The Scotland Network Manager for foodbanks provider the Trussell Trust has said there is ‘an epidemic of hunger in Scotland’.

Ewan Gurr made the comments as the charity reported a 6% increase in referrals last year.

The 51 foodbanks across Scotland run in partnership with the trust distributed 63,794 supplies of emergency food between April and September 2016, compared to 60,458 in the same period in 2015. 20,332 of these referrals were for children.

Announcing the mid-year statistics, the Christian charity said that their figures reaffirmed there was disproportionately high foodbank use in Scotland. However, it pointed to positive signs in nine local authorities which saw a decrease in foodbank use.

Mr Gurr said: “The figures offer a mixed prospectus regarding the extent of foodbank use across Scotland. On one hand, we are still experiencing an epidemic of hunger in Scotland. Benefit delays and changes together are still the primary reasons underpinning the increased number of referrals to foodbanks. What is more concerning, however, is that hunger is also clearly and consistently being driven by low income. A decrease in the cash in people’s pockets leads to an increase in the use of foodbanks and is now the reason for almost a quarter of all referrals in Scotland.”

“However, there are some positive messages embedded in these figures. In some local authorities we have seen decreases in foodbank use. This has occurred where people have secured a crisis grant they previously had not known even existed or where someone has been signposted to a welfare rights advisor within the foodbank. Investment in these areas is the key to projecting people out of poverty, back into sustainable living and will drive down the use of foodbanks.”

The Trussell Trust provides three-day supplies of emergency food to people referred to them by social, health or educational services. Its 52nd foodbank in Scotland opened in November, at Bristo Memorial Church in Edinburgh.