1. STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01am
WEDNESDAY 22/04/2015
Scottish Foodbank Use Exceeds 100,000 for first time
o Charity says 117,689 people – including36,114 children – use Scottish foodbanks
o UK figure exceeds1 million people –includingalmost 400,000 children – for the first time
o We must face the reality of hungerand listento the experiencesofpeople inneed
The Trussell Trustcan reveal that,inthe 2014/15 financial year,117,689 people –including36,114
children –receivedathree daysupplyof nutritionallybalancedemergencyfoodfromaTrussell Trust
foodbankinScotland.The newfiguresshow a65% increase,equivalenttotwo-thirds,onthose from
the previousyearandreveal thatalmostone thirdof those using Trussell Trustfoodbanksin
Scotlandare children.The UK figure broke through1 millionforthe firstyear.
In the financial year2014/15, 33,408 (28%) people usedaTrussell TrustfoodbankinScotlanddue to
a benefitdelay,24,609 (21%) people due tolow income and20,387 (17%) due to a benefitchange.
Comparedto the previousyear,the percentageof peoplereferreddue toa benefitdelayremains
unchanged,butthere isa 2% increase inreferralsdue tolow income anda 2% decrease inreferrals
due to a benefitchange. Lowincome showsthe biggestnumerical rise as 24,609 people were
referredin2014/15 comparedwith13,552 in2013/14 – an increase of over80%.

2. “Despite welcomesigns of economicrecovery,hungercontinuesto
affectsignificantnumbersof men,women and children in Scotland.
The full extentof the problemcould well be much wider asThe
Trussell Trust figuresdo not includepeople who arehelped by
otherfood charities or thosewho feel too ashamed to seekhelp.
Trussell Trust foodbanksareincreasingly hosting additional
services like debtcounselling and welfareadviceat our foodbanks,
which is helping morepeople outof crisis. The latest figures
highlighthowvital it is thatwe all workto preventand relieve hungerin theUnited Kingdom.Itis
absolutely crucial thatwe listen to the challengesof thoseusing foodbanksto truly understand the
natureof the challengespeopleface. The experiencesof thosewho experiencehungeris the key to
the finding a solution.”
Ewan Gurr,ScotlandNetwork Manager - The Trussell Trust
Watch Suzanne's story in full here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZf_sPZj_-g
"I had to stop breastfeeding [my son],becauseIjustwasn'tproducing enough milkand thatwasdue
to me nothaving enough calorificintake.Thatwasdevastating formeon top of the factthatI was
struggling to juggleeverything thatI felt I wasletting themdown aswell."
"We came acrossThe Trussell Trust thesepeople actually wanted to hearwhatwasgoing on in our
lives and wanted to help us,not justwiththe food butthe emotionalsupportthey gaveustoo.I
couldn'timaginewhatwe would havedone [withoutthefoodbank]."
Watch Dave's story in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4ypLbt_CWI
"It wasquite a lengthy period thatI had to waitfor my benefits and I had no money,nobody to turn
to.I had no family up here. No friendsas such.They were probably in thesame position asme.
I amused to working;I'veworked allmy days. To haveto come and asksomebody forfood wasnot
very nice. I did not wantto come,to be honest,butI knew I needed food so I cameto the door[of the
foodbank] really wary,wondering whatwasgoing to happen…”

3. Local Authority Breakdown
Local Authority Adults Children Total
Aberdeen 1,717 900 2,617
Aberdeenshire 1,283 800 2,083
Angus 1,629 472 2,101
Dumfries&Galloway 404 52 456
Dundee 5,155 1,895 7,050
East Ayrshire 4,504 1,868 6,372
East Dunbartonshire 1,680 733 2,413
East Lothian 1,917 1,124 3,041
East Renfrewshire 1,770 995 2,765
Edinburgh 9,567 4,315 13,882
Eilean Siar 228 52 280
Falkirk 4,464 1,656 6,120
Fife 6,835 3,302 10,137
Glasgow 10,955 6,616 17,571
Highland 4,449 1,627 6,076
Inverclyde 3,103 891 3,994
Midlothian 1,365 700 2,065
North Ayrshire 3,310 1,424 4,734

4. North Lanarkshire 570 382 952
Orkney Islands 342 180 522
Perth & Kinross 2,191 736 2,927
Renfrewshire 4,879 1,335 6,214
Scottish Borders 132 31 163
South Ayrshire 2,987 1,247 4,234
South Lanarkshire 3,242 1,490 4,722
West Lothian 2,897 1,291 4,188
Overall Total 81,575 36,114 117,689
The Trussell Trusthas nofoodbank presenceinArgyll& Bute, Clackmannanshire, Shetland Islands, Stirling or West Dunbartonshire.
Other local authorities not includedrefer to foodbank either inthephaseoflaunching or where there has beendifficulty uploading data.

