The Universal Basic Income’s time has come – Ewan Aitken

More families will be at risk of slipping into poverty as the lokdown continues

The coronavirus crisis has given us chance to look again at the way we organise society and the first task is to alleviate the damaging effects of poverty, writes Ewan Aitken

This crisis is hard work. No matter who you are or what your situation is, it’s hard work physically, mentally and emotionally. At Cyrenians we have been shifting 50 tonnes of food a day through our Fareshare operation (five times our normal quantities) and producing up 1000 meals a day, seven days a week from our cook school kitchens with volunteer chefs helping our amazing team.

We are supporting rough sleepers in hotels, families in conflict, the residents in our communities, people coping with addiction, families with someone in prison, people struggling with mental health challenges, young people having difficulties with school, people trying to get into work and many more; all while managing with the restrictions of lockdown. This crisis is hard work, but for some it is really tough.

One project we have begun is a partnership with Waverly Care to use some of their beds at their Milestone House facility as intermediary care unit for homeless patients recovering from Covid-19 who require ongoing medical care due to underlying health conditions.

Ewan Aitken is CEO of Cyrenians Scotland

The virus might be their presenting cause but the needs of this group of our fellow citizens go much deeper so supporting them is much more of a challenge.

My thanks go to the lovely people at Waverley Care for stepping up as they so often do. But this project, led by our hospital inreach team who have completely changed their way of working, innovation being in Cyrenians’ DNA, is a sharp reminder of the more deep-rooted issues which have been exposed by this crisis that need more than a short term fix.

We already know that those in poverty, on the edge of society with fewest resources are most harmed by the impact of this crisis. And all the work we and so many others are doing to meet the needs that have been exposed is simply not enough.