Poverty – Page 43 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Quality! Edinburgh College cares

Edinburgh College has been awarded a national Buttle UK Quality Mark for its commitment to supporting young people from care backgrounds.

The college was given the honour in recognition of its support for young people in and leaving care. Buttle UK – a charity that supports children and families living in poverty – recognises colleges and universities that make exceptional steps in helping young people to succeed in their studies and reach their true potential.

The award coincided with a college event organised by Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) to support students from care backgrounds. The Care Leavers’ Event underlined the college’s commitment to supporting care leavers and saw current students from care backgrounds take to the stage to share their stories and break the stigma attached to those who have been in the care system.

Two Edinburgh College students and another young person with a care background spoke in front of a large audience including Colin Beattie MSP, senior managers and guests from other local organisations including universities. Colin Beattie sits on the Education and Culture Committee, which was instrumental in passing the Children and Young People Bill that addresses looking after children in care and care leavers.

The event was held in partnership with the young people’s voluntary organisation Who Cares? Scotland, and saw the college and ECSA both sign the Who Cares? Scotland Pledge. This, along with the Buttle award, strengthens the long-term support Edinburgh College will provide to students with care backgrounds.

The Buttle award recognises the quality of the financial, pastoral and educational support Edinburgh College offers to young people in and leaving care. The college’s holistic approach to support, as part of its Transitions for Young People Leaving Care (TLC) project, ensures that additional help is not just offered by student support teams but is also embraced by all teams at the college. This approach, as well as working closely with Edinburgh City Council and ECSA, raises the aspirations of care leavers and gives them equal opportunity.

Myra McCabe, head of Student Services at Edinburgh College, (pictured above with Kelly Parry) said: “Edinburgh College strives to reach some of the most under-represented and hardest-to-reach groups in our local communities. There is no doubt that the challenges facing young people leaving care are great, which is why we want to offer as much support as possible to give young people the chance to succeed.

“To be recognised by this national charity is a great endorsement of what we have achieved. Together with our recent Times Educational Supplement award in widening participation, we are pleased to be able to offer opportunities to those who need them the most or who would not normally consider college as an option. We are now one of only a handful of colleges in Scotland with the Buttle UK Quality Mark and we are delighted to have received the recognition for the real difference the college makes to our students and the local community.”

Kelly Parry (above), student president of ECSA, said: “I am delighted that the college has been awarded the Buttle UK Quality Mark. Care leavers are one of the most marginalised groups in society and are often overlooked and ignored. Over the last year, Edinburgh College Students’ Association and Edinburgh College have been doing some fantastic work to empower care leavers and give them the same chances and prospects as everyone else.

“The Care Leavers’ Event was unique because it was organised by care leavers for care leavers. By coming together to share stories and successes we send a strong message to other young people in care that they have the potential to achieve in education. This was the first time the students had addressed such a large and influential audience and they did brilliantly, speaking clearly and with passion.

“Signing the Who Cares? Scotland pledge is just the first step for us. We want to keep moving forward and to inspire other colleges and associations as well as wider society to really start delivering for care leavers and start transforming their lives.”

Twenty three-year-old Health and Social Care student Nathan Sullivan (pictured below) was one of the key speakers at the Care Leavers’ Event.

He said: “I’ve been through many different types of foster care – from foster care to respite to living in a residential home – and the reason for this was because my mum had a number of different illnesses. She passed away when I was 14 years old and at this point I was placed into a residential care unit. I was passed from from pillar to post, was confused, upset and angry because I had no stability in my life at that time.

“I then started studying at Edinburgh College, joined the Edinburgh College Students’ Association and realised that I wanted to be a social worker. I’m doing all that I can to achieve this and, with the support from the college and the Students’ Association, I have now set up a peer group for care leavers to help to support many others like me in the future.”

Johnstone calls for Citizens Income to address poverty divide

CHILD POVERTY: JOHNSTONE HIGHLIGHTS CITIZENS INCOME IDEA

Green MSP for Lothian Alison Johnstone has urged the Scottish Parliament to consider new ideas – including a basic income for all citizens – to tackle poverty.

