At yesterday’s meeting of the city council’s Finance and Resource Committee (Thursday 15 January) the Scottish Greens presented an amendment which drew attention to a £15m Scottish government budget cut to community organisations and the end of Investment in Communities.
The shock proposed cut by the Scottish government risks a long list of local community groups being left high and dry as core funding for charities continues to be a pressing issue in the city (see list below).
Finance spokesperson Alex Staniforth said, “We’re glad our amendment passed at committee and officers will investigate the impact of these proposed cuts, but every time we think we’ve got a handle on cuts to the third sector some other proposal comes forward to squeeze it still further.
“The Scottish government should reflect on whether this is the best way to save £15 million given the vital work community organisations do in the city.”
List of Edinburgh organisations potentially affected:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494
Budgets reflect the choices and priorities of our Governments. Our political leaders have a responsibility to use them to build an economy and society in which all people the income necessary to live in decency and dignity.
In October 2025, thousands of people from across Scotland took to the streets of Edinburgh in the Scotland Demands Better campaign march and rally, the largest anti-poverty demonstration our country has seen in decades.
They stood together to demand that politicians build a Scotland free from poverty, creating the conditions for better jobs, better investment in life’s essentials and vitally, better social security.
In this briefing, we set out how MSPs can build a better future for Scotland’s children:
Our Community Pantries offer a unique, low cost way to access a variety of foods, including Chilled and fresh produce, and ambient cupboard staples.
We’re working so that no one suffers from food insecurity – it’s part of our work tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness.
Find our pantries at St Brides Centre, Goodtrees Community Centre, The Neighbourhood Centre, The Ripple, Hibernian Community Foundation, Valley Park Community Centre and Southside Community Centre.
Two-child limit mitigation funding for 2025-26 reinvested to tackle child poverty
More support will be available to families and households to help cover the cost of life’s essentials and to deal with emergencies.
First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that £10 million originally earmarked in 2025-26 to support the two-child limit mitigation payment in Scotland will be reallocated to tackling child poverty.
The majority of the funding will be split between charities and government programmes that provide emergency financial support, including:
£5.5 million additional funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund. The fund is administered by local authorities and provides people on low incomes with emergency grants if they are facing crisis, homelessness or other housing or caring challenges
An additional £0.55 million for Aberlour Children’s Charity and £1.5 million for Children First to provide extra emergency support to families in crisis
£1.5 million for the Corra Foundation to distribute additional emergency funds via local organisations
A further £1 million will support various strands of the Scottish Government’s national Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022-2026, including parental employability schemes, funding to support women back into the workforce, additional investment into the King’s Trust’s NHS employability programmes, and targeted support for households experiencing homelessness.
Visiting children’s charity Children First, First Minister John Swinney said: “When I became First Minister, I said that I will pursue priorities that will make Scotland the best our country can be, and the most important priority that I have pursued in government has been that of eradicating child poverty.
“We have made progress. Scotland is the only part of the UK where relative child poverty rates fell in the last year. Our investment in a more dignified and generous social security system, funded childcare, free school meals and free bus travel for under-22s is putting more money in families’ pockets.
“However, as we start 2026, there are still far too many children in Scotland growing up hungry, or cold, and unable to reach their full potential. That is unacceptable.
“Today’s announcement will provide some immediate short-term relief for individuals and families facing the most challenging of circumstances. Our local authorities and charities have well-established means of getting support out quickly to people in need.
“Next week we will set out in more detail our intention to put tackling child poverty at the heart of the next Scottish Budget and I look forward to unveiling landmark interventions to drive this work forward.”
Chief Executive of Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, Mary Glasgow said: “These funds from the Scottish Government will allow Children First to offer life changing and immediate support to thousands of children as part of the national mission to eradicate child poverty.
“Through our national support line we will be able to reach more children and families to offer the financial, practical and emotional support they need to improve their circumstances and tackle the hardships they face in the short and longer term.
“Any family in Scotland in need of help can contact Children First’s friendly, specialist support line team 365 days a year by calling 08000 28 22 33 or starting a web chat at www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline.”
