The city council and partners from across the city are marking Challenge Poverty Week.
Running from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 October 2024, Challenge Poverty Week is a national campaign highlighting the challenges people living in poverty are facing and how we can work together to make Scotland a fairer and more equal place to live.
The Edinburgh Tenants Federation held a free event at Norton Park Conference Centre on Monday, featuring stalls, support and guest speakers discussing Edinburgh’s housing emergency.
On Wednesday, End Poverty Edinburgh, a group of people with lived experience of poverty, held their second citizen-led conference at the Grassmarket Community Project, supported by the Council.
This year’s event focused on collective action to combat community exclusion, focusing on child poverty, health and wellbeing,
The Council will publish the results of the city’s latest annual poverty report tomorrow (Friday 11 October).
This report will provide the fourth annual overview on progress made by the Council and partners in response to the calls to action made by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission to end poverty by 2030, and will be considered by members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee later this month (22 October).
Throughout the week, a series of blogs will be shared by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission shining a light on council support and services.
Edinburgh Leisure is also highlighting the help and support it can offer people experiencing barriers to an active lifestyle, including the option of a Get Active Card which provides affordable access to venues for people in receipt of certain benefits.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “In a thriving Capital city like Edinburgh it is shocking that thousands of people are suffering from low incomes, high living costs and even homelessness.
“That’s why we’ve made it a commitment of this Council to do all that we can with our partners to end poverty. Challenge Poverty Week is an opportunity for us to focus our efforts and make sure people know where to turn to for support.
“We’ve made good progress delivering against the targets set by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission four years ago and we’re looking forward to publishing the results of our annual report later this week.
“The funding and the support we’ve put in place is making a real difference to people’s lives, but the cost of living has risen. We face a housing emergency, and we need to prioritise this work now, more than ever.”
Peter Kelly of The Poverty Alliance said: “We’re very pleased that Edinburgh is marking this year’s Challenge Poverty Week.
“In a rich country like ours, poverty is an injustice that weakens us all as a society. But we can solve it. We can redesign our economy to make sure people have incomes that are adequate enough to live a life with freedom and dignity.”
More information about events taking place across Edinburgh can be found on Eventbrite. Information, advice and support for residents experiencing or at risk of poverty can be found on the Council’s cost of living webpages.
