THOUSANDS more people relied on foodbanks in Glasgow last year as national referrals soared to record levels.

A total of 25,733 people, including 10,325 children, asked for emergency food parcels across the city last year, compared to 21,838 over 2015/2016, a rise of 18%.

However, the biggest rise in Scotland was seen in South Lanarkshire, where the number of people using foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust rose by 43%, from 5,736 to 8,223.

The charity’s network of 52 Scottish foodbanks provided 145,865 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis over 2016/2017, enough to feed the entire population of Dundee for three days.

Problems with benefit payments remain the biggest overall reason for a referral, accounting for 42 per cent of all referrals with 24 per cent for benefit delays and 18 per cent for benefit changes.

More than half of Scottish foodbanks reported to the charity that the roll out of Universal Credit has been a major issue, with a significant number of people referred to foodbanks while they waited for their claims to be processed, which can take anywhere between 3 and 8 weeks.

Five Scottish foodbanks experienced a drop in use including East and North Ayrshire at 26% and 39% respectively and North Lanarkshire which saw a 29% drop.

For the first time, low income has become the single biggest driver for referrals to foodbanks in Scotland - 25% of the overall figure - which includes people in employment and those on benefits.

Ewan Gurr, Scotland Network Manager of The Trussell Trust said: “The discovery that foodbanks in Scotland gave out enough emergency food to feed the entire population of Dundee for 3 days is deeply worrying and the reasons underpinning this are just as concerning.

“Despite nine Scottish local authorities showing a decrease in foodbank use six months ago, it is clear that a cold Christmas, the rollout of Universal Credit and the ever-increasing pressure on the pockets of low income individuals and families is yielding bitter outcomes.

“Worrying stories emanating from foodbanks highlight the reality that a record 12-month inflation rate of 2.3% and benefit delays attributed to the rollout of Universal Credit are leaving men, women and children up and down the country sitting at the dinner table with no food in front of them.

“With both Council Elections and a General Election on the horizon, it is absolutely critical for confirmed as well as prospective candidates to put tackling hunger and food poverty front and centre of the policy agenda.”

Universal Credit brings together a range of working-age benefits into a single monthly payment and replaces a number of benefits including housing benefit.

The Trussell Trust is currently gathering evidence of the demand for feminine hygiene products within foodbanks and will feed back this research to the Scottish Government towards the end of 2017.