Food bank facing 'significant shortages' amid soaring cost of living

A food bank in Scotland has said they are facing "significant shortages" in supplies as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

UK inflation climbed to 10.1% in the 12 months to July, marking a 40-year high.

According to the most recent estimates, the average annual energy bill will reach close to £3,640 in October when Ofgem reviews the energy price cap.

Amid spiralling prices, food banks are feeling the strain as a growing number of Brits struggle to afford basic essentials.

Read more: Cost of living: People of colour to be hit hardest by ‘unfathomable’ poverty

In a social media post, East Dunbartonshire food bank called on the public to donate more supplies citing shortages.

"Once again, we are facing significant shortages in stock at our warehouse," it said.

"One of our centres assisted 33 clients on Friday afternoon alone (representing 100 individuals) so stock is turning over fast."

The food bank encouraged generous Brits to donate food staples and essentials like tinned meat, tinned fruit, UHT milk, and nappies.

Food banks have become a lifeline for millions of families across the UK, with more than 2.1 million food parcels handed out in 2021/2022.

It comes as experts warn the impact of soaring inflation on the richest will be almost half as severe as on the poorest, according to analysis from one of the UK's leading economic research institutes, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

The poorest 20% are facing inflation of 17.6% by October if CPI inflation hits 13.3% as predicted. In contrast, the richest 20% are facing inflation of 10.9%.

Read more: UK’s richest 1% of earners are only group not to see real pay cut

Households on the lowest incomes spend a greater proportion of their money on food and energy, and therefore face higher inflation than their wealthier counterparts.

The UK's leading food bank charity the Trussell Trust warned Yahoo News UK earlier this month of a winter crisis as demand increases but donations drop off.

The charity said they fear growing pressure on household budgets is leading to fewer people donating supplies and more people needing the service.

Danni Malone, director of network programmes, said the charity is concerned about this winter when household budgets will be squeezed further amid even higher inflation and energy costs.

"I think the thing that concerns us, as we look out across the winter, is that kind of unprecedented rise in demand coupled with a decrease in donations," said Malone.

The charity say they are already seeing food bank customers who cannot afford heating, are unable to afford school uniforms for their children, and are even turning off their fridges to save energy.

"Things are definitely getting worse," she added.

It comes as experts warn of a looming recession, with the Bank of England (BoE) forecasting the UK will fall into a recession before the end of 2022.

Watch: Cost of living: Pressure of rising prices 'a ticking time bomb' for poorest communities