Ahead of The City of Edinburgh Council setting its budget for the coming year, the city’s third sector is urging investment in vital care warning that social services are at risk of collapse.
The council will agree its budget for 25/26 on 20 February, when the minority administration will require support from other political groups. The city’s charitable bodies appeal to all councillors to commit at least £2 million to protect Edinburgh’s vital charities and organisations which could be at risk of closure.
At the end of 2024 the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) tried to reduce their spending by cutting around £4.5 million of funding from 64 charities from 30 June 2025. This has caused widespread discussion and concern among many charities and organisations.
Stephanie-Anne Harris, Strategic Development Director of Edinburgh Health Community Forum, said:“Without the necessary funding, closures are inevitable. These community-led and locally based charities cannot afford to exist without long-term public funding, and the threat of it being removed is hanging over their heads, preventing future planning.
“As a result, we will see the loss of vital local services, such as mental health support, carers’ assistance, and substance misuse programmes, currently benefiting over 50,000 people. Redundancies and increased pressure on statutory health and social care services will be inevitable. We simply cannot afford to lose these services, and the City of Edinburgh Council must step in to fill the gap.”
One organisation at risk of closure is Health All Round, a registered charity and voluntary service aimed at supporting people in Gorgie, Saughton, Dalry and Stenhouse to live healthier, longer lives.
Catriona Windle, Manager of Health All Round, said: “With no guarantee of core funding beyond June, we are preparing to take the initial steps toward closure around the beginning of March. This includes initiating the consultation process for the redundancy of eight staff members, beginning TUPE procedures for four employees, and providing notice to our landlords.”
Health All Round is not the only organisation looking at redundancies, Feniks, a charitable organisation offering counselling and support to the Central Eastern European community in Edinburgh, is also looking to downsize.
Magda Czarnecka, CEO of Feniks, said: “The anticipated budget cuts will result in notices being issued by March. At least eight out of nineteen staff members will face significant reductions in their working hours.
It is not only staff and service users who will be impacted by the cessation of the grant. Families and carers of service users will also be placed under greater pressure.
A spokesperson for Bridgend Farmhouse in Craigmillar, which runs community food projects, workshops and training courses, said: “Edinburgh’s Third Sector plays a vital role in transforming the lives of hundreds of socially isolated individuals. Many of our clients share how profoundly we’ve impacted them, often describing our support as lifesaving. They tell us they had stopped leaving their homes, and their lives had lost meaning—until we stepped in. The Third Sector brings immense value to people’s lives, and without a proper transition fund, the ripple effects could be devastating.”
Stephanie-Anne Harris added: ‘Research shows that investing in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities. The cessation of the EIJB funding will only put greater pressure on Edinburgh’s wider health and social care services, which are already at breaking point.
“With the Council’s budget day coming up, we urge the Council to make good on its previous advocacy for prevention and early-stage intervention and commit to funding these vital health and wellbeing local organisations beyond June 2025.
“We understand the pressure the Council is under and that savings must be made, this is why we are asking for a minimum of £2 million to support the city critical organisations who deliver significant local services to those at risk in local communities. Without the funding, the very fabric of our community support systems will collapse.”
Council meeting on 20 February
The meeting of the full council on 20 February will discuss the various options for a balanced budget for the next year.
The full set of papers and links to how to watch the meeting online are here.
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