Concern as two in three Scots referred to food banks are disabled

And a Hunger in Scotland study by the trust found that in mid-2022 one in six people across Scotland faced hunger because of lack of cash - more than the populations of the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. And of those 35% were households with children.

But the research also reveals certain groups of people are more likely to face hunger than others - including disabled people, single adults living alone, families with children, single parents and carers.

Over 7 in 10 (73%) of people referred to Trussell Trust food banks are disabled - far higher than the 31% of the adult population in Scotland who are disabled.

Of those over half were suffering a mental health condition, and over half had a physical disability, condition or illness.

READ MORE: A quarter of Scots parents say their kids are worried over finances

It comes as new data reveals that people in Scotland are waiting twice as long for disability payments as those in England, according to figures.

Statistics showed people applying for Adult Disability Payment in Scotland wait more than 19 weeks on average for a decision, while people in England and Wales applying for Personal Independence Payment with the Department of Work and Pensions wait around nine weeks.

Average waits in Scotland have increased since the payments were first rolled out, rising from 45 working days in September 2022 to 96 working days in April 2023.

The Trussell Trust is calling on the UK government to create an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ to ensure Universal Credit payments never fall below the amount needed to cover life’s essentials.

The level of the guarantee would be regularly, independently set and means that while claiming Universal Credit, everyone will be able to afford the essentials.

And it said that with disability benefits now devolved to Social Security Scotland, action needs to be taken to ensure people receive the disability benefits they are entitled to, as quickly as possible and that benefit levels are sufficient to "prevent the hardship" disabled people in Scotland are more likely to face.

The survey of nearly 300 Scots looking at numbers that face hunger were scored after being asked detailed questions about whether they were worried that they will run out of food before having money for more and whether they agreed that they have had to cut the size and number of meals.

Polly Jones, head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, said: “It is not right that anyone should need to access a food bank but the disproportionate number of disabled people who are needing to turn to charity is particularly worrying. The Scottish Government have a commitment to ending the need for food banks, but with more than two in three people being referred to food banks being disabled, there needs to be targeted action in this area."

"The government in Holyrood need to look at what steps can be taken to ensure that disabled people get the support they need. They also need to examine the barriers to work that disabled people face and to ensure that people who are eligible for social security can get the support they need when in times of crisis.

“For as long as they are needed, food banks will be here to support people, but charitable food aid should not be there to cover the cracks left by Government inaction.”

The research also found that the numbers going to their food banks was just the tip of the iceberg. Around 7% of the population of Scotland was supported by charitable food support, including food banks, yet most people facing hunger (77%) had not yet accessed any form of charitable food support.

While single adults living with children make up just two per cent of the population – the research carried out in partnership with pollsters Ipsos found that 17% faced hunger.

And as many as one in five people across Scotland forced to turn to Trussell food banks are in a working household. Just under a third (30%) of people in work who have had to use a food bank, are in insecure work such as zero hours contracts or agency work.

The research found that the main driver of hunger and food bank need in Scotland is low income. "Overwhelmingly, this is caused by problems in the design and delivery of the social security system, compounded by too many jobs being inaccessible, insecure and not paying enough to cover essential costs," the trust said.

The charity says many people would like to work but some face difficulty accessing jobs, including disabled people and carers, and parents who can’t find affordable or flexible childcare.

Ms Jones added: “It is truly shocking that being forced to turn to a food bank to feed your family is a horrifying reality for so many people in Scotland and as we show, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Many more people are struggling with hunger. This is not right. Food banks are not the answer when people are going without the essentials in one of the richest economies in the world. We need a social security system which provides protection and the dignity for people to cover their own essentials, such as food and bills.

"“Change needs to come from both Holyrood and Westminster if we are to create a Scotland where people aren’t faced with hunger. We know that if all of us work together, we can end the need for food banks. It’s time to guarantee our essentials solve this once and for all.”

The research found that people who need support from the social security system faced a lack of information on entitlements and difficulties claiming, particularly in the case of disability benefits. The majority (66%) of working age people referred to food banks are seeing their benefit payments reduced or capped further by benefit deductions or caps.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, the cabinet secretary for social justice, unveiled a new nine-point plan for ending food bank use earlier this month

It commits the government to establish a new £1.8m Cash-First Programme to help reduce the demand for emergency food parcels by improving urgent access to cash.

The government will run a competition to find “eight area-based partnerships to strengthen cash-first responses.”

Each partnership will then be provided with up to £200,000 over 24 months to recruit a coordinator and "take forward improvement projects." 

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We know people are struggling, which is why we’re providing record financial support worth an average £3,300 per household per year.

“On top of this we have raised benefits and the state pension in line with inflation, increased the National Living Wage and have given an extra £82 million to help people in Scotland with essential costs.

“We’re also bearing down on inflation to help everyone’s money go further, while helping millions more return to work with a £3.5 billion package providing more work coach support and more help for the sick and disabled.”

Social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We recognise the pressure on household budgets after a year of economic mismanagement from the UK Government which has seen soaring inflation and household bills, combined with the UK Government’s hard Brexit which is pushing prices higher still.

“No one should have to compromise on food or other essentials. We take a human rights approach to this issue, which is why we promote cash-first responses, as outlined in our plan towards ending the need for food banks. The Trussell Trust and Independent Food Aid Network agree with this approach.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical missions for this government.  This year and last we have allocated almost £3 billion to support policies to tackle poverty and to protect people as far as possible during the ongoing cost of living crisis, including offering free school meals to all pupils in primaries 1-5 and in special schools, giving families an average annual saving of £400 per child. During 2022-23 we increased the Scottish Child Payment by 150% and expanded the payment to all eligible children under the age of 16, lifting an estimated 50,000 children out of poverty.

“We are taking action within limited powers and fixed budget but it is only with the powers of an independent nation that we can use all the levers other governments have to tackle poverty and inequalities.”