Chief Executive of Aberlour Justina Murray said: “Aberlour is delighted to receive this funding boost from the Scottish Government for our Urgent Assistance Fund.
“We know that families living in poverty particularly struggle with the cost of living during the winter months, with the post-Christmas period particularly challenging and often very bleak.
“This additional funding will be used to provide emergency cash grants via our UAF to families in desperate need for essentials like heating, food, warm clothing and bedding.
“This generous contribution by the Scottish Government will ensure that around 1,660 families living in poverty will have the basic essentials they need this winter such as food on the table, adequate clothing for their children and a warm home at night.”
The Scottish Welfare Fund is made up of two different grants (Crisis Grant and Community Care Grant) which can be applied for through your local authority and do not need to be paid back.
To apply for a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund you must be 16 or older and on a low income or getting certain benefits.
As we step into 2026, we’re reflecting on a year that showed both the scale of hardship in the UK and the power of people coming together to change it.
Last year our network of food banks supported millions facing crisis, while continuing to push for the changes needed to tackle the root causes of poverty and hunger.
None of this happened by chance. It happened because of the commitment, compassion and determination of our food banks, volunteers, partners and supporters across the country.
Now, we’re looking ahead. Because emergency food should never be the answer, and together, we can make even more change in 2026.
Last winter, food banks in the Trussell community across Scotland provided an emergency food parcel to someone every 2 minutes 12 seconds.
Over 19,000 food parcels were provided for Scottish children last winter – that’s just under one in every three parcels, according to new figures
Over 5,400 families visited a Trussell food in Scotland for the first time last winter, with thousands expected once again this year
The level of support provided by food banks to people in Scotland aged 65 and over last winter was almost double (+99% higher) than what it was before the pandemic
Still Games star Sanjeev Kohli calls on the public to support food banks this Christmas
New figures from Trussell reveal alarming numbers of people in Scotland needing support from a food bank over the winter period.
Over 59,000 emergency food parcels were distributed overall last winter between December 2024 and February 2025 to people across Scotland with more than 19,000 of these provided for children – representing just under one in every three parcels.
There has been an alarming increase in the support provided for people aged 65 and over. Last winter, people aged 65 and over received more than 1,400 food parcels – that’s nearly double (99% higher) the level of support compared to the same period five years ago.
Last winter alone, over 5,400 families visited a Trussell food bank in Scotland for the first time and -as the country heads into the festive season – the charity estimates that once again thousands of people will need to turn to a food bank for the first time.
Last winter food banks in the Trussell community across Scotland provided emergency food to someone every 2 minutes 12 seconds.
Over the coldest months this year, as the rising costs of essentials – like food, electricity and rent – push more families to the brink, we expect to see sustained high levels of need.
Winter is consistently the busiest season for food banks, with need typically peaking due to colder temperatures and increased energy costs. At this time of year, food banks play a vital role in ensuring that people who cannot afford the essentials can still get by.
But worryingly, over half (58%) of Trussell’s community of food banks across the UK say that preparing for this winter feels harder than ever, as levels of need continue to outpace donations.
Many food banks say they are at breaking point and having to purchase significant amounts of food just to keep up.
Last winter alone, food banks in Scotland spent an estimated £205,000 on food as donations struggled to keep up with high levels of need.
That’s why Trussell is urging people to support them and their local food banks in any way possible – to help provide emergency food and advice for people facing hardship and play their part in ending hunger for good.
Sanjeev Kohli, Still Games star and Trussell supporter, said: “Finport and Craiglang might be fictional, but in very real communities the length and breadth of our country, too many people will struggle to afford the essentials this winter and will have no choice but to turn to their local food bank for support.
“No one should have to face our bitterly cold months worrying about whether to heat their home or have a hot meal, but so many people sadly will. No one should be forced to a food bank because they don’t have enough money to live on.
“Winter is often the busiest time for food banks, but when you walk through their doors you’re met with such warmth and care. I’ve witnessed first-hand the relief that food banks provide to people facing hardship and it’s a reminder of the compassion and dignity that brings our communities together, even in the toughest of times.
