More than 9,000 emergency food parcels have been issued to Renfrewshire families in the past year as foodbank bosses reveal users have increased since the cut to Universal Credit.
Crystal Clayton, manager at Renfrewshire Foodbank, said the removal of the £20 uplift to UC alongside a spike in energy prices had led to a rise in the number of people needing support to put meals on the table.
Last month, she insisted the number of service users could eventually double as a result of the UK Government decision to scrap the boost it introduced at the start of the pandemic.
Over the past 12 months, 9,300 parcels have been packaged up by more than 90 volunteers to support those struggling to make ends meet.
Crystal said her team were trying to work themselves "out of a job" but feared the service would be needed for some time yet.
She said: “The removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift and the increase in energy prices have, unfortunately, but not surprisingly, resulted in many more people using our services as they are forced to choose between heating their homes or eating.
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“At the foodbank, we are trying to work ourselves out of a job but, sadly, it looks like our services will continue to be needed by many Renfrewshire residents for some time to come.
“The foodbank is working with a range of local partner organisations to provide a more holistic approach to help reduce the devastating impacts of poverty experienced by everyone coming to our distribution centres."
Alongside providing nutritious food to deprived families, the foodbank also signposts those who need money management tips to Renfrewshire's Citizens Advice Bureau and provides SIM cards loaded with 20GB of data and free calls and texts to people experiencing digital poverty and exclusion.
Despite the worrying jump in people facing financial turmoil, Renfrewshire North and West MSP Natalie Don has applauded foodbank staff and volunteers for their work in recent months to help those who may otherwise go hungry.
"Although it is completely unacceptable our fellow citizens are experiencing in-work poverty or horrendously low welfare incomes that they need support to access nutritious food, I am thankful Renfrewshire Foodbank’s 90-plus volunteers have worked so hard to provide emergency food parcels for local people in the last year," said Miss Don, who recently visited the depot at Westway in Renfrew.
“It is good to see the foodbank has a joined-up approach with other local organisations equipped to offer Renfrewshire residents crucial advice about managing debts, energy bills and ensuring they are fully informed about benefits they may be eligible to receive.
“I was also pleased to be advised the foodbank’s pilot mobile service, which is ensuring people in Bridge of Weir can more easily use their services, is proving to be a success and will hopefully be rolled out in other Renfrewshire villages."
Although the foodbank is well-stocked for winter, donations of toiletries, laundry detergent, long-life milk, bags for life, diluting juice and non-alcoholic sweet treats will be gratefully received at the Westway depot in Porterfield Road between 9.30am and 11.45am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
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