Speaking in a debate on child poverty yesterday Ms Johnstone, a member of Holyrood’s economy committee, highlighted a range of research including:

A paper by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which says the single biggest risk to progress is benefit cuts and growing use of sanctions.
Research by the Fawcett Society which says a fifth of British women’s income comes from benefits, while for men the figure is one-tenth; therefore the loss of benefits and services hits women hardest.
The Jimmy Reid Foundation report ‘In Place of Anxiety’. The authors Willie Sullivan and the late Ailsa McKay focused on tackling the poverty wages that create in-work poverty.

Ms Johnstone said: “We live in a wealthy nation yet inequality is increasing, and the austerity agenda has a particular impact on women and children. Families struggling have not chosen to be in poverty, and are bearing the brunt of the UK cuts making the situation worse.

“One idea we would do well to explore is the citizen’s or basic income. This would replace our incredibly complex welfare system and end the stigma that many people face.

“It’s essential we measure our economic success on how we close the gap between rich and poor and how we create a fairer society for children.”

Scotland’s charities unite in call to tackle poverty

‘We have a humanitarian crisis on our hands’

Scottish charities have joined together in an appeal for people across Scotland to join the fight against poverty with the launch today of the Scotland’s Outlook campaign.

Macmillan, Shelter Scotland, Oxfam, Alzheimer Scotland, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), the Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) are behind the campaign which sheds light on the scale and impact of poverty, and warns of a bleak outlook for people living in poverty in Scotland.

The scale of the problem is alarming – and growing – but bare figures and statistics tell only part of the story: the struggle of life blighted by poverty is best told by those who experience and live it, day in, day out. Hazel, a lone parent living in Fife, said: “I did not want to be a single mum on benefits, like you seen on the news. Those mums were portrayed as lazy scroungers and I definitely was not like that. I really wanted to work but every way I turned I was hit with barriers and this made accessing employment so difficult. Childcare was so expensive and not readily available in my area. Buses were irregular and expensive.

“I think there needs to be more support for lone parents accessing employment but from an early stage. Childcare needs to be made a priority in all areas, and it should be more affordable and easily accessible. Employers should think about parents when writing contracts or vacancy ads, shifts could be more flexible to support parents and transport could be less expensive.”

Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, said: “With nearly a million people in Scotland living in poverty, we have a humanitarian crisis on our hands and we need everyone’s help to tackle it. Thousands of people are turning to food banks, struggling to heat their homes, and to clothe themselves and their children. It’s not right. We want people to wake up to the poverty storm that’s engulfing Scotland and get active in the fight against it.”

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, says: “People across Scotland are being battered by welfare reforms, stagnant wages, rising utility bills, higher living costs and job insecurity. For many, the safety and security of home is under threat like never before. It’s a perfect storm on our doorstep.

“We see and hear the misery poverty causes every day. Not only does it have a devastating impact on home life, it has long-term detrimental effects on people’s health, wellbeing and life chances – especially children.

“Set against the background of 155,100 households on council waiting lists and nearly 40,000 homelessness applications last year, it is clear that much more needs to be done to combat the root causes of poverty if we are to improve the prospects for everyone living in Scotland.”

Jamie Livingstone, Acting Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “Cuts to social safety-nets have gone too far, leading to destitution, hardship and hunger on a large scale.

“Too many Scots don’t even have enough to eat – such glaring inequality simply cannot continue. And poverty isn’t just affecting those out of work, for too many people employment is not a route out of poverty either. We need a society where everyone, whether they are in or out of work, has a decent income that allows them to live with dignity. We should expect nothing less in rich Scotland.”

Peter Hastie, Macmillan’s Campaign, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, said: “Cancer makes a double-pronged attack on people’s finances, often removing their ability to work at the same time as leading to increasing costs such as higher heating bills.It’s vital all cancer patients having money problems find out if they are entitled to benefits or any other financial help by getting in touch with Macmillan.”

Jim Pearson, Deputy Director for Policy at Alzheimer Scotland, said: “The negative perceptions of people living in poverty are compounded by the stigma which too often surrounds dementia. Such perceptions fail to recognise people with dementia, and their carers, as individuals who continue to make a positive contribution to society, preventing them from taking part in society as equal and active citizens. Poverty is more widespread than many people realise, and raising awareness of that is the first step to challenging its damaging effects.”

Jon Heggie, Director of Fundraising and Communications, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, said: “Having a child with a life-shortening condition can place a huge financial burden on a family. All of CHAS services are free which is vital to families who live with the ongoing financial implications of their child’s condition. In particular families often have to fund expensive equipment, home adaptations, high fuel bills and regular trips to hospital.

“Even with financial support, many families often need to find significant sums of money themselves in order to ensure they are providing their child with the best possible care.”

John Dickie, Head of CPAG in Scotland, said: “Independent forecasts predict an explosion in child poverty levels in the coming years as so much of the benefit and tax credit support that millions of families in and out of work rely on is ripped away. But by raising awareness and working together we can, and must, bring about the changes to our economy, social security system and public services that are needed to protect all our citizens from this poverty storm.”

For more information about Scotland’s Outlook visit www.scotlandsoutlook.org

Free school meals for P1-3s

Families and young people across Scotland will benefit from millions of pounds of additional support after First Minister Alex Salmond announced a significant expansion of free school meals and childcare provision this afternoon.

As part of a £114 million package for young people over two years, every one of Scotland’s P1 to P3 children will have the option of a free meal in school from January next year, improving health and wellbeing, increasing attainment and saving families at least £330 a year for each child.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on poverty and the early years, Mr Salmond also announced that free childcare provision would be expanded to every two year-old from a workless household in Scotland – around 8,400 children or 15 per cent of all two year-olds – by August this year.

And by August next year, free childcare provision would be extended further, reaching 15,400 children – 27 per cent of all two year-olds – by widening entitlement to families that received certain welfare benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The First Minister said the extension to childcare provision would ensure that, by August 2015, Scotland will deliver 80 million hours of childcare to pre-school children – the greatest amount in the UK and 6.5 per cent more than if Scotland followed Westminster’s approach in England.

But he warned that, only with independence could a truly transformational shift in childcare be funded, because the economic gains and revenues generated by such a policy will go to a Scottish exchequer and not the London Treasury.

The First Minister said: “The announcements that we are making today will have the greatest possible effect, given the limited resources available to us.

“Under this government, Scotland has made free meals available in primary school to families which receive child and working tax credits – a step which hasn’t been taken in England and Wales, and which contributed to 10,000 more pupils registering for free school meals.

“Now, we can go further. I can announce today that – after discussions with our partners in local government – we will fund free school meals for all school children in primary 1 to primary 3 from next January.

“This measure will build on, and learn from, the pilots we established in five local authority areas in 2007 and 2008. It will remove any possibility of free meals being a source of stigma during the first years of a child’s schooling; it will improve health and wellbeing; and it will be worth at least £330 a year for each child to families across the country.

“The measure has been supported by a powerful alliance of campaigners against child poverty, including Child Poverty Action Group Scotland, Children in Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, the Church of Scotland and trade unions.”

Mr Salmond continued: “However we also have a determination to transform childcare. We have promised that in the first budget of an independent Scotland, we would make 600 hours of free childcare available to approximately 50 per cent of two year olds. This can be funded through choices which are only available with independence – such as ending funding for the Trident missile system.

“By the end of the first parliament, we would almost double childcare provision to 1,140 hours each year for all three and four year olds, and all vulnerable two year olds. In the longer term, we would make those levels of care available to all children from the age of one.

“The transformational change in the first parliament would improve care and learning for young children, boost economic growth, and remove a major barrier to work for many parents, especially women.

“Under devolution, even after the Scotland Act, this revenue goes to Westminster. With independence, it stays in Scotland. This Government’s ambitions for childcare involve transforming the structure of our economy and the nature of our society. They cannot be sustainably funded through a declining budget fixed at Westminster.

“I can announce today that we will increase the number of two year olds – currently 3 per cent of the total – who will benefit from free learning and care.

“We will begin by focussing on those families most in need. From this August, the entitlement will cover two year olds in families which are seeking work – approximately 15 per cent of the total. This will give parents additional support when they are looking for employment, and will maintain that support when they are successful.

“In August next year, we will expand provision further, for all children who would meet the current criteria for free school meals. That means that around 27 per cent of two year-olds will be covered – more than 15,000 children.

“By August 2015, the overall level of free learning and care being delivered for two, three and four year olds in Scotland, will exceed that which is promised elsewhere in the UK. As we all know, recent revelations suggest that more around one third of the current childcare promise in England is not being delivered due to a lack of preparation and capacity. In Scotland, we will both prepare and deliver.”

The Scottish Government’s decision to follow the free school meal initiative adopted by Westminster has been welcomed north of the border.

GMB Scotland is the largest union for catering staff across Scotland’s 32 Local authorities, and Alex McLuckie, the union’s senior organiser for the public sector in Scotland, said: “There is so much good in this announcement. It will help tackle poverty and social exclusion and help remove the stigma some attach to free school meals.

“This announcement will be well received by our members who currently provide healthy meals for pupils. It is a pleasant change to see money being invested in the service rather than bearing the brunt of the cut backs in budgets.”

The Scottish Greens say the school meals initiative also offers an opportunity to boost local economies.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and food spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, welcomed plans for free school meals for P1-3 children but urged Scottish ministers to ensure the roll-out benefits local economies.

Research last summer by Alison Johnstone revealed that the chicken served in school meals in six of Scotland’s seven cities is not Scottish, but is instead imported from as far away as Thailand.

Alison Johnstone, a member of Holyrood’s economy committee, said: “Rolling out free school meals is a welcome, common sense move but ministers must also address what is being served up to our children. Our councils need support to make buying choices which have positive impacts for local farmers and producers. I will continue to put pressure on ministers so that they do not waste this golden opportunity.”

City protesters say no to sanctions

City protesters to take action against benefits cuts and austerity

Protesters opposing benefits sanctions and work-for-your-benefits schemes are set to take action in Edinburgh city centre tomorrow (Saturday 7 December). Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP) have called people to gather at noon in Festival Square on Lothian Road to “say no to sanctions, workfare and austerity.”

The demonstration is part of the Britain-wide Boycott Workfare Week of Action against benefits sanctions and the government’s controversial “work-for-your-benefits” schemes.

“580,000 sanctions were imposed in the 9 month period up until June 2013 – that’s over half a million people (thousands of them officially recognised as sick or disabled) denied even the pittance of benefit payment in the sixth richest country in the world,” said Ethel MacDonald of ECAP.

“Jobcentre workers are being threatened with disciplinary action if they don’t sanction more claimants. People are being left penniless for absolutely no good reason. This week a man who had arrived on time for his fortnightly signing was delayed within the Jobcentre by the absence of staff – and then had his money stopped for being allegedly two minutes late!

“Another claimant had his benefits stopped because he had not written down the name of every single job seekers website he had looked at. When he started to tell the adviser the names of the websites, she claimed that was not good enough and his money would be stopped.”

“Unemployed people are being forced to work for nothing on schemes like the Work Experience scheme, Mandatory Work Activity and the Work Programme. Research has shown these schemes do not help people find jobs. In fact they increase unemployment – why should employers pay people if they can get free labour?

“People are actually being told they have to stop doing voluntary work at charities, in order to work for nothing at another charity! Even people on Employment and Support Allowance who have been found unfit for work are being forced onto the Work Programme – with their benefits stopped if they are unable to comply. We have been supporting a claimant whose official diagnosis is “chronic intractable pain “ who was without benefits for months due to sanctions. He was too ill to attend the Work Programme but the DWP and private workfare company Ingeus combined to leave him penniless and dependent on food banks.

“Workfare, the DWP’s sanction campaign, ATOS’s hounding of the sick and disabled, and the vile narrative of scroungers and work shy, are all part of the State’s campaign to drive down the cost of labour so companies can make more profits, ” said Ethel MacDonald of ECAP. “We call on everyone, in or out of employment, to take a stand against policies which are robbing the poor to make the rich even richer.

“Following Britain-wide protests, many charities and companies have already pulled out of the workfare schemes, and we urge those still involved to do the right thing and stop exploiting claimants.”

