Food bank bosses dish out demands for Scottish Government

Anti-poverty charity Trussell is demanding action after the number of emergency food bank parcels increased in Glasgow.

It comes as more than 122,000 emergency food parcels were distributed to people facing hunger across Scotland between April and September this year.

Now they are urging decisive measures in its forthcoming budget to help vulnerable people facing hunger.

Daniele Cardoso, foodbank manager at Glasgow NE Foodbank at Calton Parkhead parish church pictured with items in the store room. (Image: Colin Mearns)

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This includes increasing the level of the Scottish Child Payment from £26.70 to £40 a week, as recommended in Trussell’s Tackling Child Poverty & Destitution research.

The charity is also asking to significantly increase the Scottish Welfare Fund by investing additional money for Scotland.

This comes after the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England has been extended to help local authorities support vulnerable households with essential costs and bills until April 2025.

Trussel also demanded that Scotland must continue to call on the UK government to scrap the two-child cap and in the meantime mitigate the two-child cap to help larger families in Scotland now.

In addition charity bosses hope the 37 per cent cut to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) over the last two years will be fully reversed.

This is because there is no route to ending the need for food banks without ending the housing emergency.

Penny Morriss, Head of Scotland at Trussell, said: “The sheer numbers of people still facing hunger and hardship across Scotland is heartbreaking. This cannot go on and we refuse to stand by while so many of us are pushed to the brink, left without enough money to live on.

“The UK government was elected with a manifesto pledge to end the need for emergency food and the time to act is now.

"The Scottish Government also has a vital role to play, using all its powers to bring about positive change in Scotland.

"That’s why we are urgently calling on both to plan urgent and decisive action to end hunger once and for all.”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Ending child poverty is the Scottish Government’s top priority. Scotland is the first nation in the UK to publish a plan that works towards ending the need for food banks.

"The plan includes a £1.8m programme to ensure anyone in crisis can have access to emergency funds to purchase essentials and reduce the need for food parcels.

“Our five family payments, including Scottish Child Payment, the Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods, could be worth over £10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six and around £25,000 by the time an eligible child turns 16.

"The Scottish Child Payment is a new benefit, unique to Scotland.

"The UK Government has no equivalent to either the Best Start Grant Early Learning or School Age Payments. Analysis from the Fraser of Allander Research Institutes suggests the Scottish Child Payment successfully reduces food bank usage for specific types of households, particularly single-adult households.

“The two-child limit is estimated to impact almost 1 in 10 Scottish children, with families losing up to £3,455 per year for every child affected, it is deeply disappointing the UK Government has not scrapped it, but we will continue to press them to do so.

“The current level of Universal Credit is not enough for people to live on. We have welcomed the UK Government’s planned review of Universal Credit and hope there is consideration for the introduction of an essentials guarantee ensuring people can afford the costs of essential items like fuel and food.”