“It breaks my heart that so many people will be forced to turn to a food bank to support themselves or their families this winter, that’s why I’d ask all of you to get down to your version of Navid’s and fill your basket with items for your local food bank. You can also support Trussell’s winter appeal by making a donation through their website.”
Lynsey, a mum from Fife who was forced to turn to a food bank after her relationship broke down, said: “I was working full-time but my world collapsed when my partner left.
“It meant I had to leave my job to care for the children, and not long after I was also registered disabled. I have five children and after I became ill, I reached a point where I was completely overwhelmed.
“I was nervous when I first went to the food bank. I was worried I’d be judged but this wasn’t the case at all. The staff and volunteers were so welcoming and reminded me that keeping my children happy and fed was what mattered most.
“They provided us with emergency food when we couldn’t afford the essentials and I couldn’t be more grateful. Life is still tough and this winter will be a struggle once again with extra costs, like heating and energy bills.
“Thankfully, it’s such a relief to know that the food bank will be there to support my family. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”
Cara Hilton, Trussell’s senior public affairs manager in Scotland, said: “Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, but too many people in Scotland will be struggling just to get by.
“Thousands of families will be forced to turn to a food bank for the first time as they are left exhausted, isolated and without enough money to live on.
“Essentials like food on the table, a warm home and toiletries become a luxury many people simply cannot afford as people will be forced to make impossible decisions like whether to eat or heat their homes this winter.
“As the coldest months draw in, food banks need your help now more than ever. If you are in a position to help, you can make sure food banks are there for everyone who needs their support this winter by donating to Trussell’s winter appeal.
“Food banks are a lifeline, but they shouldn’t have to exist. This winter, will you help end hunger for someone today, and play your part in ending hunger for good?”
Lori Hughes, project manager at Perth and Kinross Foodbank, said: “We’re preparing for another very tough winter, and we’re asking for the support of our whole community so we can continue to be here for people facing hunger and hardship.
“Every week we see working families, carers, pensioners, and people just doing their very best to get by – and it shouldn’t be this way.
“This winter, we expect to distribute almost 2,500 emergency food parcels, and this means we’ll need over 24 tonnes of food to be donated to meet need. To put that in perspective, that’s the weight of 46 adult male polar bears.
“Food banks are not the answer, but right now they’re a lifeline. Donations are down, while need remains consistently high. When people’s cupboards are empty, our shelves must be full – and that is becoming harder to sustain.
“If you’re able to support us, whether through food, money, or time, it will make a real and immediate difference this winter.”
STUC Disabled Workers Conference 2025: Usdaw seeks to tackle poverty and address the impact of new technology
Retail trade union Usdaw has a delegation of members, reps and officials attending the annual Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) Disabled Workers Conference in Glasgow this weekend, 22 and 23 November.
The union is raising the impact of new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), on disabled workers; along with seeking action to address and prevent disabled people’s poverty.
Tony Doonan – Usdaw regional secretary for Scotland says:“New technologies are dramatically changing the world of work and the daily lives of workers.
“The pace and scale of change is accelerating and disabled workers are disproportionately affected by technological advancement.
“The Scottish Government’s response remains a significant factor in disabled people’s inequality. Unless unions, and specifically disabled workers, are properly consulted about the development, application and implementation of new technologies in the workplace, including AI, disabled workers will continue to be discriminated against and excluded.”
Usdaw is calling on the STUC to work with all key stakeholders including governments to:
· Ensure conversations and decisions regarding the introduction of new technologies in the workplace include disabled workers, to improve their access to and experiences of paid work.
· Introduce a statutory duty requiring employers in both the public and private sectors to conduct and publish equality impact assessments specifically on the introduction of new technologies at work.
Tony Doonan continued:“Disabled people are already more likely to be living in poverty, with the continuing cost of living crisis adding to the extra costs that come with living as a disabled person.
