Recent figures from the Trussell Trust reveal that Scottish food banks in their network provided more than 197,000 food parcels to people facing financial hardship across Scotland from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 – with more than 70,000 parcels were provided for children.
While the need for emergency food across the charity’s network decreased by 17% in comparison to the same period in 2019/20, the Trussell Trust suggest this is because of other food aid providers and community-based groups emerging during the pandemic.
Yet the figures are still 31% higher when compared to the same period five years ago – and food bank managers in Scotland are warning of an accelerating crisis following the cut to Universal Credit (UC), which is still reserved to Westminster, as the cost of living continues to soar.
Commenting, Stuart said:
“In 2014, I was the first MSP to raise foodbank use in the Scottish Parliament and led a Member’s Debate on the issue.
“People locally will remember that Inverclyde was one of the first areas to experience the roll-out of Universal Credit and the subsequent increase in foodbank use.
“With more than one in three Universal Credit recipients already skipping meals, it’s time for the UK Government to take real, tangible action to help households – especially as the cost of living crisis hits.
“The UK is the fifth richest country in the world and with foodbank usage at the rates they are, it’s abundantly clear that more needs to be done to help struggling households. Despite what some Tory politicians seem to think, food poverty is not a lifestyle choice.
“Hearing Tory MPs suggest that people use foodbanks because they can’t cook or can’t budget just shows how out of touch they and their party are.
“No matter how extensively the Scottish Government uses its powers to put more money in people’s pockets, with attitudes like that at Westminster, Scotland will always suffer at the hands of the Tories’ so-called welfare reforms.”
