Report warns some Scots go days without eating

Food insecurity should be classed as a public health emergency, a new report has concluded, because of the "considerable'' physical and psychological impact it has on health.

In-depth research into the issue found that for those suffering from the problem "going days without eating was a strikingly common experience''.

The Menu for Change group - which brings together campaigners from the Poverty Alliance, the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, Oxfam Scotland and Nourish - carried out what it said was the first research of its kind, taking a "longer and more holistic view of people's circumstances to better understand the contexts in which severe food insecurity has emerged''.

Three-quarters of those who took part in the study suffered from some form of mental ill health - with their lack of cash for food resulting in it being "not uncommon'' for people to feel suicidal.

The report said: "Three-quarters of participants reported some form of mental ill-health, a finding that underscores the need to consider food insecurity as a public health emergency.''

One of the women interviewed, identified as Alison from Dundee, told researchers: "I felt suicidal more times than I had hot dinners, and that's no joke.''

Food insecurity can range from worrying about running out of money for food, which is seen a mild form of the problem, through to skipping meals or cutting back on food, to more severe cases where people can go for days without eating.

Another interviewee, Philip from Dundee, told researchers: "I went three days without food and I literally was close to collapsing in the street.''

The report found for many of those affected "a lack of money to buy food is one challenge amongst many'' - noting they could also be dealing with health issues, homelessness, debt, bereavement or caring responsibilities.

"Food insecurity has considerable physical, psychological and social impacts on individuals and families,'' it stated.

"Hunger, going days without eating, was a strikingly common experience for interviewees in this study. Such severe food insecurity was found to affect interviewees' physical health, mental health and overall sense of well-being.''

The research found there was a "close relationship between financial difficulties, food insecurity and mental health''.

It added: "Food insecurity left interviewees and their children feeling lonely, excluded, anxious, depressed and at times even suicidal. ''

The Found Wanting report looked at the lives of people in Dundee, East Ayrshire and Fife over the course of a year.

The "precarious nature'' of zero-hours contracts and temporary jobs was a "key driver of food insecurity'', according to the research.

In addition, people moving on to Universal Credit from work or other benefits, and having to wait at least five weeks for a payment, was a "common trigger for severe food insecurity''.

It called on the UK Government to make changes to the benefit system to tackle food insecurity, including increasing payments in line with inflation and removing the two-child cap on some payments.

Westminster was also urged to ban "exploitative'' zero-hours contracts and increase the national living wage, which is set by the Government, to the level of the real living wage.

The Scottish Government could help by using public-sector contracts to help deliver better working conditions and by investing more cash in welfare rights advice services, the report said.

Holyrood ministers were further urged to enshrine the right to food in Scots law "and then inform and empower people in Scotland to claim this right''.

Menu for Change board member John Dickie said: "The deeply personal stories captured in this report are as heart-breaking as they are avoidable and bring into sharp focus how we must do so much more to protect people from the income crises which fuel food insecurity and hunger.

"The social security system is failing even as a safety net to support people who experience a shock to their income, meaning that insecure employment or changes to personal circumstances, like a bereavement, too often push people into needing emergency food aid.

"It is simply unacceptable that in rich, modern-day Scotland people are being forced to turn to food banks because wages and social security are inadequate. The system is being found wanting.''

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: "No one in Scotland should be left hungry and have to rely on charitable food donations. UK Government welfare cuts since 2010 are estimated to reduce welfare spending in Scotland by around £3.7 billion in 2020-21, which we know is pushing people into food bank use.

"The Scottish Government has invested £1.4 billion in 2018-19 to support low income households, including £100 million to mitigate the worst of the UK Government's cuts.

"We are also taking concrete action such as promoting the Living Wage and the Scottish Welfare Fund, which as the report highlights, is a vital lifeline for people facing times of crisis.

"Since the introduction of the Scottish Welfare Fund in April 2013, more than #200 million has been allocated to help over 336,000 households.

"In addition, our £3.5 million Fair Food Fund aims to reduce and remove the need for food banks. This is not helped by the UK Government's approach to Brexit negotiations.

"We have had to invest an additional £1 million to ensure community food initiatives are able to continue helping people in a 'no deal' Brexit.'

Hear all the latest news from across Tayside, Perthshire and Angus on Tay FM. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.