“Disabled people also continue to face discrimination in the labour market and are more likely to be employed on short-hours contracts in low-paid work. The Adult Disability Payment in Scotland is key to enabling disabled people to meet the additional costs of being disabled, including costs associated with work.
“The recent publication of an independent review calls for a simplified and more accessible application process. Significantly, the review urges the Scottish Government to protect and improve access to ADP, advising them against restricting eligibility or introducing further barriers to application.
“We urge the Scottish Government to adopt the recommendations, including investing in sustainable funding for welfare advice services and more inclusive communication.”
Usdaw is calling on the Scottish Government to take a strategic and preventative approach to disabled people’s poverty by dealing with the long-term drivers including:
· Reviewing the adequacy of all disability benefits and disability-related premiums.
· Working with the UK Government to fully implement the disability pay gap reporting proposals in the UK’s draft Equality Bill.
· Raising awareness of the crucial role the social model plays in disability equality, and ensuring that they lead by example, embedding it in their approach to policy and decision making.
Pupils impacted by poverty will receive further support to succeed in their studies through a continued £43 million investment this year.
The Scottish Government funding will be distributed to local councils for strategic approaches to closing the poverty-related attainment gap. This will provide support to schools through the recruitment of additional teachers, support staff and family link workers, as well as enhanced professional learning for teachers and school leaders.
The funding is part of the £1.75 billion Scottish Attainment Challenge which has been running for the past decade and forms a key part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of background.
The funding announcement coincides with a newly-published report highlighting how the Scottish Government’s work to close the poverty-related attainment gap is having a positive impact on children and young people’s education and overall wellbeing.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth announced the funding at the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) conference today.
Ms Gilruth said: “Closing the poverty-related attainment gap is a vital part in our commitment to eradicate child poverty at Scotland. When more children are given a chance to succeed through education, the more we accelerate our progress in reaching this goal.
“The report published today demonstrates how our ongoing investment continues to deliver for Scotland’s schools – it demonstrates that pupils are going to school feeling confident and enjoying their studies. That has been achieved by empowering headteachers to deliver bespoke solutions that meet children and young people’s needs.
“The latest exam data also shows us that this is translating into results, with the deprivation gap narrowing at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year. It is important that we continue to build on this progress, and the funding announced today will do exactly that.”
VERY LOW TRUST OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT IN SCOTLAND
The lives of people in the UK failed to improve in the last year, according to a new report from Carnegie UK based on their annual survey of over 7,000 people.
Published a month ahead of the autumn Budget, the policy foundation’s report shows that households are finding it a little more affordable to keep their homes warm enough than they did in 2023 or 2024.
But the study shows that economic hardship has not eased for millions, especially those living in social housing; families with three or more children; and people on low incomes.
Carnegie UK’s chief executive Sarah Davidson has called on ministers to take action to improve the lives of those left behind by successive governments.
The Life in the UK Index is designed to measure the collective wellbeing of the nation through a 26-question Ipsos survey across social, economic, environmental and democratic themes.
The headline index score – designed to measure the wellbeing of people in the country – shows no significant change between this year, last year and 2023.
Sarah Davidson, chief executive of Carnegie UK, said: “Our index shows that between May 2024 and May 2025, the average person in the UK saw no meaningful improvement in their life.
“Public services and systems are barely working for too many households, and our research shows that poorer people, larger families and people in social housing are still getting left behind.
“A month ahead of the budget, there’s an opportunity for the Chancellor to invest in closing this gap. It’s unacceptable that so many people’s wellbeing still rests on issues such as their income, housing, disability, and the place where they live.
“Our survey highlights what life is really like for people living in the UK in 2025 and it should now be the mission of government to take bolder and more joined-up action to make life better.”
Carnegie UK warns that there are large economic wellbeing gaps between different groups in society that aren’t closing. The paper states ‘while some individuals report greater financial stability and improved living conditions, others remain at risk of exclusion and hardship.’
The research shows 79% of UK adults can afford to keep their home adequately warm in 2025, up two percentage points from 2024 and six percentage points from 2023.
