheeling routes.
Three commercial spaces are also situated underneath the homes at Granton Station View providing business and employment opportunities for the area. Two of the spaces have recently been let out ensuring that residents of Granton Station View will have access to a local convenience store with a post office and a fitness gym.
As well as delivering over 3,500 ‘net zero’ homes in the next 10 years, the wider £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration will include a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space as well as a new public park at the iconic Granton Gasholder, currently being restored.
Council leader Cammy Day said: “Today’s announcement is welcome news as the housing emergency we declared last year means we have a chronic shortage of housing in the city.
“Despite Scottish Government cuts in affordable housing, the homes at Granton Station View are part of an exciting pilot project which will not just help us ease this shortage but will provide many individuals and families with comfortable modern homes using the very latest technology to keep energy bills down.
“I wish everyone moving into Granton Station View well and look forward to seeing hundreds of other individuals and families move into the high-quality homes we are delivering at Western Villages and Silverlea as part of our wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.”
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am pleased that the City of Edinburgh Council has delivered 75 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social and Mid-Market Rent in Granton.
“These homes were backed by over £6.6 million of Scottish Government funding and they will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come, whilst supporting Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.
“We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032 with at least 70% for social rent and 10% in our rural and island communities.”
CCG (Scotland) Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “Scotland is in a housing emergency and our planet is in the midst of a climate emergency. Both issues are some of the most challenging that will face this generation and it is fundamental that we tackle both in equal measure by delivering more, sustainable homes like we have here at Granton Station View.
“Through our own, pioneering construction methods and a new delivery model that focuses on streamlined procurement and collaborative working, we have unlocked brownfield land and evidenced that a just net zero transition is achievable, the needs of our communities can be met, and our carbon impact can be significantly lowered.
“We thank the partners of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme for their support during construction, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Council at Western Villages where a further 444 net zero ready homes, including 56 for sale from CCG Homes, will be completed in 2025.”
As part of this programme, in Edinburgh, there are also 140 affordable homes being built in Greendykes which will be ready in 2027 and another 40 affordable homes currently being designed for Burdiehouse Crescent. These homes will have similar energy saving features.
Chancellor confirms the NHS will receive funding needed to deliver extra 40,000 elective appointments per week
Chancellor and Health Secretary confirm funding plans to increase elective appointments ahead of the Budget tomorrow.
New funding and reform puts the NHS on course to reduce waiting lists.
Additional capital investment will further support reduced waiting times, with £1.5bn for new surgical hubs and scanners, alongside £70 million for new radiotherapy machines.
Funding to support the delivery of an extra two million NHS operations, scans and appointments a year to significantly cut waiting lists across England has been announced by the Chancellor and Health Secretary today. This comes following over a decade of neglect and underinvestment of the NHS.
Ahead of her Budget on Wednesday, the Chancellor has confirmed that the NHS will receive the funding needed to deliver an extra 40,000 elective appointments per week, delivering on one of the Government’s First Steps in office to reduce waiting times in the NHS. This includes an additional £1.8bn the government has invested in elective activity this year since the July Statement.
This will be supported by a significant uplift of capital investment, with new capacity including surgical hubs and scanners, meaning thousands of additional procedures and millions of diagnostic tests across the country, alongside funding for new radiotherapy machines to improve cancer treatment.
In his recent independent investigation into the NHS in England, Lord Darzi highlighted that the NHS is in “critical condition”. Patients across England are waiting too long, with the waiting list at over 7.6 million in August. In the same month, over 280,000 had been waiting for an operation, scan or appointment for over a year.
Today’s announcement is an integral step in reducing the waiting list and puts the NHS on course to meet the commitment that 92% of people wait less than 18 weeks to start treatment in the NHS.
The Chancellor’s budget tomorrow will set out how this government will fix the foundations to deliver change, by fixing the NHS and rebuilding Britain, while ensuring working people don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.
It will focus on “investment, investment, investment” in order to get the economy moving again and demonstrate how this government will take the long-term decisions needed to grow the economy and restore the country’s public services.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Our NHS is the lifeblood of Britain. It exemplifies public services at their best, there for us when we need it and free at the point of use, for everyone in this country.
“That’s why I am putting an end to the neglect and underinvestment it has seen for over a decade now.
“We will be known as the government that took the NHS from its worst crisis in its history, got it back on its feet again and made it fit for the bright future ahead of it.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Our NHS is broken, but it’s not beaten, and this Budget is the moment we start to fix it.
“The Chancellor is backing the NHS with new investment to cut waiting lists, which stand at an unacceptable 7.6 million today. Alongside extra funding, we’re sending crack teams of top surgeons to hospitals across the country, to reform how they run their surgeries, treat more patients, and make the money go further.”
Building an NHS fit for the future is one of this Government’s five priority missions; but it is clear that alongside sustainable investment, the NHS will need significant reform across the board to be truly transformed.
The Chancellor has therefore confirmed an ambitious reform programme across health and social care in England, including reforming the delivery of elective activity and patient pathways. Billions of pounds are set to be invested in technology and digital innovations across the NHS to boost productivity and unlock significant savings for the NHS in the long-term.
The funding comes after the Government last week launched ‘Change NHS: help build a health service fit for the future’, a national conversation to help develop the 10 Year Health Plan, which will set out our long-term vision for health and the path to delivering the three shifts to reform and transform health: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.
Starting this week, the NHS will help people back to health and back to work by sending teams of top clinicians to hospitals across the country to help roll out reforms to cut waiting lists in hospitals – which will start with those in areas of the highest economic inactivity.
NHS Lothian has taken the difficult decision to withdraw joint funding from a service that provides support to veterans in Lothian, following a stark financial review.
The health board has told Veterans First Point Lothian staff and patients that it can no longer provide its share – £214,778 – of the total budget required, to maintain the service amid the significant financial challenge facing health boards.
Veterans First Point Lothian was jointly funded by Scottish Government and NHS Lothian as a “one-stop shop” offering support, advice and mental health care for veterans. It is a multi-award-winning service that has provided support to over 2500 different veterans throughout the last 15 years.
By April 2025, the service will cease to exist in its current form and a significant redesign and move of premises is planned by March 2025.
It comes as NHS Lothian is forced to review all services and departments in a bid to make efficiency savings of seven per cent following the budget allocation made earlier this year.
Further reductions in part of the mental health budget of 4.6 per cent means that the health board can no longer continue to find its share of this service.
Tracey McKigen, Director of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services, NHS Lothian, said: “This has been a really difficult decision and we apologise to all of our patients and staff who are affected. We would like to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to supporting our veterans over the years.
“This is no reflection on the quality of the Veterans First Point Lothian service, but it does serve as a stark reminder of the extremely difficult choices that we are facing every day as we balance the need to provide safe and effective healthcare while meeting the severe financial challenges facing health board and other public sector organisations.”
Scottish Government will allocate its 40 per cent share of the funding and NHS Lothian is currently reviewing the future service provision possible within the remaining budget.
However it does mean that Veterans First Point Lothian will no longer be able to accept new referrals or commence any new episodes of treatment. Veterans, who are impacted by the change, are urged to contact the team to discuss alternative support.
If veterans feel they need help or support and are not already part of Veterans First Point Lothian, they should contact their GP during the day, and at evenings and weekends they should contact NHS 24 on 111.
Community projects across the city are facing financial armageddon following news that Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) plans to discontinue funding to 64 community projects across the city.
The EIJB is facing a financial crisis and sees slashing funds to third sector organisations as a way to tackling a massive deficit. If the recommendations are approved by board members at a meeting on Friday, the disinvestment in much-needed community services would save EIJB £4.5 million.
Although rumours of swingeing cuts were circulating for some days, the key papers announcing the plans only appeared online late on Friday afternoon – and they make grim reading for community organisations across the city.
The full papers for Friday’s meeting can be found below – and the Chief Officer’s recommendations make truly awful reading for 64 community organisations and the thousands of citizens they support.
