East Lothian Partnership unveils new four-year poverty plan

The East Lothian Partnership has launched an ambitious plan to tackle poverty across the county, approved at a full Council meeting on August 27, 2024.

Understanding Poverty

The meeting heard that poverty is more than just a lack of money, it’s a complex issue that affects health, wellbeing, and limits people’s choices. The Partnership, which includes East Lothian Council, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, charity organizations, and education providers, aims to address these challenges head-on. The updated plan for 2024-2028 was shaped by a year-long engagement process. This included online surveys, focus groups, and consultations with various community groups, including young people and those affected by gender, disability, and childcare issues. The feedback highlighted the significant impact of poverty on residents’ wellbeing, confidence, and sense of worth.

Key Objectives

Aligned with the Scottish Government’s goals, the plan focuses on increasing income and building resilient communities.

Key priorities include:

• Ensuring a supply of good quality, fairly paid jobs and supporting people to gain necessary skills and training
• Helping residents claim the income they are entitled to and providing support with the cost of living
• Ensuring access to housing, healthcare, quality food, and a supportive community, with a preventative approach to homelessness, hunger, and health inequalities
• Preparing communities for the impacts of climate change through preventative action

Service Delivery

The plan emphasizes the importance of how services are delivered. This includes understanding the impacts of poverty, offering approachable and dignified services, and recognizing the effects of trauma. Strong partnership working is crucial, with a commitment to finding tailored solutions for East Lothian’s communities.

Find out more about the East Lothian Partnership.