A million-pound emergency lifeline will help tackle the cost of living crisis in Aberdeen – as it emerges more than 20% of the city’s children are living in poverty.
With the price of gas and electricity soaring, millions of homes across the country are preparing to see their energy bills rise by around 80% in October.
And with the cost of living rising too, it is expected thousands of Aberdeen families could find themselves choosing whether to heat or eat this winter.
This week councillors are poised to approve allocating £1m to help with food and fuel poverty, as well as providing additional support to lone parent families.
Here’s how the cash will be divided:
- Cfine would receive £430,000;
- £300,000 would go to the Scottish Welfare Fund
- £100,000 to Scarf for the distribution of fuel vouchers
- £100,000 would go to ABZ works to support 100 lone-parent families
- A further £45,000 would go towards insulating 500 homes
- And £25,000 would be spent establishing a Family Wellbeing Fund which would offer advice to households who were struggling to pay their bills.
Around 5,500 children are living in poverty in Aberdeen
A report on child poverty, which is also due to go before the council’s operational delivery committee on Wednesday, sets out a stark picture of deprivation in the city.
It states around 5,500 children in Aberdeen are living in poverty.
This means growing up in families without the resources to ‘”obtain the type of diet, participate in the activities and have the living conditions and amenities which are the norm in 21st century Scotland”.
It also highlights the significance the coronavirus pandemic had on those families already struggling.
The ‘true impact’ Covid has had on poverty rates in city not known
The report adds: “We know that Covid-19 and the necessary measures to limit the spread of infection have had a substantial impact on the lives of our children, young people, and their families.
“The pandemic has exposed and amplified pre-existing levels of social and economic inequality and poverty.
“The measures introduced to suppress the virus have disproportionately affected low-income families with young children.”
It said while the report could not provide the current national data for child poverty in the city, it is likely the rate has increased since the start of the pandemic.
As a result, the true extent of the pandemic is not known.
The committee is expected to review the council’s approach to tackling child poverty and obtain a new report detailing a fresh action plan for 2022-2026.
Is it enough?
Sophy Green, Instant Neighbour chief executive, said last year the foodbank provided Christmas gifts for around 4,000 children who were living in poverty.
She said the demand this year will almost certainly increase as a result of the cost of living crisis.
She said: “Any support at all is of course welcome, but this will probably require having further conversations in the future as the impact of the energy price rises come into effect.
“At Instant Neighbour we are already seeing people coming to us looking for ways to properly feed themselves, by having to use a microwave instead of a cooker, for example.
“And the problem is only going to get worse during the October holidays when children are faced with having to have their meals at home.
“We would welcome further discussions around increased support and I expect to have some with Angela Scott and Cfine later in the coming weeks.”
The P&J’s Big Food Appeal
The Press and Journal’s The Big Food Appeal raises awareness of the help and support available to people across the region who are struggling with increasing costs.
Check out our interactive map to find the foodbank closest to you, or take a look at our article that debunks the myths around using them.
For more information, or to get involved with The Big Food Appeal, click here.
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