5. ABOUT THE TRUSSELL TRUST AND THE USE OF STATISTICS
 In 2011, there was one foodbankinScotlandoperatinginpartnershipwithThe Trussell
Trust. Asof April 2015, there are 50 Trussell Trustfoodbanksin27 Scottishlocal authorities.
Between2011 and 2013, Scotlandexperiencedfastergrowthinthe numberof foodbanks
launchingwithThe Trussell Trustthananyother regioninthe UnitedKingdom.
 117,689 people (81,575 adultsand36,114 children) receivedathree daysupplyof
emergencyfoodfromThe Trussell TrustfoodbanksinScotlandbetween1April 2014 and 31
March 2015 – a 65% increase onthe previousfinancial year. Inthe 2013/14 financial year,
71,428 people –including22,387 children receivedassistance fromThe Trussell Trust
foodbanksinScotland – a 400% increase onthe previousyear.
 The Trussell TrustfoodbanksinScotlandwere responsible for10.85% of the overall
emergencyfoodprovisioninthe UnitedKingdom, whichisbeyondthe proportionof its 8.2%
share of the UK population. 1,084,604 people (687,607 adultsand 396,997 children)
receivedathree daysupplyof emergencyfoodfromThe Trussell Trustfoodbanks inthe
UnitedKingdombetween1April 2014 and 31 March 2015.
 The three mainreasonsdrivingpeople touse Scottishfoodbanksare benefitdelays(28%),
lowincome (21%) and benefitchanges (17%).A ScottishGovernment-commissionedreport
publishedinDecember2013 said:“Providerswhoparticipatedinthe studywere in
agreementthatwelfare reform,benefitdelays,benefitsanctionsandfallingincomeshave
beenthe mainfactorsdrivingthe recenttrendobservedof increaseddemandforfoodaid.”1
 The same report,like aUK Government-commissionedreportpublishedinFebruary2014,
questionedassertionsthatthe growingdemandforemergencyfoodissupply-ledsaying:
“The longhistoryof foodaidin the UK, albeitpossiblymore adhocand lesspublicallyvisible,
suggeststhatneedforsuch immediate,practical helphasexistedforsome time.Anecdotally
thishelphasbeendemanddriven.”2
 The Trussell Trustruns a social franchise thatpartnerswithchurchesandcommunitiesto
openfoodbanksandhaslaunchedover420 foodbankswhichoperate over1,200 food
distributioncentresinthe UnitedKingdom. TrussellTrustfoodbanksprovide aminimum
three daysupplyof nutritionallybalancedfoodtopeopleincrisis.Peopleare alsosignposted
to otheragenciesandservicesable tohelp resolve the underlyingcause of the crisis.
 The Trussell Truststatisticsare collectedusinganonline datacollectionsystemintowhich
foodbanksenterthe datafromeach foodbankvoucher.The systemrecordsthe numberof
adultsand childrengiven athree daysupplyof nutritionallybalanced emergencyfood.
Trussell Trustfigureshave alwaysbeenreportedinthisway.
 We cannotmeasure unique usersonanational scale,butrecentevidence collectedfroma
sample of UK foodbanksindicatesthatover65% of foodbankuserswere onlyhelpedonce
overa six month period,andthat only7.5% neededfourormore vouchers.
 In April 2014, The Big LotteryFundScotlandawardedThe Trussell Trust£944,708 to enable
the organisationtoemployateamof dedicatedstaff whowill providetraining,supportand
guidance tonewand existingfoodbanksacrossthe country.Overfive yearsthe awardto
The Trussell Trustis expectedtosupportaround400,000 people acrossthe countrywhowill
struggle withissuessuchashunger,povertyandunemployment.
 Over90 percentof foodgivenoutby Trussell Trustfoodbanksisdonatedbythe publicand
an estimated30,000 people volunteeredwithaTrussell Trust UKfoodbankin2013-14.
1 Overview of Food Aid Provision in Scotland, Scottish Government -
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0044/00440458.pdf
2 Household Food Security in the United Kingdom: A Review of Food Aid, UK Government -
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283071/household-food-
security-uk-140219.pdf

6. The Trussell Trust has spokespeople,basedinfoodbanks,and available for interviewinAberdeen,
Dundee,Edinburgh,Glasgowand Inverness.Please contact Lucy Keento make arrangements.
For Scotland-basedmediaenquiriesregardingThe TrussellTrust,please contact
ScotlandPressOfficerLucyKeen:
Mobile:07789 642 727 / Office:01382 250063 / E-Mail:lucy.keen@trusselltrust.org
For Scotland-basedcommentfromThe Trussell Trust,pleasecontact
ScotlandNetworkManagerEwan Gurr:
Mobile:07903 241 473 / Office:01382 250063/ E-Mail:ewan.gurr@trusselltrust.org
For UK-basedmediaenquiriesregardingthe Trussell Trust,pleasecontact
Headof Mediaand External Affairs MollyHodson:
Telephone:0203 745 5979 / E-Mail:molly.hodson@trusselltrust.org