THE number of adults and children relying on food banks in Scotland reached a new high in the run up to Christmas.

Figures from the Trussell Trust's 48 food banks across the country in December show that almost 10,500 people were given aid, a new monthly record.

Most were forced to rely on food parcels because of problems with benefits, but the number of people referred to the charity because of low income is growing and now represents a third of all all users.

The figure, released to BBC Scotland, is a 13% increase from the 9,263 people who used a Trussell Trust food bank in December 2013.

In total,10,489 people visiting one of the Trust's food banks where they were given a three day supply of nutritionally balanced food by the charity.

Ewan Gurr, the charity's network manager for Scotland, said: "Every day we are hearing working people describe the devastating reality of sustaining their families with static incomes and unstable employment against consistently rising costs of essentials like food and rent.

"In the most harrowing accounts, we hear from the families choosing whether to prioritise heating their homes or feeding their families and parents losing weight because they overlook their own health and wellbeing to feed their children."

The Trust, which partners with churches and communities, currently operates more than 1,200 food distribution centres across the UK.

Between April and September 2014, it helped around 50,000 people struggling to survive on a "financial knife-edge", up from 23,000 in the same six months in 2013.

Mr Gurr added: "We must accept that the rising need for emergency food in Scotland is unacceptable and the long-term reduction of food poverty must be a priority for policy makers across the spectrum."

The Scottish government has blamed welfare changes and other policies introduced by the UK government.

Alex Neil, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights, said: "The massive increase in food banks is primarily due to the low wage economy we are living in and the benefits changes that have been introduced by Westminster."

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "The UK Government spends £94bn a year on working age benefits to provide a safety net to support millions of people who are unemployed or on low incomes so they can meet their basic needs."

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