The number of food parcels being distributed across Dumfries and Galloway has reached record levels.
New figures from The Trussell Trust charity reveal food banks in its network gave out 5,364 parcels across the region in 2022/23 – an increase of more than 80 per cent on the previous year.
Nearly 1,500 of those parcels were for children.
South Scotland Labour MSP, Colin Smyth, said: “These appalling figures paint a bleak picture of how many people in Dumfries and Galloway are being seriously affected by the cost of living crisis.
“There is no reason at all why anyone should be going hungry in a wealthy nation like Scotland.
“However, the evidence is clear – thousands of local people are in food poverty and many more are being put at risk due to cuts in benefits by the UK Government and cuts in support to local councils by the Scottish Government.
“The increase in particular in the number of food parcels for children is heartbreaking and should shame us all.
“We simply cannot stand back and allow this situation to continue.”
The Trussell Trust data shows 259, 744 emergency food parcels were distributed across Scotland between April 2022 and March this year – a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.
Almost 90,000 of the parcels distributed by foodbanks in its network were for children.
The Dumfries and Galloway total of 5,364 – 1,433 of which were for youngsters – exceeded the previous high of 3,950 recorded in 2019/20 and was a significant increase on the 2021/22 figure of 2,918.
The charity’s Scottish boss, Polly Jones, said: “Everyone in Scotland should be able to afford the essentials – to buy their own food and heat their homes. This has got harder in the last year, as has been shown by the 62,000 people needing an emergency food parcel for the first time and a huge increase in children needing our support. This is not right.
“Despite these alarming figures, I know we can do something to change this. The percentage increase of people accessing food banks between November 2022 to March 2023 was lower than the increase seen in the first half of the year. This may suggest that the extension of eligibility for the Scottish Child Payment from aged six to age 16 and the £5 uplift to £25 a week, that was introduced in November 2022, has made an impact.
“With food banks in the Trussell Trust network in Scotland distributing more parcels to children than ever before, further and immediate action needs to be taken by the Scottish Government, using all resources available to it, to ensure the Scottish Child Payment is meeting the objective of reducing child poverty in Scotland.”
Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “This report is deeply concerning and it’s clear far too many people are having to turn to food banks.
“Though, I note it does suggest that our unique game-changing Scottish Child Payment may have helped to slow the rate of demand in Scotland.
“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical and interdependent missions for this government. As outlined by the First Minister, it is only with the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation that ministers can use all levers other governments have to tackle inequalities. We will continue to urge the UK Government to do more to tackle poverty and the cost of living crisis.
“We will continue to take action within our powers and fixed budget which is why both last year and this, we have allocated almost £3 billion to support policies which tackle poverty and protect people as far as possible during the ongoing cost of living crisis .”
A UK Government spokesman said: “We are committed to eradicating poverty and we recognise the pressures of the rising cost of living which is why we have uprated benefits by 10.1 per cent as well as making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month.
“We are also providing record levels of direct financial support for the most vulnerable – £1,200 last year and a further £1,350 in 2023/24, with over eight million families starting to receive their first £301 Cost of Living instalment – while the Household Support Fund is helping people with essential costs.”
