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Latest news | Tory welfare cuts forcing Glasgow families to rely on foodbanks

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Tory welfare cuts forcing Glasgow families to rely on foodbanks

foodbank

Stewart McDonald MP for Glasgow South, has warned Tory welfare cuts have resulted in 31,630 three day emergency food supplies being given to people facing crisis, 11,634 of which were for children, between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018.

The Trussell Trust's annual foodbank statistics show 1,332,952 three day emergency food supplies were distributed to people across the UK in 2017/18, including 484,026 to children. These figures indicate a 13% increase on the previous year.

According to the Trust, the biggest single, and fastest growing, reason for people attending foodbanks is “Low income – benefits, not earning”. The SNP have called on the UK government to reverse the benefits freeze, introduce a real living wage, and end the public sector pay cap, to help ensure families have enough money to live on.

Commenting, Stewart McDonald MP said:

"It's a disgrace that people are having to rely on emergency food parcels just to get by.

"Millions of families across the UK are suffering from a Tory pay cut – as rising prices, stagnant wages, and cuts to social security continue to squeeze living standards and push households into poverty, debt and crisis.

"The figures from the Trussell Trust show that the problem is getting worse - with foodbank usage rising year on year. Tory policies are making it harder for families to cover even the basic costs of food, housing, and bills.

“People cannot afford another year of Tory cuts. It is vital that the UK government finally takes meaningful action to boost incomes. This must include delivering a real living wage, ending the public sector pay cap, and reversing the benefits freeze to help ensure families have enough money to live on.”

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