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk ecap@lists.riseup.net
Boycott Workfare www.boycottworkfare.org

In the bleak midwinter: meeting called to co-ordinate community-centred response to poverty challenge

The impact of the Bedroom Tax, general poverty and the rise of Food Banks in the area is a clear indication that many in our community will be facing a bleak and possibly health destroying time.

The comments made by the Trussell Trust, who organise the Food Banks, that they are limited to crisis response – ie 3 or 4 food packs per year per family – shows that we require a much bigger response. Community Centres in every area should be at the heart of the response. The question is how do we do this?

We wish to join together with all Community Centres, the City of Edinburgh Council and organisations like the Red Cross and similar bodies to work out a common strategy of how we as Community Centres could find ways of providing assistance to this section of our community.

We would like to invite all Management Committees of Community Centres and other interested bodies to a meeting to discuss this at:

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on Thursday 14 November

from 12.30 –3pm

RSVP to:

Gwen Campbell

Pilton Central Association, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Telephone 0131 551 3194

Health inequality gap continues to widen

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today announced the publication of the latest Long-term Monitoring of Health Inequalities: Headline Indicators report, the sixth annual publication on headline indicators following the Equally Well (2008) report of the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities.

The main findings are:

The highest level of relative inequality continues to be seen in alcohol-related deaths among those aged 45 to 74 years. However, this rate has fallen to its lowest level in the reporting period (1998 to 2011). Relative inequality levels for first alcohol-related hospital admissions have remained stable since 1997.
Despite stabilising in recent years, the level of relative inequality for deaths among those aged 15 to 44 years has increased since 1997. A similar pattern can also be seen in deaths among those aged under 75 years.
Between 1997 and 2011, the death rate for coronary heart disease (CHD) among those aged 45 to 74 years fell by 61%. The reduction was slower in the most deprived areas of Scotland than elsewhere, meaning that relative inequality has increased slightly over the long-term while the absolute inequality gap has narrowed. However, there are signs that relative inequality has stabilised in recent years.
Despite no clear long term trend, in recent years heart attack hospital admission rates have increased and inequalities widened.
Over the longer term, most indicators have shown signs of stability in one or both measures. Inequalities in low birthweight are now stabilising having decreased between 2006 and 2008, while other indicators, such as CHD deaths, have stabilised following increases in inequality.
Additional inequalities information, regarding healthy birthweight babies (babies with an appropriate weight for gestational age) as well as incidence and mortality rates by cancer type, is included in this report for the first time in 2013.
Full results for all indicators are available in the publication.

The gap in health outcomes between the most deprived and least deprived areas of Scotland is reported for a variety of indicators in both absolute and relative terms. The latest figures include data up to 2011 for most indicators.

Commenting on the latest statistics, Minister for Public Health Michael Matheson said that tackling income inequality is the root of the challenge. He said:

“Overall, health in Scotland is improving, and people are living longer, healthier lives. Reducing the health gap between people in Scotland’s most deprived and affluent communities is one of our greatest challenges.

“At the root is the issue of income inequality – we need a shift in emphasis from dealing with the consequences to tackling the underlying causes, such as ending poverty, fair wages, supporting families and improving our physical and social environments.

“In the face of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, we are working with all of our partners to tackle poverty and inequality and help those who want to work to get into work.

“Many people in Scotland are concerned about the welfare policies of the UK government and the implications they could have on them and their families. And that is why we want to develop a Scottish system which provide support for those who need it.

“This illustrates the fact that the full powers of independence would provide the opportunity to make substantial progress on tackling health inequalities.

“We are continuing to take decisive action in areas we have control, for example to address alcohol consumption, reduce smoking rates, encourage active living, healthy eating, and promote positive mental health. But without full control over areas like welfare, we are left having to deal with UK Government welfare policies that only threaten to make things worse.”

Demo at Leith job Centre today

DEMO DENOUNCES “SANCTIONS TARGETS” AT LEITH JOB CENTRE

Claimants and anti cuts campaigners are set to demonstrate at Leith Job Centre today (Thursday 11th July) in a protest against “sanctions targets” set by a Job Centre manager.

