A new report from the Trussell Trust published on Wednesday shows that there is a record level of demand for food banks in Scotland over the last twelve months.
Nearly 90,000 emergency food parcels were provided for children in that period, a 24% increase compared to the same period last year.
The Trussell Trust, found that between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 a total of 2,986,203 parcels were given to people in the UK, with more than a million going to children alone as the Tory-made cost of living crisis spiralled out of control. Last year the figure was 2.1 million, showing a rise in demand.
The SNP’s Social Justice spokesperson, David Linden MP, said the figures laid bare the impact of Tory rule over Scotland and the damage being done to Scottish Government efforts to eradicate poverty.
SNP MP, David Linden, said: “The Tories’ cost of living crisis, compounded by their bad Brexit supported by their chums in the Labour Party, has driven up prices and forced a record amount of people to rely on food banks.
“These figures ought to shame even the most hardline Conservatives into immediate action – demonstrating that Tory austerity and economic policy has completely failed.
“They sum up the legacy of this shameful Tory government who continue to cause untold harm to ordinary people in Scotland who didn’t elect them.
“In Scotland we’ve taken steps to eradicate poverty and mitigate the worst of Tory rule, but here we are being made to watch powerless yet again as that work is undone by Westminster and as ordinary Scots are made to pay the heaviest price.
“While we introduced groundbreaking new benefits like the Scottish Child Payment the Tories were busy slashing Universal Credit and hiking taxes on the lowest earners.
“People in Scotland need an escape from the austerity and cost of living crisis created and imposed upon them by Westminster – that will only come with the full powers of independence.
Claire Telfer, Head of Save the Children Scotland, said: “These numbers show in very stark terms just how desperate the situation is for families living on the lowest incomes. It’s not acceptable that tens of thousands of children in Scotland are growing up without enough to eat.
“We know that poverty and food insecurity have severe and long-lasting impacts on children. So the fact that the number of food parcels distributed to children has risen dramatically should set alarm bells ringing.
“We’re hearing from families just how hard it is to get by. As one parent told us: ‘You need to survive, I need to heat my weans. Who wants to go to a foodbank? But needs must. But it’s still that, it’s the pride.’
“We’ve already called on the new First Minister to take the bold action needed to drive down child poverty levels in Scotland and today’s figures show just how urgently that action is required. As a first step, we need to see the vital Scottish Child Payment increase to at least £40 a week.”
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