Rubbing salt into the wounds, the EIJB also proposes cutting funding before the end of THIS financial year – two months early – forcing voluntary sector organisations to issue redundancy notices immediately. A fine early Christmas present!
For some projects, cuts on this scale would see a devastating reduction to the services they are able to provide to people living in some of Edinburgh’s most deprived communities. Scores of jobs will be lost if the cuts go ahead, vital services will be slashed and a number of community organisations may even be forced to close completely.
Restalrig’s Ripple Project announced: ‘The Ripple is devastated by the release of proposals to remove a huge proportion of health and social care funding from The Ripple in just 90 days time.
‘Please come to the Ripple next week and join us in our campaign to stop this happening.’ The Ripple provides and hosts a range of services from their busy community hub and they have set up a petition to oppose the cuts.
People Know How have already made the difficult decision to close their doors – and more will undoubtedly follow if the proposed cuts go ahead.
People Know How told service users: “Due to the drastic changes across the fundraising landscape in Scotland, it is with great sadness that we must announce that we are beginning to work towards closing People Know How including the redundancy of all our staff team.”
An online post explains: ‘People Know How was founded in 2013 and has grown to deliver services to thousands of people across Scotland over the past decade. Supporting people to be digitally and socially included through Reconnect, providing help to children as they move from primary to secondary school through Positive Transitions, and enhancing communities with projects including All Aboard, People Know How has always put people at the heart of what we do. ‘
‘A dedicated team of 24 paid staff and around 100 annual volunteers, interns, and placement students (VIPs) make all this work possible, and we collaborate with numerous funders and partners to maximise the reach and impact of the charity. In the last 4 years, People Know How has also expanded its reach to effect social change nationally as well as locally, through research, campaigning, influencing policy and our national Digital Support Helpline.
‘Due to the drastic changes across the funding landscape in Scotland, at the end of September, our Board and Chief Executive were faced with a difficult conversation in light of the lack of funding for the current and forthcoming financial years.
‘In just the last few months, we have seen devastating funding cuts across the sector and a drastic shift in the funding landscape. As a result, we have seen fewer options for long-term funding, with other funders closing entirely and leaving those that remain severely over-subscribed.
‘The Scottish Government is currently examining their approach to funding in the third sector, responding to calls from the sector for longer-term funding, unrestricted core funding, funding to accommodate paying staff a Real Living Wage and more. But as the debate continues, charities like People Know How are dealing with the reality.
‘The decline of available funds is directly at odds with the increasing need of the communities we support. Over the last few months, we have seen attendance to our digital groups and calls on our Digital Support Helpline increase.
‘We also recently partnered with BT to provide information about the digital landline switchover, with many groups across the country eagerly coming forward to work with us on this project. And just 2 months ago, we began our Positive Transitions support in schools for the new academic year, addressing a very real need for support felt by the children, young people and families moving to secondary school.
‘While we have funding for some projects, we will not hear back from our biggest funders until the end of this financial year and cannot move forward without the certainty that we will be able to support our service users and employ our staff beyond Christmas.
‘Since September, People Know How has been undergoing a 30-day collective consultation process to assess its future and options to avoid redundancies, including pausing all new activities to prioritise the support of those using our services.
‘We have also been speaking with our partners and contacts to assess options and opportunities where possible. That consultation process has now come to an end and unfortunately, we have not found a solution to save the 24 jobs and charity and have had to make the extremely difficult decision to work toward closing People Know How.
‘From today, (25 October), we will be working to wind down our projects and identify opportunities for those who use our services to continue being supported by other organisations. Our staff will also be looking for new employment opportunities. We will remain open until December but our capacity will be reducing gradually until then, as our team moves on.
‘Consideration is being made on how we close in the best way possible to value all the work and achievements since 2013. We are proud of what we have achieved over the last 11 years, supporting communities to improve wellbeing across Scotland.
‘The passion we have seen in every single one of our staff members and VIPs during this time has been incredible and we couldn’t be prouder to have been part of their lives and careers. Thank you to all who have been with us on this amazing journey.’
North Edinburgh’s R2 group is a coalition of local projects who united during the Covid pandemic lockdown to support vulnerable local people with food and essential supplies.
