Edinburgh Poverty Commission - Phase Two Call for Evidence: 'Prospects'

Overview

Edinburgh Poverty Commission was launched in November 2018 and will be working throughout this year to define the steps the city needs to make to reduce, mitigate, and prevent poverty in Edinburgh.

The Commission is an independent group, chaired by Jim McCormick of Joseph Rowntree Foundation and made up of 12 people with experience of tackling poverty and its effects, including citizens who have direct experience of living in poverty in Edinburgh.

If you would like to know more about our work, or get involved, please visit our website, or follow us on social media using #edinpovertycommission.

Why your views matter

In the first phase of our work we gathered evidence and heard people’s experiences around the theme of ‘Pockets’ -  the pressures that keep incomes low and living costs high for people in Edinburgh.  The findings we received from that work are now published and available for comment and feedback.

In the second phase of our work, we want to focus on the theme of ‘Prospects’ – what we can do to improve the life chances of people who are struggling to get by in Edinburgh.

We know that almost anyone can experience poverty at some point during their lives, and that the experience of poverty has significant impacts on people’s health, well-being and opportunities.  People in poverty are more likely to die sooner and to have fewer years free of ill-health or disability than more affluent families.  We know that children who grow up in poverty have poorer mental and physical health than average.  We also know that children from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve poorer results in school, and that people in poverty often face real challenges in accessing and maintaining well paid work.

To help us, we want to hear from individuals and organisations across the city who have experience of living with or supporting people facing these issues. 

We want to hear your thoughts on how poverty affects people’s lives and opportunities.  We also want to hear about ways the city can do more to reduce those impacts, and improve life chances for people struggling to get by in Edinburgh.

So we are asking a number of questions.

On the phase 1 findings published so far:

• What are your comments on the evidence and first thoughts on actions included in the emerging findings document?

And on the topics for consideration during phase 2 of our work:

• How does living on a low income affect the health and wellbeing of people in Edinburgh?
• How does poverty affect the ability of children in Edinburgh to have a good start in life?
• What are the barriers that make it difficult for people in poverty to get a job, work more hours, or progress to better paid jobs?
• Can you provide evidence of what has been successful in helping people address these issues?

You can submit your thoughts on these questions using the link below, or by email, using the subject header ‘Edinburgh Poverty Commission’, at: strategyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk. You can also print and return the submission form.

All submissions will be treated as confidential, with the evidence used to inform discussion and private sessions of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission.