Nearly a third of low earners in the Highlands and islands are regularly skipping meals to save money, according to a shocking new poll.
The Poverty Alliance survey found that that 29% of the 85 people polled in the region admitted to going hungry to save cash.
More than a quarter have also fallen behind with household bills in the last year, with 29% topping up their income with a credit card or loan, around one in six falling behind on their rent or mortgage payments, and 49% revealing that financial stress is affecting their working life.
The statistics were revealed as it emerged that a north-east food bank had to turn desperate people away recently after running out of supplies amid unprecedented demand – and thousands a year needed food parcels in the north.
The Instant Neighbour group said there was “nothing worse” than having to turn 20 hungry people away from its St Machar Drive premises empty-handed.
A spokesman for Highland-based charity Blythswood Care said that they have not had to turn people away at any of their foodbanks, but acknowledged that the latest survey research was worrying.
The spokesman said: “Obviously it’s a concern for us as an organisation because we are running Highland foodbanks, and we are aware that it can affect people both in and out of work.”
The new poll involved 1,024 adults across Scotland and included people spanning all income brackets – from less than £14,000 to more than £30,000 – ranging from 18 to 64 years old.
Three quarters of respondents said more employers paying a real Living Wage of £8.45 an hour would raise Scots’ living standards.
Director of The Poverty Alliance, Peter Kelly, said the research “painted a worrying picture”.
Figures released by the Trussell Trust charity also showed a marked increase in emergency food supply parcels being handed out across the north and north-east.
A total of 6,427 parcels, which are intended to last three days, were handed out in the Highlands this year – 100 more than the previous year and equating to a 2% rise.
In Orkney, the number of handouts has risen from 615 to 743 and, in the Western Isles, from 470 to 556.
In Moray, foodbanks have gone from helping 1,800 people to helping 2,302 – a 23% rise.
Staff at the Moray Food Bank said revelations about increasing poverty in the north-east came as “no surprise” to them and that this is expected to get worse.
In the last year, 14,603 emergency food parcels were issued across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands.
They generally contain non-perishable items like pasta, tinned soup, cereal and biscuits.