Spartans Community Foundation CEO Debbi McCulloch, who chairs R2’s development group, wrote to politicians and members of the EIJB yesterday:
Proposed IJB cuts to third sector organisations
As Chair of R2 Development Group I am writing to express our concern and dismay at the current rumours circulating within the 3rd sector about the IJB cuts to third sector grants, and potential disinvestment from 64 community organisations.
This disinvestment appears to be part of the IJB’s in year recovery plan and savings strategy for 2025/26. We find this particularly surprising given the consultation that the IJB have recently completed on their new strategy which prioritised prevention and closer collaboration with the 3rd sector.
We would also like to acknowledge that the third sector has already taken significant cuts this year from the grant funding and has still achieved (or in many case over achieved) on the targets set, yet the sector is facing the biggest cuts.
In north Edinburgh, it is estimated that this will result in around £1million worth of funding being lost to the area. We are particularly concerned that local income maximisation services could be lost as many of us work in partnership with these services and see the difference they can make in household income for the people we work with. This work is key to our collective contributions to reducing poverty in the City.
While we recognise the significant funding challenges faced by the IJB, disinvesting from the 3rd sector for short term cost savings seems misguided. Such actions are likely to increase pressure on both NHS and Council services, contradicting the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, and the Audit Commission’s strong advocacy for enhanced prevention and early intervention strategies which are known to take time and require investment.
Evidence consistently shows that investment in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities, ultimately fostering greater sustainability with economic, social, and environmental benefits.
We hope for a constructive discussion with the IJB and other partners on how we can best support our communities together. We would be very grateful if you could investigate on our behalf and advise us accordingly.
We ask that:
• The funding for this year is guaranteed and runs the full length of the contract. • That the 25/ 26 grants are not cut in entirety and that we can be part of a conversation regarding how we maybe able to assist in making savings.
• That there is recognition that is these “savings” are to go through, we are shoring up future impacts.
We’d ask you to explore this matter further and share anything you find out with us. In particular we would like to know:
• What consideration has been made for the Audit Scotland, Chief Medical Officer and Scottish Government guidance to invest in health prevention, health activities in community? • If an equality impact assessment on these proposals has been carried out and what the conclusion of this was?
Finally, we’d ask you to talk your party colleagues, particularly if they sit on the IJB and ask them to do all they can to prevent these cuts.
We know, that when local community sector organisations get cut, it can take years to rebuild projects and relationships with local communities. As the social and health issues in our communities are continuing to increase, we want to continue to do all we can to alleviate the current crisis and build towards a more positive future. Please help us do this.
Edinburgh Community Health Forum (ECHF) has called for an immediate halt to the funding cuts announced by IJB.
ECHF’s Strategic Development Manager, Stephanie-Anne Harris, said: “This drastic cut threatens the very fabric of our community support systems and undermines our collective commitment to health and wellbeing in Edinburgh.
“This disinvestment will lead to the closure of numerous charities and an increased reliance on statutory services, including the NHS and Council.
“Furthermore, it contradicts the Scottish Government’s and Public Health Scotland’s advocacy for prevention and early intervention strategies.
“Evidence overwhelmingly supports that investing in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
“This short-term approach to achieving savings is fundamentally misguided.”
Historically, core funding for the Third Sector was managed by the Council before being transferred to the IJB.
The current proposed cuts pose a severe threat to organisations that provide essential services to some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.
Catriona Windle, Chair of ECHF and CEO of Health All Round, a charity dedicated to supporting residents in Gorgie Dalry, Saughton, Stenhouse, and surrounding areas, added: “We call for an immediate halt to cuts scheduled for 2025 and urge the IJB to engage in meaningful discussions with the sector about sustainable funding solutions.
“While we recognise the need for budgetary considerations, we cannot afford to compromise on the vital support that Third Sector organisations provide. We propose delaying cuts until September 2025 to allow for a proper conversation about the future.
“The IJB must recognise that resourcing for the Third Sector is not non-essential; it is crucial for the wellbeing of our communities.
