By Lucy Ashton
Jackie Baillie has repeated warnings that people could die due to the cost of living crisis as the energy cap was lifted, leaving households facing bills rising by £700.
She led a debate in the Scottish Parliament last week stressing that more has to be done by both the Scottish Government and the UK Government to support people already struggling with their household finances.
The Labour Party recently set out details of how they would give every household in Scotland £200 and up to £600 to the 800,000 lowest earners through a one-off windfall tax on the profits of North Sea oil and gas producers.
The Dumbarton constituency MSP, right, said: “Foodbanks in West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond have already reported increases in demand throughout the pandemic and that will only become more severe with the lifting of the energy cap.
“It is devastating for people struggling to make ends meet and facing the stark choice between heating and eating as they stare down the barrel of a cost of living crisis.
“The Labour Party have a fully costed plan to help offset some of this impact immediately, yet the SNP and the Tories voted against this, demonstrating whose side they are on – the side of multi-national oil companies making profits of a staggering £27,000 a minute.
“Faced with the prospect of increasing poverty, and warnings from organisations like Energy Action Scotland, that some people will die as a consequence, it is incumbent on governments to act.
“The Scottish Government have the power to help. Whether it’s putting more income in people’s pockets or reviewing some of the charges they are responsible for – doing nothing is not an option.”
Meanwhile, A foodbank charity is grappling with soaring grocery bills and reduced donations while the number of desperate people needing emergency food parcels continues to rise.
West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare say the level of hopelessness among those struggling is extremely worrying as the cost of living crisis grips the nation.
Inflation rose to a 30-year high of 5.4 percent last month, while rising energy bills expected in April are set to squeeze already reducing household budgets.
Clair Coyle, of the charity, told one journalist that the cost of living has risen to an extent where benefits for those in and out of work aren’t enough to cover basic essentials.
She also says the real rise in the cost of food and other groceries is much higher than official inflation figures show.
Clair said: “The numbers of people needing our help has been increasing since the start of December and the phones have been ringing non stop.
“More people are reaching out to us than ever before and the level of hopelessness is really worrying.
“People are telling us they are getting paid but once they have paid their bills and bought some food, they’ve got nothing left.
“They are topping up their meters and within a couple of days, it’s run down again.
“We are seeing firsthand how expensive food has become. We buy a lot of our own food and are having to do more of that as donations have dropped.
“We tend to do the same order and our shop increased by about 10 percent, which is above inflation.
“We used to get a bag of pasta for 45p and it’s increased to 80p which is a massive rise.
“It comes down to the simple fact that people aren’t being given enough money, whether that’s wages or benefits.
“They are not increasing in line with the rate of increase we’re seeing in the cost of living.
“We’ve also seen an increase in the number of working households and those who are retired and are needing our help.
“I really don’t see there there being any changes to the situation this year and it’s a real concern.”
Analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found the poorest adults could be forced to spend more than half of their income after housing on rising energy bills.
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie has today called on the Scottish Government to introduce an immediate £150 cost of living payment to support students.
Yesterday Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, right, announced a £150 cost-of-living payment going to 1.8m households. However students who live alone or share the rent with other students are exempt from council tax so will not receive the new payment – despite facing the same rise in household bills.
Mr Rennie, whose constituency contains St Andrews University, said: “Students are scunnered to discover that despite rents and bills rocketing, they have been excluded from financial support.
“The Finance Secretary was warned about this in advance but seems to have ploughed ahead with her existing plans regardless.
“This package of measures has been poorly targeted. Students and many of those who were already worst off will have every reason to feel abandoned.
“I am calling on the Scottish Government to listen to NUS and others and introduce an immediate £150 payment to students to help them through the cost-of-living crisis.”