Young mums set up protect group to fight evictions
Scottish families facing eviction due to the Westminster Tory government’s benefits cap are ramping up a series of actions in their battle for justice.
Young mothers have formed All About Me, a grassroots campaigning group aimed at highlighting their plight.
The mums, all from north Edinburgh, are heading up the protests, as their families face homelessness due to the imposition of the benefits cap by the Tories.
This means they can no longer afford the rent, pushing them towards homeless hostels and sleeping on relatives’ sofas.
They say that 13 families, including 35 children are facing eviction or have already been evicted in north Edinburgh.
Although they place the blame firmly at the feet of the Tory government, All About Me is demanding local authorities step up to help.
This is why they protested outside the full meeting of City of Edinburgh Council yesterday (Thursday).
More protests are planned, and the group has already occupied Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson’s constituency office.
A letter given to councillors reads: "All About Me group involves / is working with at least 13 families, including 35 children, who either face eviction from their privately rented homes in North Edinburgh due to the benefits cap, or who have already been evicted.
“Some are at this moment in appalling homeless hostels, others are sleeping on relative’s sofas. Some face losing their homes imminently.
“Many families throughout the city are in this situation too, and unless something is done more families will be made homeless as they are unable to pay their rent due to drastic reductions in their Housing Benefit. More families are getting in touch every week – this is a crisis.”
The protestors demanded the council take action to stop the evictions and demanded Housing Benefit be fully restored through Discretionary Housing Payments.
They are insisting that families must never be put in homeless hostels but instead found temporary flats in the local area, while they wait for permanent housing.
Homeless families are currently being offered hostel accommodation as far away as Motherwell and Fife.
They are also calling for more social housing.
A spokesperson for the group said: “We are campaigning for the Westminster government to scrap the benefits cap completely. But right now the council has a duty to act to stop families and children suffering the trauma of homelessness and totally unsuitable homeless hostels – the Council must act now to stop the evictions.
“Our actions will continue till we achieve justice.”
City Of Edinburgh Council has been asked for comment.