“A new manager at Leith Jobcentre has told staff that 30% of claimants are not meeting the conditions for receiving benefits – the clear implication is that these claimants should be anctioned, that is have their benefits stopped. In reality this is a return to the supposedly outlawed practice of setting sanctions targets, and is totally unfair and unjust,” said Ethel MacDonald of Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty.

The demonstration is part of the Boycott Workfare Week of Action against the government’s controversial “work-for-your-benefits” schemes and is in opposition to the whole government austerity programme.

“People are really suffering because of sanctions. Right now we are opposing sanctions imposed on a disabled claimant who is having to live on £26.05p per week because he was too ill to go to an
appointment with the Ingeus workfare provider. What’s more, most claimants who are sanctioned have their money stopped completely, for from one month to three years.”

The protestors state that they will challenge sanctions, and issue a call to direct action. “You have the right to challenge sanctions. Ask for the decision to be reviewed and appeal against it. If need be, we can alert our Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty solidarity network to have a peaceful demo INSIDE the Job Centre.”

The demonstrators point to a government press release stating that they have set up “hit squads” in all Job Centres to presurise claimants returning from workfare providers. “The government have
openly declared war on the unemployed”, say ECAP. “We know that in Leith Job Centre they have set up such a “hit squad” and some officials are misinforming claimants that they have to allow the DWP to monitor their online job search. This is a lie and we urge claimants to stand up for their right to protect their privacy.”

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty have also been leafleting the Leith Job Centre workers, appealing for workers to join claimants in opposing cuts, sanctions and workfare. “Some Job Centre workers are themselves facing unemployment, as now they only get temporary contracts, and could easily find themselves on the other side of the counter,” explained ECAP’s Ethel MacDonald.

“If we are not to be condemned to years of austerity we need to take a stand,” she went on. “Enough is enough! Why should the vast majority suffer because of the greed of a minority of speculators, bankers and super-rich, and the chaotic nature of their profit-driven system? It’s time for action to assert that people’s needs must be the priority, not money. We can’t rely on any of the political parties, we must organise at the grass-roots, through people power.”

The protest takes place from 10am till 12 noon today at the Commercial Street Job Centre, Leith.

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP)

Wake up call: one family in five struggle to feed their children

One in five UK families can’t afford to feed their children, according to new research published jointly by Fareshare, the Trussell Trust and Tescos.

The research highlights the biggest ever increase in UK foodbank use and a 170% rise in numbers turning to foodbanks in the last twelve months. The Tressell Trust found that 100,000 more people than anticpated were given emergency food, and the charity says this must be a ‘wake-up call to the nation’.

Trussell Trust foodbanks have seen the biggest rise in numbers given emergency food since the charity began in 2000. Almost 350,000 people have received at least three days emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks during the last 12 months, nearly 100,000 more than anticipated and close to triple the number helped in 2011-12.

Rising cost of living, static incomes, changes to benefits, underemployment and unemployment have meant increasing numbers of people in the UK have hit a crisis that forces them to go hungry. This dramatic rise in foodbank usage predates April’s welfare reforms, which could see numbers increase further in 2013-14.

346,992 people received a minimum of three days emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks in 2012-13, compared to 128,697 in 2011-12 and up from 26,000 in 2008-09. Of those helped in 2012-13, 126,889 (36.6 percent) were children.

The Trussell Trust has seen a 76% increase in the number of foodbanks launched since April 2012 but has seen a 170% increase in numbers of people given emergency food. Well- established foodbanks that have been running for several years are showing significant rises in numbers helped during the last 12 months. Christian charity The Trussell Trust is launching three new foodbanks every week to help meet demand and has launched 345 UK foodbanks in partnership with churches and communities to date.

Trussell Trust Executive Chairman Chris Mould said: ‘The sheer volume of people who are turning to foodbanks because they can’t afford food is a wake-up call to the nation that we cannot ignore the hunger on our doorstep. Politicians across the political spectrum urgently need to recognise the real extent of UK food poverty and create fresh policies that better address its underlying causes. This is more important than ever as the impact of the biggest reforms to the welfare state since it began start to take effect. Since April 1st we have already seen increasing numbers of people in crisis being sent to foodbanks with nowhere else to go.’

