SFHA responds to soaring food bank use with Christmas appeal

For immediate release: Thursday 21 December 2017

In response to the continued effects of welfare reform on some of Scotland’s poorest and most vulnerable people, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) launched an appeal at the beginning of December to encourage its member housing associations and co-operatives to give to their local food banks, which are seeing soaring levels of referrals. (1)

Sally Thomas, SFHA Chief Executive, said:

“Across Scotland, the continued roll-out of Universal Credit is having serious consequences. The six-week wait for payment is leading some people to struggle to pay their housing costs or to feed themselves, and food bank referrals are set to soar over the Christmas period. (2)

“The Chancellor announced new measures in November’s Budget that are aimed at addressing Universal Credit’s issues, including reducing the six-week wait period to five-weeks in February 2018. While the SFHA welcomes the changes, they will have no effect on people who are currently receiving Universal Credit or those who will move on to it before the new measures are implemented.”

In the run up to Christmas, the SFHA encouraged its members to take part in its Food Bank Advent Appeal and has welcomed their response, with housing associations across the country donating to their local food banks.

The SFHA also took part in the appeal and collected items for its local food bank, the Trussell Trust’s Glasgow City Centre Foodbank.

Sally Thomas, SFHA Chief Executive, continued:

“Our members provide homes for some of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people who bear the brunt of welfare reform policies. We launched our Food Bank Advent Appeal to highlight the continued effects of policies, such as Universal Credit, and their link to soaring food bank use, which was demonstrated by the Trussell Trust earlier this year. (3)

“We have been delighted by how our members and SFHA staff responded to the appeal and hope the donations help to ease some of the burden on food banks and the people who access their services this Christmas.”

John Ratcliffe, Manger, Trussell Trust’s Glasgow City Centre Foodbank, said:

“We’ve seen a big increase in the use of our food bank in the last few months of 2017. There are a lot of desperate people, unable to put food on the table, and we are only able to meet the need through donations such as these.”

To find out how you can give to the Glasgow City Centre Foodbank, please visit www.glasgowcitycentre.foodbank.org.uk/give-help

Ends

For further information, please contact SFHA Media Adviser Kirsten Walker on t: 0141 567 6221 m: 0788 788 8348 email: kwalker@sfha.co.uk

For further information on the Trussell Trust’s Glasgow City Centre Foodbank, please visit www.glasgowcitycentre.foodbank.org.uk The Glasgow City Centre Foodbank is run by C7 Church www.c7church.com

Visit our website at www.sfha.co.uk

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NOTES:

1. www.trusselltrust.org/2017/11/07/foodbank-demand-soars-across-uk/
2. www.trusselltrust.org/2017/11/07/foodbank-demand-soars-across-uk/
3. www.trusselltrust.org/2017/11/07/foodbank-demand-soars-across-uk/
4. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) was established in 1975 and has around 116 members providing affordable housing and wider community services across Scotland, as well as a further 200 sector associates. The SFHA is owned and governed by its members and exists to lead, represent and support the work of housing associations and co-operatives throughout Scotland
5. The SFHA is the voice of housing associations and co-operatives in Scotland. SFHA members own and manage 80% of the 280,000+ housing association stock across Scotland. Together, housing associations and co-operatives provide housing for almost 500,000 people, which is one in every 11 households.
6. Over 11,000 staff are employed by SFHA members across Scotland.
7. Housing associations and co-operatives are not-for-profit bodies regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator.