Rise in rent arrears as ‘bedroom tax’ bites

The UK Government’s “disastrous” welfare reform programme has led to a rise in rent arrears and a rise in emergency housing payments across local authorities, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday. Data collected by the Scottish Government and COSLA shows that UK Government changes to housing benefit have added significant financial pressures on Scottish councils.

The research showed that all, but one, of Scotland’s local authorities with housing stock, had seen an increase in rent arrears. Three quarters of councils said that the bedroom tax is directly responsible for the increase in arrears.

Of that rent now due to be collected from tenants affected, 60 per cent of councils reported receiving 40 per cent or less and 80 per cent of councils reported receiving 50 per cent or less (based on responses from 20 of the 26 councils with their own housing stock).

Ms Sturgeon said that it was ‘absolutely imperative’ that the DWP review and evaluate the impact of their welfare reforms as a matter of urgency.

Last month, research showed that local authorities had received 22,000 requests for emergency Discretionary Housing payments by the end of May.  Nineteen local authorities saw a 400 per cent rise compared to the same period last year. And by the end of May, 22 per cent of the £10 million funds made available in Scotland for DHPs by the Department for Work and Pensions had been allocated.

Ms Sturgeon said: “This new data shows a drastic increase in the number of people applying for emergency funding to help them deal with the impact of the UK disastrous welfare reform programme. Local authorities across Scotland are having to deal with the appalling aftermath of the bedroom tax, which is hitting our most vulnerable citizens, including a high proportion of disabled people, extremely hard in these challenging economic times.

“The Scottish Government and COSLA have had little indication from the UK Government about how they intend to review the impact of the bedroom tax to date – even though it is clear from this research that it is driving up rent arrears and requests for emergency funds. That is why we have made a commitment to the people of Scotland that we will scrap the bedroom tax following a successful referendum vote next year. This will be done within a year of independence and we will have the practical arrangements in place to ensure that this happens.

“Working with our partners in local government we have provided £40 million to protect households from the 10 per cent cut in successor arrangements to Council Tax Benefit. We have also allocated funding to support people affected by the bedroom tax with an additional £7.9 million for advice and support services, of which £2.5 million is ring fenced for social landlords.

“We cannot mitigate the full impacts of the UK Government’s cuts to the welfare system without full powers over welfare or access to all our resources – but we will continue to oppose the bedroom tax. It is unfair and divisive policy that hit some of our most vulnerable groups hardest, and it undermines and jeopardises the work this Government is taking forward to create a fairer, more successful, and prosperous Scotland.”

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Witness appeal, North Edinburgh

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Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident in North Edinburgh.

Two 16-year-old girls were walking north along Telford Drive towards Granton at around 7.20pm on Friday (5 July) when a male approached them as they reached the bridge crossing Crewe Road North. The male engaged the girls in conversation before claiming they owed him money.

Both girls attempted to walk away from the suspect, who continued to follow them demanding money. The victims sought assistance from a young couple pushing a buggy and the male walked off along the walkway.

The suspect is described as white, between 20 and 40-years-old, tall and very skinny with a gaunt face. He was wearing a baseball cap, dark zip up, dark tracksuit bottoms and spoke with a local, but slurred accent.

A male has currently been detained and is assisting officers with their enquiries, but anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to come forward.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Neither girl knew this male and they were very distressed when he began following them, demanding money. We are keen to speak with anyone who was in or around Crewe Road North on Friday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious. In particular, we would like to trace the young couple the victims spoke to and would ask them to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Get set for Leith Health and Fitness Festival

Looking after our elderly:

In the winter of 2012 a new Charity campaign emerged in Leith called Give a Gift this Christmas. This was an opportunity for organisations and members of the public to donate gifts which were distributed to elderly people across Leith and North East Edinburgh. This was a tremendous success and has led to the development of a Health and Fitness Festival, which will not only raise funds to help the Charity, but will also provide the opportunity for sharing information about keeping fit and healthy whatever your age.

To raise the profile of the Festival there will be a number of key events happening across Leith and wider.  Subsequently there will be a range of raffles and smaller events to ensure that the word is out and that people are excited about the festival.

Leith Health & Fitness Festival – Saturday 10 August,  Victoria Park, Leith 

Our inspiration is to help bring back community spirit! Working together will offer a way to pull all generations together, to mend the cracks and try to give support and care to our local elderly residents.

There will be a range of stalls and events designed specifically for the older community, this will include a marquee set aside for entertainment, amusement and a free raffle, bowling on the green and lots of complimentary events / treatments on the day.

For the wider community there will be:

  • Stall spaces for therapists and personal trainers (small fee)
  • Stall spaces for local businesses (Small fee)
  • Advice on optimum & sports nutrition
  • Career advice
  • Youth and Community information
  • 5k fun run (application form below)
  • Hula Honeys
  • Fitness demos
  • Activities for all the family.

If you feel you could support this exciting venture by having a stall, promoting your services, donating prizes for our competitions or raffle, (we have two raffles, a main raffle for everyone and another one for our elderly people). Or volunteering on the day then we would love to hear from you.

Please email me if you are interested in being part of our first Festival.

Email: lookingafterourelderly@virginmedia.com

All proceeds will go the Looking After Our Elderly and our second Give a Gift This Christmas campaign.

Thank you!

Kirsty Smith

Charity Director

5k run app

festival stall email application form

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Breakthrough: Corstorphine Hill victim identified

PoliceTapePolice Scotland have confirmed that they have established the identity of the woman whose body was discovered on Corstorphine Hill on 6 June, but will not be in a position to name her until next of kin have been informed.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team said:  “Identifying the victim was the first priority of this murder investigation and I would like to thank the public and the media for their help in achieving that aim. While this is positive news, it also means that a loved one has been lost.  We are progressing our inquiries into the circumstances of this woman’s death and to finding those responsible for it.”

 

Playing Out’s back!

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Safe play areas for children was an issue identified by local parents and carers during last year’s Total Craigroyston consultation – two Play Out events were held last summer which were very successful. 

This year they will be held in local green spaces.

The first Play Out of the summer will be next Saturday 13 July, in West Pilton Park – all welcome, and even better, if you or any local volunteers can help on the day, please get in touch!  Two more Play Days will be held, down at the Waterfront and in Muirhouse Park later this summer; details will follow …

Sarah Low

Community Learning & Development/Total CraigroystonTotalCraigroyston

Local families step out in Race for Life

A group of staff and families from Stepping Stones took part in the ‘Race for Life’ at Holyrood Park on  Sunday 16 June.

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Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of 5k or 10k women-only fundraising events, which are raising money for research to help beat all 200 types of cancer sooner.

If you missed the June event, don’t worry – there’s another one coming up on Saturday 26  October in Holyrood Park. The twilight Race for Life starts at 7pm.

For further information or to register go to http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org

NHS is 65 today

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The National Health Service celebrates it’s 65th anniversary today.

The National Health Service was created by Clement Attlee’s Labour government to create “comprehensive health and rehabilitation services for prevention and cure of disease”. Described by Minister for Health Aneurin Bevan as ‘the biggest single experiment in social service that the world has ever seen undertaken’, the legislation to create the NHS was implemented in England and Wales in 1946 and across the rest of the United Kingdom by 1948.

Sixty-five years on the NHS has seen many changes – for better and worse – and has become something of a political football. But for all it’s shortcomings and faults, the NHS remains by far the country’s most cherished institution.

Prime Minister Daid Cameron (pictured below) said: “Our National Health Service is one of the most precious institutions we have. We all know it, because all of us have been touched by it. I will never forget the care my son Ivan received and the inspirational people who helped Sam and me through some of the most difficult times.

The consultants, the community nurses, the care team – every one of them became part of our lives. When you have experienced support and dedicated professional care like that, you know just how incredibly special the NHS is.”

Cameron visits north west

Holyrood Health Secretary Alex Neil visited Wishaw General maternity unit to meet babies born on the same day as the anniversary of our health service, and took the opportunity to point out what the Scottish Government is doing to improve health in Scotland.

Mr Neil said: “I am absolutely committed to the founding values of our NHS. I can promise that while this Government is in charge it will be free at point of access for everyone, and as  we move towards the historic moment of the 2014 referendum, I can guarantee that independence will help maintain Scotland’s NHS as the wonderful institution it is today.

“Today, Scotland’s NHS is a both a tribute to the kind of society Scotland is, and the kind of society we must continue to aspire to be. Anyone who comes for treatment will get the care they need – regardless of whether they are rich or poor. That is the embodiment of a just and equitable society.

“But this isn’t just about the institution that is the Health service. It’s about the health of our people. Health inequalities blight Scottish society. It is simply not good enough that someone’s life expectancy should depend on where they are born, or the income of their parents.

“Where can act, we have. We’ve banned smoking in public places. We are tackling excessive drinking and will introduce a minimum price for alcohol. But the main levers to tackle the kind of poverty that is a driver of health inequality remain in the hands of London Governments.

“The recent welfare cuts are just the latest example of this. With our population ageing, and pressures on the health service growing significantly, we need to be allowed to take control of the levers needed to tackle poverty and with it finally rid Scotland of health inequalities.”

Crewe Road South fatality: man charged

Police have arrested and charged a man in connection with a fatal road collision that happened at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh last year.

Mary Dawson (81) died as a result of injuries she sustained in a collision with a Skoda Superb car outside the Anne Ferguson Building, around 4pm on December 4.

A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged, and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

WesternGeneral