“We implore Council leaders and the IJB to consider resuming full responsibility for funding these vital services or to engage the Third Sector in developing a strategic funding model that ensures ongoing investment in our collective health.”
EVOC, the voice of Edinburgh’s voluntary sector, said: “We are devastated to see the depth of the cuts proposed to the Third Sector in the EIJB Meeting Papers: https://bit.ly/4eZsPXL
“Our sector has an essential role to play in delivering key health and social care services for some of the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh and contributes to the four priorities of the @EdinburghHSCP ‘More Good Days Strategy’.
“Our Board and staff are meeting key colleagues and partners to move quickly on a strategic response and will share more details in the coming days.”
The first option would close the existing programme early, giving grant recipients only three months’ notice and saving £700,000 in this financial year. This would be extremely disruptive for both organisations and people accessing their programmes. Third sector organisations are reasonably entitled to expect to receive funding for the entire grant period. We are especially concerned that this could lead to sudden job losses and financial hardship for affected third sector workers.
The second option would be to end the grants programme entirely in future years, and develop an alternative approach, saving £4.5mn in direct costs next year and beyond. Whilst this would mean existing grants would continue for the remainder of this financial year, it would result in significant uncertainty for the future of some organisations and programmes and for the people who ultimately benefit from these supports and services.
Nevertheless, it is claimed that only one of the funded services represents “value for money”. Our understanding is that this assessment has been made via an additional, retrospective EIJB evaluation, and it is unclear if organisations were given adequate time and direction to monitor and evidence the value of their programmes.
In many cases the impact assessment refers to the availability of statutory services as an alternative, for example in relation to maternal mental health. However, the extreme pressures on statutory services, especially mental health services, are well documented.
Third sector services are in many cases supporting people who have fallen through the gaps in or been unable to access statutory services. The withdrawal of grant funding for third sector services will therefore leave those people with no support at all.
Responding to the proposals, the ALLIANCE Chief Officer of Development, Sara Redmond, said:“Third sector organisations provide a range of invaluable services that help to reduce health inequalities and support a preventative approach to health and wellbeing. We are therefore extremely concerned by the proposals from Edinburgh IJB that could see their entire health inequalities grant programme close.
“The EIJB’s own impact assessment acknowledges that these proposals will negatively impact the health and wellbeing of people in Edinburgh, especially in areas already experiencing higher levels of health and socio-economic inequality. In addition to the risk of job losses, these proposals also risk seriously damaging the relationship between the third sector and statutory sector funders, especially as there has been no public consultation in advance.
“Third sector organisations must be able to trust when bidding for contracts or grants that funding will be provided for the entire contracted period. They must also be consulted as equal partners to find a way forward when circumstances change, and for the responsibility to be shared for evaluating the impact of what are complex social policy agendas.
“We urge the EIJB to reject these proposals and develop a fairer way forward that will ensure people receive the support they need and that the third sector can continue its invaluable work to mitigate and prevent health inequalities.”
Work has urgently been going on behind the scenes since the EIJB papers were released and a number of meetings have taken place with more to follow in the run-up to Friday’s crucial board meeting.
Deputations are being arranged, community support is being harnessed across the city and politicians are being lobbied – and opposition to the draconian proposals has gained political support.
SNP Councillor Vicky Nicholson is a member of the EIJB board and she announced last night that the SNP will oppose the report recommendations:
Labour’s Cammy Day said in a statement on Twitter yesterday: ‘After over a decade of @theSNP cuts& under funding Edinburghs health &social care, proposals to cut the third/voluntary sector are here.
“Edinburgh Labour will propose a way forward to engage the sector, work with them & city partners and stop the in year cuts wherever we can.’
Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meets on Friday 1st November at 10am in the Dean of Guilds Room at the City Chambers.
You can read the full details of the recommendations here:
Pop along to Telford Road McDonalds on the 2nd November for a charity fun day. There will be face painting, arts and crafts and you can even have a chance of winning a jar of sweets if you guess how many’s in it correctly!
This is to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
This event is completely free however there is still a chance to donate
This event will run from 12 – 3pm, hopefully see some of you there!
Assembly Roxy’s year-round programme continues this November with a line-up of theatre, music, and live events celebrating creativity, Scottish traditions old and new, and looking to a better future for all.
With highlights including immersive theatre piece Maiden Mother Whore from Theiya Arts Dance Collective, Jeremy Corbyn at Lighthouse Books’ Radical Book Fair, and the Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2024, there’s plenty coming up at Assembly’s year-round venue.
Theiya Arts Dance Collective joining Assembly Roxy on the 01 Nov with a thought-provoking performance experience, in Maiden Mother Whore.
A 90-minute show, Maiden Mother Whore invites audiences to interact with five installations throughout the Roxy, exploring complex relationships between women, social structures, health and social policies, and institutions.
Assembly Roxy regulars Edinburgh Ceilidh Club with Teannaich bring the finest in Scottish Ceilidh dancing back to Assembly Roxy Central on Fri 08 Nov. All the dances are taught and called by the band – so bring along regulars and newbies alike to celebrate the Scottish tradition.
Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2024 boasts a jam-packed line-up of events including live performance, creative workshops, film screenings, open-mics and more. The four-day festival runs from 11 – 14 Nov and celebrates the creativity of people living with dementia, and highlights include relaxed Scottish panto McScrooge by Alan Mountford and Citadel Arts Group and creative consultants living with dementia, Dementia the Musical Soundtrack Gig with Sophie Bancroft and Friends, and Meeting Centres Scotland film launch, as well as a host of ceilidhs, open mics, discos and more!
Lighthouse Books return with their annual Radical Book Fair from Thurs 21 – Sun 24 Nov with a line-up of workshops, cabarets, panels and talks exploring community organising, creativity and international solidarity. This year’s theme ‘From Where We Standcelebrates histories of resistance, protest and change-making.
Highlights include We Are It: Community Power in Our Time with a panel including Jeremy Corbyn, Kate Pickett and Oliver Escobar, and Young Radical Worlds exploring radical writing for young people with Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Margaret McDonald.
Closing out the month, Amy Leach and Alasdair Paul bring their duo gig Amy and Alasdair to the Snug Bar, passing on traditional Scots songs and ballads. With history in Edinburgh and beyond,
Amy and Alaisdair share their simple and striking approach in a stripped back show sharing glimpses into the darkest and lightest moments of life. Amy and Alasdair is showing for one night only on 29 Nov.
Tickets and information on all the events above are available now from www.assemblyroxy.com
Following reports of the UK Gov’s #Budget24 plans for increases to employer National Insurance contributions, SCVO wrote a joint letter with @NCVO@NICVA & @WCVAcymru to @RachelReevesMP about the potential impact this could have on the voluntary sector:
SCVO, NCVO, NICVA, and WcVA letter to Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer: Autumn Budget 2024 – employers’ National Insurance contributions
Dear Chancellor
Autumn Budget 2024 – employers’ National Insurance contributions
We are writing to you on behalf of charities and community organisations across the UK, in relation to recent reports of plans to increases to employer National Insurance contributions and the potential impact this could have on the voluntary sector.
If reports in the media are correct, National Insurance contributions are to be increased in the private sector. Public sector employers will be reimbursed for any such increase, to protect public services. But there has been no mention of the voluntary sector. This comes as a disappointment, given that our sector provides essential public services to people and communities up and down the country, delivering significant savings to the public purse.
With costs climbing, funding falling, and demand for services increasing, our sector already faces a crisis. The additional costs placed on the sector by increasing employers’ National Insurance contributions will only compound this.
As you navigate the significant financial challenges the country faces, we are confident that it would not be your intention to place them at the door of charities and community organisations. We are not asking for special treatment, just parity with the public sector.
In the spirit of partnership – as outlined in the UK Government’s Covenant document which published last week – we are assuming this is an oversight or over-simplification by the media and we are therefore calling on you to urgently clarify this matter, confirming that no additional financial burden will be placed on our sector.
We look forward to receiving a response as a matter of urgency.
