Food bank use in Moray sees sharp increase

Figures from Moray Food Plus show that food bank use in the area continues to rise, with cuts to welfare cited as a key reason for people being forced to turn to the charity for support.

Since the start of the financial year in April, Moray Food Plus received 1132 referrals - a 57% increase in the same period from 2018.

Also, the number of people supported by the foodbank (between April and September), has increase almost 75% to 2470.

Providers at the charity say the main reason for the sharp increase is the minimum wait for the first payment of Universal Credit - five weeks - with some even forced to wait longer.

MSP for Moray Richard Lochhead said, 'It is truly heart-breaking that foodbank use continues to rise in Moray and these devastating figures show the very real impact Tory Government welfare cuts are having on people in our local communities'

'Swingeing cuts to welfare is taking £13 million every year out of the pockets of people in Moray – that’s a huge sum of money and it is forcing families in our communities into poverty'

'People in-and-out of work in Moray are being pushed to the brink, to the point where people are skipping meals and turning to charity to feed their children'

'Our local food bank has become an unfortunate necessity and we owe a huge debt to the volunteers and staff who are stepping in to support families in Moray'

• Moray
• Foodbank
• elgin
• richard lochhead msp
• moray food plus