He continued: ‘Last year The Trussell Trust estimated that our foodbanks would help 250,000 people in 2012-13, we’ve helped 100,000 more than that. 2012-13 was much tougher for people than many anticipated. Incomes are being squeezed to breaking point. We’re seeing people from all kinds of backgrounds turning to foodbanks: working people coming in on their lunch- breaks, mums who are going hungry to feed their children, people whose benefits have been delayed and people who are struggling to find enough work. It’s shocking that people are going hungry in 21st century Britain.’

Only four per cent of people turned to foodbanks due to homelessness; 30% were referred due to benefit delay; 18% low income and 15% benefit changes (up from 11% in 2011-12). Other reasons included domestic violence, sickness, refused crisis loans, debt and unemployment. The majority of people turning to foodbanks were working age families.

Over 15,000 frontline care professionals such as doctors, social workers, schools liaison officers and Jobcentre Plus referred their clients to foodbanks in 2012-13. Foodbanks are community driven with an estimated 30,000 volunteers giving their time across the UK. Over 3,400 tonnes of food was donated by the public in 2012-13.

Chris Mould added: ‘Whilst it’s deeply concerning that so many people are facing hunger in the UK, the evident willingness of the public to help their neighbours through foodbanks has prevented thousands of crises escalating into disaster. We regularly hear people say that ‘the foodbank saved my life’ and it’s local communities that make that possible.’

Responding to these statistics, Citizens Advice Scotland’s Chief Executive Margaret Lynch said: “Sadly these figures won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has worked in a Scottish CAB. Right across the country, our advisers are having to deal every day with people who are struggling to make ends meet, and increasing numbers whose situation is so bad that they and their families are living in real poverty.

“In just the last three months Scottish CAB advisers saw nearly 300 people whose situation was so bad that they had to be referred to a food-bank or other form of emergency support. That means they literally could not afford to feed themselves that day, nevermind pay the rent or heating bills. It is no longer unusual for a CAB to deal with such a case.

“It’s very important to understand that the recession is not the only reason for this. The UK government’s welfare reforms have also had a devastating impact on many people throughout Scotland – and those who have suffered most are those who were on the lowest incomes to begin with. These include sick and disabled people as well as families with young children.

“Such people were hit hard by the recession, and many of them have then seen their benefits cut as well. Figures like those published today are the inevitable result. Many people in our society are now living in poverty, and are finding they can’t rely on the welfare safety net that is supposed to support them.”

Have your say on poverty and inequality in North Edinburgh

North Edinburgh residents have an opportunity to have their say on how best to tackle the growing gulf between rich and poor at a session in the City Chambers next week.

The city council is to host a ‘tackling poverty and inequality’ workshop session, specifically for North Edinburgh residents, on Wednesday 3 July from 10am – 12.30pm at the Business Centre, Centre Chambers.

The city council’s Tracy Boxall explained: “This workshop has been organised by the Poverty and Inequality Theme Group, part of the Edinburgh Partnership’s community planning arrangements in the city. The Theme Group currently has four main work streams, one of which is considering actions or interventions to tackle poverty and inequality in the city.

A sub-group of city partners, headed up by Dr Margaret Douglas from NHS Lothian, is progressing the development of a ‘framework’ of actions, with the aim of shaping future work to tackle poverty and inequality. The sub-group is now seeking wider input to the framework’s development. The workshop you have been invited to is part of this process. It will be facilitated by the independent organisation, Poverty Alliance.

Workshop participants (local people and other representatives from Neighbourhood Partnerships) will be asked to work together, firstly by considering the causes of poverty and inequality. The workshop will then explore what actions are needed to address the issues; the extent to which the actions are in place already in the city; their impact; and what more might be done.

The outputs from the workshop will be written up and passed back to the Poverty and Inequality Theme Group, to help inform their future work and that of city partners. The overall findings will also be shared with you as soon as possible.

Prior to the session, a background paper on poverty in the city will be circulated for your information. I hope that you are able to attend to help with this important work.“

Interested? Please RSVP to tracy.boxall@edinburgh.gov.uk