Important update
This page contains information about cuts to CAPS’ funding for Collective Advocacy which were proposed by Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership in June 2025. The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board made a decision on this funding on 26th August 2025. Please read the update on this decision here.
We have been informed by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership that they propose to withdraw their funding for all of our Collective Advocacy projects. The decision will be made by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board at a meeting on 26th August 2025, having been postponed since the first proposed date of 17th June.
“Ever since I learnt of the intent to cut all of the Collective Advocacy groups I’ve ever been in and then some my mental health has been very precarious.” (Collective Advocacy group member)
The CAPS Collective Advocacy projects at risk are:
- Oor Mad History
- Arts as Advocacy & Out of Sight Out of Mind
- Seen But Not Heard, Eating Disorders project
- Experiences of Psychosis
- Much More Than a Label, Personality Disorder project
- Experiences of Trauma
- LGBTQIA+ advocacy
- Minority Ethnic advocacy
- Lothian Voices
- Edinburgh Collective Advocacy
- Peer Forum
These projects work in different areas to ensure that the voices of people in Edinburgh with experience of mental health issues can be heard in relation to services, policies and in the public realm.
If the plans to cut these projects goes ahead, people will lose these methods of having their voices heard on important issues and making positive changes for others.
It would lead to a loss of 82% of the Collective Advocacy service at CAPS, and with it the loss to Edinburgh of a significant amount of knowledge, skills and pathways for voices, built by staff and the people in the groups. You can find out more about the Collective Advocacy work that CAPS does here.
What do the groups say about the cuts?
- Much More Than A Label, Experiences of Personality Disorder – read the group’s statement
- Oor Mad History – read the group’s statement
- Arts as Advocacy & Out of Sight Out of Mind – read the group’s statement
- Seen But Not Heard, Experiences of Eating Disorders – read the group’s statement
- Experiences of Psychosis – read the group’s statement
- Experiences of Trauma – read the group’s statement
- LGBTQIA+ advocacy – read the group’s statement
- Minority Ethnic advocacy – read the group’s statement
- Lothian Voices – read the group’s statement
“If I lose this and my found family I don’t know how I’ll cope. CAPS Collective Advocacy saved my life, gives me purpose, self-esteem and confidence in a supportive environment. I thought I was beyond help in those areas.” (Collective Advocacy group member)
CAPS staff and the people who take part in Collective Advocacy will do everything they can to try to influence the decision. We will use our voices at all opportunities. We will say why Collective Advocacy and platforming people with lived experience is important. We will try to evidence its impact.
The SIAA has identified collective advocacy and citizen advocacy, as models of advocacy that are increasingly vulnerable to funding reductions amid widespread cuts to public and third sector services. The SIAA’s position paper aims to enhance understanding of the duties to provide different models of independent advocacy, their positive impact on individuals and local communities, as well as the potential cost savings for public services that these advocacy models can facilitate.
In the video below you can watch proceedings at a public meeting held on 26 May 2025 where people with mental health issues spoke up about how their lives would be affected if the proposed cuts go ahead.
“If CAPS were to end, I don’t exaggerate when I say I would be devastated. I’d feel a terrible identity crisis without CAPS. I feel we make such a difference to others life’s by sharing our experiences. I don’t know what I am meant to do without collective advocacy. It is genuinely a lifeline for me.” (Collective Advocacy group member)
How you can help:
Sign the petition
Add your voice to save Edinburgh’s mental health services. Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-mental-health-cuts-across-edinburgh. You can also read the campaign update from the 9th of June.
Write to your local councillor or MSP
This template letter can be used to send a message about how the proposed cuts will affect you to your local councillor or MSP. The letter asks them to stand up for you and influence the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board’s decision. You can find out who your councillor or MSP is here.
Send us a testimonial
We invite you to send us your testimonial, by replying to any/all of the following questions:
- How are you aware of CAPS’ work?
- What benefits does Collective Advocacy bring?
- What will the impact be if CAPS’ groups end?
Testimonials will be anonymised, unless you tell us you are happy to be named. If you wish to read the testimonials that have already been submitted they are available here. Testimonials will be included as part of CAPS’ campaign and promotional work, either in part or as a whole. They will be publicly available on our website and anonymous unless you choose to give us your name.
Send your testimonial to Catherine at CAPS Catherine@capsadvocacy.org, or to your advocacy worker.
Your support means a great deal as we strive to maintain the ability of groups to keep doing the valuable advocacy work that they do.