Renfrewshire charity bosses warn of pandemic fallout as one in five children live below the breadline

Bosses at both Renfrewshire Foodbank and the Star Project have expressed concerns that more children will be affected due to the additional financial strain placed on thousands of families.

Renfrewshire charity bosses fear the Covid-19 pandemic will plunge more families into poverty as it is revealed almost one-in-five children in Paisley are living below the breadline.

Those working on the front line helping families in need every day have warned the pandemic could cause “devastating” damage to the fight against child poverty in the area.

Bosses at both Renfrewshire Foodbank and the Star Project have expressed concerns that more children will be affected due to the additional financial strain placed on thousands of families.

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Almost 20 per cent of children in the entire local authority are currently living in low-income households struggling to make ends meet.

Areas such as Ferguslie Park, Gallowhill and Hawkhead are high on the list, with 38 per cent, 31 per cent and 30 per cent of children living in poverty in these areas, respectively.

Other areas such as Shortroods and Foxbar have a higher percentage than the Paisley average - with one-in-four children affected.

Elizabeth Alexander, below, of Renfrewshire Foodbank, says families that have never experienced financial crisis are now being forced to rely on the foodbank to feed their children.

She told the Express: “We have had a lot of people come to us as a result of Covid-19.

“A lot of these people have never experienced poverty before and are now finding themselves having to rely on foodbanks.

“We are seeing a lot of people that we have never seen before and they are devastated.

“Our numbers are going up and we think there is going to be a long-term impact on families in Renfrewshire.

“The pandemic is impacting people who have already been in poverty but we expect that figure to increase, with even more people feeling the strain that were doing okay before all this.

“The effects of the pandemic on families means the issue of poverty is going to be impacting even more children as this continues.”

The Express previously revealed 7,000 people are currently claiming unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

Elizabeth says more people who are relying on benefits are having to turn to foodbanks due to delays in receiving any cash.

She also says the Furlough Scheme - which has given people 80 per cent of their wages while they are unable to work - has resulted in people not having enough to make ends meet.

She added: “Some people are coming because of delays on benefits that they would not normally have to apply for.

“Benefit delays are what we have always had as the main reason for people needing our help, but at the minute we are seeing an increase of people with low income.

“We have started to see that there are families that won’t be able to make ends meet.

“While the Furlough Scheme has been very helpful, some people need their entire wage to pay their bills, and losing 20 per cent can mean not being able to afford food once those bills are paid.”

Paisley charity the Star Project works tirelessly in the fight against child poverty.

Last month, the team joined 100 campaigners in signing an open letter urging the First Minister to fund an “emergency” package to prevent a child poverty crisis.

The key demand is for the Scottish Government to put the equivalent of £40 a month into the pockets of low-income families for every child.

During the coronavirus crisis, the team at Star have given out hundreds of food parcels to those in need, while also offering support services to those who are struggling.

Manager of the Wallace Street organisation, Sharon MacAulay, right, now fears the pledge by the Scottish Government to eradicate child poverty will be drastically impacted by the current crisis.

Sharon said: “Before this pandemic, there was already a large number of families struggling to get by and experiencing deprivation.

“What we are finding is that a large number of people who were doing okay are now not doing okay due to the circumstances they have found themselves in.

“We started giving out food to those in need at the beginning of the pandemic and we fully expected it to peter out as the months went on but what we have found is that it is actually increasing.

“And that is worrying as the numbers are continuing to go up.

“What we fear is that the work that has been done to help reduce child poverty will all be undone as more people are going to be struggling due to the current crisis.

“It is putting all the progress at real risk.”