People on Benefits Going Hungry

INFLATION - is biting and people are really struggling. 

One in three people who receive universal credit are struggling to buy food and heat their homes, according to a new report.

The Trussell Trust said the cost of living crisis has made forced people deeper into debt just to pay for the absolute essentials and many are skipping meals.

The Trussell Trust report research carried out by polling organisation YouGov among food bank users found over one in three (36%) Scots receiving Universal Credit have been forced into debt this winter just to eat and pay bills.  

It also found one in six people surveyed (16%) needed to visit a food bank at least once since the start of December.  

More than one in three (36%) people receiving Universal Credit had more than one day in the last month where they didn’t eat at all or had only one meal.

Also one in three people (30%) surveyed have not been able to heat their home for more than four days across the last month because they couldn’t afford to.

The charity said inflation at 7% is making life even more difficult especially as benefits are only due to rise by 3.1% in April, an increase of just £2 a week.

The report comes as anti-poverty campaigners joined together to call on the Chancellor Rishi Sunak to scrap the benefit cap in his budget next week.

The report is from the Trussell Trust, a food bank charity that commissioned YouGov to poll universal credit claimants. In an set of responses, it found:

• One in six (17 per cent) people who receive universal credit needed to visit a food bank at least once since the start of December
• Two in five (40 per cent) have been forced into debt this winter just to eat and pay bills
• One in three (33 per cent) had more than one day in the last month where they didn’t eat at all or had only one meal
• One in three people (33 per cent) have not been able to heat their home for more than four days across the last month

Image: Oliver Twist.

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