Foodbank increase

Food banks in the Western Isles have experienced a 26% increase compared with last year.

Figures published by Britain’s biggest food bank provider, the Trussell Trust, showed that 289 three day emergency food parcels were provided to islanders in crisis in the six months between April and September.

Last year, the figure was 229 for the same period.

Across Scotland, foodbank use has risen by 15%.

Food bank providers say the rise is largely due to the in-built minimum wait of five weeks for a first payment for those migrated to Universal Credit – with many more people forced to wait even longer than five weeks.

The Trussell Trust has called for ‘urgent changes’ to Universal Credit, while the SNP have consistently called for a halt to the roll-out of the scheme.

MSP Alasdair Allan said: “It’s incredibly concerning that food bank usage in the Western Isles continues to rise.

“While the volunteers at the Stornoway and Balivanich foodbanks do incredible and selfless work, it is shameful that in a country as wealthy as Scotland these facilities are needed.

“With Universal Credit having recently been rolled out to the Western Isles there is real concern these figures could get even worse unless its many problems can be fixed, and cuts to it are reversed.

“Far from austerity being over - as was recently claimed - the UK government’s austerity agenda continues to take its toll on struggling families.”

Jump in food bank usage in Western Isles

16 November 2018