Charity calls for action as 210,000 Scottish children found to be food insecure

A leading charity has called for action after research found 210,000 children in Scotland live in food insecure households.

The Trussell Trust urged the Scottish Government to increase the level of its flagship Scottish child payment, as well as follow through its commitment to mitigate the two-child limit and provide cash for those waiting for their first universal credit payments.

The call comes as the charity found 15% of households – equivalent to one million people and 210,000 children – in Scotland are food insecure.

The figure represents a slight decrease from 17% in 2022, with the charity suggesting there is “emerging signs of some progress” north of the border.

The research – which was conducted through a survey carried out in the summer of last year and released on Wednesday – also found 5% of all households sought charitable help for food insecurity.

Trussell defines food insecurity as those cutting back on the quantity or quality of food due to a lack of money.

The charity’s report said: “Next year’s elections are an opportunity to reflect collectively on how to put the building blocks in place here in Scotland to ensure everyone has enough money to afford the essentials – and no-one needs to access support through charitable food providers.

“While the UK Government holds significant responsibilities, there is still much the Scottish Government can do to deliver a tangible reduction in food bank need.

“This report illustrates two inescapable facts relating to these commitments: First, that hunger and food bank need are driven by multiple factors, requiring a cross-government approach to this commitment.

“Second, that there can be no serious pathway to ending the need for emergency food without investing in further updates to our social security system in Scotland.”

The report urged the Scottish Government to increase the Scottish child payment benefit to £40 per week from its current rate of £27.15, claiming it would lift 84,000 people out of hunger and hardship and bring more than £400 million in economic benefits.

Mitigating the two-child limit – which stops certain benefits being available to families with more than two children – would bring in £115 million in economic benefits and help 27,000 struggling people, the report claimed.

Providing a grant for people forced to wait five weeks for their first universal credit payment would help 6,000 people, the charity added.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Too many families are struggling to make ends meet as a result of Brexit and the UK cost-of-living crisis – that is why we are taking action on child poverty, which has fallen in Scotland in contrast to the rest of the UK.

“A report published last week showed that our policies are helping more families avoid the use of food banks and to have healthy meals, while reducing food insecurity.

“But I remain focused on doing everything we can to support those who need help, including by effectively scrapping the two-child limit at the start of 2026, which is set to benefit 43,000 children next year, with our modelling estimating that 20,000 fewer children will live in relative poverty.

“However, our efforts are continuing to be held back by the actions of a UK Government. I have been clear that we reject the UK Government’s proposed welfare reforms and will continue to protect those on disability benefits in Scotland.

“And Universal Credit has been too low for too long, so I repeat the call on the UK Government to introduce an essentials guarantee, ensuring that social security benefits adequately cover the cost of food and other essentials and better protect people from the impacts of poverty.”