Renewed focus for community planning in Edinburgh
We have refreshed our Community Plan 2018–2028 for its final two years, and we want to make sure everyone who lives and works in Edinburgh knows what has changed and why.
"Poverty and inequality continue to be the most important shared challenges we face. We believe this refreshed plan demonstrates our collective commitment to reducing poverty and inequality across the city, improving our residents’ quality of life and giving everyone the opportunity to share in Edinburgh’s success.” Councillor Jane Meagher (Edinburgh Partnership Chair), and Susan Webb, Executive Director of Public Health and Health Policy for NHS Lothian (Edinburgh Partnership Vice Chair).
The Community Plan, also called the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP), guides community planning in Edinburgh until 2028. It brings together over 40 partner organisations from the public, third, and private sectors to work towards the EP’s vision: "Edinburgh is a thriving, connected, inspired and fair city, where all forms of poverty and inequality are reduced."
Why now?
Much has changed since the plan was last updated in 2022. The cost of living crisis, housing emergency, and growing concerns about exploitation, school readiness, and community cohesion have all sharpened the need for more focused action. The data shows the scale of the challenge:
- 89,000 people live in poverty
- 18,000 children live in poverty
- A 12-year gap in life expectancy between men in Edinburgh’s most and least deprived areas, and a nine-year gap for women.
- 61% of people in poverty live in households where at least one adult works.
- 4,802 households were in temporary accommodation as of September 2025
This refresh adjusts the plan to focus action where it is most needed and introduces clearer ways to measure whether we are making a real difference.
How it was developed
The refresh was developed with input from over 40 organisations. This included roundtable discussions with community organisations through the Third Sector Interface (TSI) and Equalities and Rights Network (EaRN), a youth work forum with 15 organisations, a workshop with Edinburgh Partnership Board members, and a session with partnership leads and the Edinburgh Poverty Commission.
What's next
Read The Edinburgh Community Plan 2018-2028: June 2026 Refresh. We will share regular updates on progress, along with news about the development of the next Community Plan for 2028–2038 on this website.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please contact us at communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk.