Tory leadership contenders have been blasted after shock figures showed soaring demand for advice on food banks in Scotland.
Conservative candidates bidding to be Prime Minister have promised tax cuts for the wealthy while saying nothing about reversing the £20 a week cut to Universal Credit.
They have also been silent on scrapping benefit sanctions which new figures show more Scots are seeking advice over.
SNP MSP Elena Whitham said: “It is utterly shameful to see this increase in foodbank use in a place as wealthy as the UK.
"Yet, sadly, it’s not surprising that every single Tory leadership candidate is silent on the matter of child poverty and the cost of living crisis - instead fighting to cut taxes for the rich and cut public spending.”
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said: “The Tories are busy arguing amongst themselves and not one of their leadership candidates has shown any real interest in tackling the emergency facing people across the country. They are shamelessly putting their own political interests ahead of anything else and leaving people to suffer.”
Six Tory MPs - Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch - are still in the race to become the next party leader and Prime Minister.
Despite inflation running at 9 per cent and sky high poverty levels, the candidates have chosen to outbid each other on tax cuts for individuals and corporations.
Sunak has promised to lower the tax burden after inflation has been tamed, Mordaunt has promised to change income tax thresholds and Truss has promised tax cuts from “day one”.
A new report by Citizens Advice Scotland has laid bare the real challenges facing Scots families struggling on Universal Credit. Around 447,600 people across Scotland claim UC, but the Tory Government slashed the all-in-one benefit last year during the cost of living crisis.
New CAS data reveals that the advice given about food banks has grown by 31 per cent since September, and by 23 per cent for other charitable support. The food bank advice figure is 20 per cent higher than before the pandemic in February 2020.
Advice on UC sanctions, which have been described as heartless by critics, has risen by 53 per cent over 2021-22 and by 25 per cent in relation to UC cash advances. CAS has made five demands for putting extra cash into the pockets of those on low incomes, including uprating UC and legacy benefits in line with inflation.
The charity wants the suspension of sanctions until the cost of living crisis is over, an end to the benefit cap and the two-child limit, and a pause on the collection of DWP and HMRC debts. CAS also wants the abolition of the five week wait for UC by converting advance payments into non-repayable grants.
CAS Social Justice spokesperson David Scott said: “Low social security payments place people at risk of housing arrears and the devastating effects of homelessness, not to mention the health impacts of starvation, poor or insufficient diets, and cold, unheated homes. The marks of that hardship can hold people back for years.
“We need to see investment in social security, to reach adequate levels to support people in need and offer them the chance to live with dignity. This report shows that the current system is failing to do that.”
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “People want a just and compassionate society, but these figures show that our social security system is failing to deliver that.
“The present crisis is pulling more people into hardship – as witnessed by these new figures from Citizens Advice. More people needing help from foodbanks and advice on reductions to their Universal Credit is evidence of deliberate changes and choice to the ways that we provide support to people who need it.”
Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain said: “The Conservatives' decision to end the Universal Credit uplift and rip support from millions of families across the country showed how completely out of touch his party is.
“They claim that they want people to live by their own efforts rather than welfare. Either they don't know that almost half of those receiving Universal Credit are already in work or they don't care.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “We recognise people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting the eight million most vulnerable families with at least £1,200 of direct payments, starting this week. All households will receive the £400 energy payments and 80% will get a £150 Council Tax rebate.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
