A group of local women and their supporters will lobby councillors as they arrive to attend the first meeting of the new city council this morning. Some of the group face becoming homeless as a result of benefits cuts and the women will urge councillors to take action to stop children being forced from their homes.
Many of the women and their families live in MSP Ben Macpherson’s Northern and Leith consituency, and the MSP’s office has taken up their case.
Ben Macpherson said: “As of April this year, the Tories have reduced their punitive Benefit Cap and the effects are, distressingly, already being sharply felt in our communities. This regressive UK Government policy is hitting vulnerable groups across our communities, causing hardship and poverty. I have been working hard to help all of those I represent who are suffering as a result of Tory UK Government welfare reform, and recently, in particular, those affected by the Tory Benefit Cap.
“With an election coming up, the Tories should be judged on their dismal record of shamefully and repeatedly punishing those less fortunate.
“As well as harmful Tory cuts, one of the biggest challenges we are facing as a result of UK Government welfare reform is a lack of clarity – and as a result people aren’t benefiting from the financial support to which they are entitled. This is causing stress and anxiety, and shockingly for some it is resulting in homelessness. This distress and injustice is both wrong and unnecessary and the Tories need to realise the anguish and grief that their policies are causing.
“As we all try to deal with the negative consequences of Tory welfare reform, there must also be a focus on ensuring that people are aware of the benefit changes currently taking place, how the changes will affect them and what financial support they are entitled to. I am glad that Edinburgh City Council have already responded to my request to assist those affected in North Edinburgh; and that, as part of this, the Council are planning to hold advice surgeries to provide clarity and support for local people, in order to try to avoid further instances of homelessness.
“Yet again though, in Scotland we are having to try to “mitigate” senseless Tory cuts. Across Scotland, the Scottish Government is spending £10.9m, up from £4.8m, to help mitigate against the Benefit Cap through LHA rates. And this week, I will be leading a debate in the Scottish Parliament about the cuts to housing support for 18 to 21 year-olds – a Tory policy which is a clear attack on young people in our country, and yet another example of the fact that the Tories are quite prepared to damage the prospects of younger and future generations. These cuts that the Tories have pushed through are putting more and more pressure on local services and support systems, as well as senselessly harming those affected.
“Mitigating all of the cuts coming from the UK Government would cost Scotland £2 billion. Scotland cannot be expected to pay twice because the Tories don’t have the decency, empathy or wisdom to provide an adequate social security safety net. We cannot give carte blanche to the Tories to keep making their senseless cuts. The Tories are the party who are responsible for proposing and implementing these futile policies and they must be the ones who are held accountable for the damage they are causing.”
He went on: “Since being elected, a number of my constituents with children have been housed in B&Bs as a result of having to declare themselves homeless. This cannot go on. I fully recognise, as does the Council, that this type of accommodation is both unacceptable and unsuitable for families, and I am glad that Edinburgh Council have said that they are taking active steps to eliminate such use of B&Bs in the near future.”
With suitable housing in short supply, it’s difficult to see how the council will tackle this crisis – and the introduction of Universal Credit will make the situation even more critical.
The council meeting starts at 10am.