The report finds declining satisfaction with local job opportunities; widespread experience of problems with pollution and littering in local neighbourhoods; but a small improvement in the average person’s mental and physical health.
The research also reveals an increase in trust in the UK Government compared to the same study in 2024 but warns that most people still feel like they have no influence over the decisions that affect their lives.
For a third year, Carnegie UK’s research also shows a widespread lack of trust in politics and government with almost three quarters of UK adults (72%) reporting that they do not feel they can’t influence decisions affecting the UK.
Just over half of adults (54%) had medium or high trust in the UK Government in 2025, up nine percentage points from 2024.
Modest and unequal gains to wellbeing in Scotland
The wellbeing of the people of Scotland saw modest improvements over the past two years, according to the new report by Carnegie UK. However, the research highlights that people in social housing or living with a disability remain much more likely to face economic and social hardship than other groups in Scotland.
The Scotland breakdown of Carnegie’s Life in the UK Index for 2025 shows the wellbeing of people in Scotland improving over the last two years, with more people finding it affordable to heat their homes adequately and fewer people finding it unaffordable to go on a week’s holiday.
This change combined with other factors like improving mental health and higher satisfaction with education and skills led to an increase in overall levels of wellbeing in Scotland.
The report also finds that the wellbeing of the people of Scotland is now slightly higher than the UK average for the first time since the annual research series began in 2023.
The Dunfermline-based policy foundation says that next year’s Holyrood election is an opportunity for the country’s political parties to lay out long-term plans to tackle poverty and inequality.
Sarah Davidson, chief executive of Carnegie UK, said: “Our research shows an improvement to the collective wellbeing of people in Scotland between 2023 and 2025. That’s good news but we’re still far from a situation where everyone in Scotland has their basic needs met.
“Next year’s Holyrood elections are an opportunity for Scotland’s political parties to make real progress in closing the national wellbeing gap. Many of the greatest challenges the country faces – like working with communities to build back up deprived neighbourhoods – cannot be fixed in a year or even an electoral term.
“There’s an opportunity for the next administration to build systems and processes which join-up government action to tackle the gross inequalities and widespread poverty we all see every day. Underpinning this approach should be efforts to regularly and systematically measure the wellbeing of the people of this country.”
The Index, based on a 26-question survey of 7,106 people including 1,035 in Scotland, looks at the social, economic, environmental and democratic aspects of life in the UK. The headline index score for Scotland – designed to measure the wellbeing of people in the country – is 63 out of a possible 100. The equivalent UK figure is 62 out of a possible 100. The index has been running since 2023, and this is the first time there has been a notable difference between UK nations.
The research also continues to find very low trust in politics and government in Scotland. While Carnegie’s survey work shows a small increase in democratic wellbeing in England over the last year, no such change is seen north of the border.
About half (52%) of people in Scotland have low trust in the UK Government. This is an improvement of eight percentage points since last year, although it remains significantly higher than the UK average of 45%. By comparison, 36% of people have low trust in the Scottish Government – a figure that’s not changed significantly in the last year.
Furthermore, 34% of people now have low trust in their local council, six percentage points higher than in 2023. Younger people, disabled people and people living in deprived neighbourhoods are those least likely to feel heard by decision-makers.
Being disabled and living in a deprived neighbourhood are the two factors most strongly associated with low wellbeing in Scotland in 2025. In addition, about a third (32%) of people in Scotland are dissatisfied with job opportunities in their local area – a figure that’s not improved in the last year.
Stephen Boyd, director of IPPR Scotland, said: “This important report from Carnegie UK contains a number fascinating and revealing insights which should be of huge interest and concern to all Scotland’s politicians.
“It is encouraging that the index has seen a modest uptick in wellbeing but the findings on trust in politics and government reflect deep-seated views that politics is failing to deliver on the public’s priorities.
“The results confirming low levels of wellbeing amongst disabled people and in deprived neighbourhoods reflects the ongoing failure of both UK and Scottish governments to tackle longstanding inequalities. It is essential that manifestos for next year’s Scottish elections bring forward credible policy agendas for remedying these failures”.
