Fears on poverty at Christmas as food bank use in Scotland soars

SASW has expressed concern at a Scottish Government report which showed that approximately five times as many people used food banks and soup kitchens in the last six months of 2013 than in a whole year in 2011-12.

The report by the Government's social research unit revealed that Trussell Trust emergency facilities fed 23,073 people between April and September, compared with 5,726 in 2011/12.

Over half used food banks due to benefit problems in the 2013 period, up from around four in 10 in 2011/12. The report states welfare reform, benefit delays, benefit sanctions and falling incomes have been the main factors driving the recent trend.

The Association’s Manager in Edinburgh Trisha Hall said social workers would not be surprised at the link between the impact of welfare reform measures and austerity related cuts.

The 17 December report found that more than one third of users were children. It also found that they are increasingly being used by migrants, especially in Glasgow where failed asylum seekers are using food banks as their main source of support.

Ms Hall said: “Social workers experience these effects on a daily basis, and are dismayed at the levels of increasing poverty which has considerable implications for our practice in trying to support vulnerable adults, children and families.”