Category: South Side

‘EDINBURGH IS NOT ON TRACK TO SOLVE POVERTY’

The Edinburgh Poverty Commission has published a report and action plan for tackling poverty over the next five years.

Five years on from their original report, they have joined forces with the End Poverty Edinburgh citizens’ group, to evaluate what has changed in the city since 2020, what has worked best to prevent people being trapped in a cycle of poverty, and to set out a practical pathway for the next five years.

Unveiled at a conference in the Southside yesterday (Friday 31 October), A Just Capital: 2025 Call to Action acknowledges positive progress has been made to support residents across the city – but reveals poverty rates remain largely unchanged and that the next five years need to be a period of accelerated delivery.

Responding to the findings, City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “Since the Commission’s initial report, we’ve declared a housing emergency and experienced an unprecedented cost of living crisis. With food prices now 57% higher and electricity costs up 48%, it has become even more difficult to tackle poverty, but we are making progress.

“The Commission’s calls to action in 2020 have enabled us to focus as a city and to work better together. Our collective efforts have prevented thousands more people from entering poverty and homelessness and have helped many more into secure work. This is alongside putting millions of pounds worth of previously unclaimed benefits into people’s pockets and helping to establish a dedicated poverty prevention fund.

“And yet, poverty rates remain unchanged, and the figures are stark. Nearly a quarter of a million children are experiencing poverty in Scotland, and more than 80,000 Edinburgh residents are struggling to make ends meet, often being forced to choose between heating or eating.

“We cannot address this alone and I welcome the Commission’s latest report, which calls on all levels of government to respond.

“Over the next five years we will focus our efforts on prevention – establishing new neighbourhood prevention partnerships meaning people can get all the help they need in one place. We also need to increase the affordable and social rented housing Edinburgh so desperately needs. We’re determined to take every local action possible to make life fairer for everyone who calls Edinburgh home.

Linda Craik, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission said: “During this review we’ve heard some quite distressing stories of the impacts and effects of poverty on families and we’ve heard the frustrations of those agencies and individuals who are trying to help them. But we’ve also seen some fantastic examples of collaborative working which is starting to make an impact on the poverty landscape.

“It can be so easy to look at the poverty, housing, health, employment statistics and feel deflated and disheartened, but we, as a city, made a commitment and we are moving forward. 

“Just keep listening to the people you are trying to help – they after all just might have some of the answers and the simple solutions that sometimes aren’t as obvious as you’d think they might be.

“End Poverty Edinburgh are such people and we’re more than happy to work with anyone who wants to be part of movement to eradicate poverty in our city.”

Jim McCormick, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, said: “We are five years on since the Edinburgh Poverty Commission set out calls to action for the city in A Just Capital. Published between two Covid lockdowns, Commission members could not have anticipated the long shadow of the pandemic on people’s lives, or the impact of the cost-of-living crisis that followed.

“We cannot say things have got better city-wide. Some things have become tougher. Overall, Edinburgh is not on track to solve poverty. Poverty levels appear to have flat-lined.

“At the same time, it is also true that we have seen signs of positive change. Powerful collaborative work is being done at neighbourhood level, while early but decisive steps are being taken to prevent homelessness.

“That this review has taken place at all is a mark of the city’s commitment. For things to improve, this needs to go further. We have found enough determination in the city to believe that the original calls to action can still be achieved by 2030.

“Longer-term and flexible funding, true collaboration between sectors and new forms of accountability are required for these examples to achieve their real impact.

“This is a time for renewed commitment from those we elect at local, Scottish and UK levels, via investment in social housing, education, fair work, social security, equity in education, health and social care and a just transition. There is no sustainable route to ending poverty otherwise.”