Edinburgh residents are being urged to check their cost-of-living support to claim everything they are entitled to.
With 80,000 people living in poverty in Edinburgh - including close to a quarter of all children - tackling inequality and preventing poverty remains one of the biggest challenges facing the capital.
As it's revealed that households could be owed up to £80 million in unclaimed benefits in Edinburgh, the council has rolled out two new self-help tools to make it easier for people to check what they're owed.
A DIY benefits calculator, Entitled To, and a one-stop-shop for other forms of financial support, Lightning Reach, have been made available online.
A campaign has been launched to highlight these tools, urging residents not to leave their household budgets to chance.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:
It's a worrying time for lots of people who are struggling with rising costs and we want to make sure that every household is claiming all the benefits they are entitled to. If you go online, you’ll find our DIY benefits calculator which makes it straightforward to check what you might be owed, so that you can then apply for support.
Our efforts to tackle poverty in Edinburgh have put almost £24 million into the pockets of those who need it most, but around £80 million in benefits remains unclaimed. It's my hope that this campaign will help to challenge the barriers – stigma, complexity and lack of awareness - that prevent people from accessing the support they should be getting. I urge everyone to check their cost-of-living support and to get in touch for more advice or support as needed.
Linda's story
Linda, 59, has been a full-time-carer for her brother since their mother passed away almost 10 years ago.
She said:
I worked from the age of 17 and in my late 20’s I bought my own home and a car. But in 2015, my mother suddenly became unwell. She spent six months in intensive care on a ventilator and then passed away. I very suddenly became a full time carer for my brother, who has additional support needs. I had to stop working and sell my house to go live with him and my life changed completely.
I went from 'having it all' - a job, a house, holidays and savings - to having next to nothing. The stigma associated with having to ask for help and being judged for having to rely on benefits has probably been the hardest part.
I wish I had sought help earlier than I did. I wish I had set my pride and feelings of shame aside and realised that asking for help is not a bad thing. When life events happen that turn your world upside down, there is help available. The hardest part is knowing where to look to find that help - it can be very challenging - and accepting that there is no stigma in asking.
Progress to End Poverty in Edinburgh
This July will mark the mid-point between the publication of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission's final report and the city’s target to end poverty by 2030.
Linda (as above) is a member of End Poverty Edinburgh. Speaking about this experience, she said:
By being part of End Poverty Edinburgh, I have had the opportunity to attend and speak at various meetings and events to raise awareness of the issues which those living in poverty have to face. We work closely with the council and others to improve customer experiences when seeking advice and help. We try to promote the help that is available which a lot of people aren't aware of. Being part of this group has given me back a feeling of self worth.
So far, positive collaboration on a range of initiatives between the council and partners has led to:
• Increasing access to grants and welfare advice by 20% over the last year
• Helping residents to receive almost £24 million in previously unclaimed benefits
• Supporting 5,000 people into work or learning (a 19% increase on the previous year)
• Driving down bills for 900 homes thanks to new energy efficiency measures
• Securing savings worth £206k for tenants through Energy Advice Support (an average of £428 per household)
• Helping to prevent homelessness for 461 households
• Over 9,000 free school meal payments and nearly 8,400 clothing grant awards
• Supporting 95% of all pupils to reach positive destinations after school
• Encouraging payment of the living wage (up 80 in a year to 720 accredited employers)
• Agreeing Council contracts committed to paying the real Living Wage (96% of suppliers, up 14%)
• Introducing a new Regenerative Futures Fund, a third sector led programme bringing £15m of new investment.