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Two in five Scottish social tenants miss meals to limit spending amid cost of living crisis
A study by the West of Scotland Housing Association has found that 60% were “worried a lot” about affording food.
A study of over 700 social tenants by the West of Scotland Housing Association has found that 60% were “worried a lot” about affording food, with nearly 80% saying the same about energy.
As costs rose, 55% of respondents had limited contact with friends, and 44% missed meals in order to limit spending.
Nearly half of tenants who responded (47%) said the cost of living crisis had affected both their physical and mental health.
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The figures revealed the need for ongoing cost of living support from the government, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) argued.
Sally Thomas, chief executive of the SFHA, said: “This government has put tackling child poverty at the centre of its agenda, and to deliver on that, the first minister must prioritise social homes.
“Social housing is so much more than an affordable rent.
“Making sure that someone has a safe, warm and affordable home is one of the biggest differences we can make to people’s lives.
“And that’s what our housing associations and co-operatives do. But they need the right support.”
Ahead of the Scottish government setting out its annual plans as part of next month’s Programme for Government, the SFHA urged it to continue the Social Housing Fuel Support Fund (part of the wider Fuel Insecurity Fund) until at least the end of the parliamentary term.
The body also said the government must take action to deliver more social homes and decarbonise housing to reduce tenants’ energy bills.
Energy Minister Gillian Martin said: “The First Minister made it clear that our immediate priority is to do everything we can, within the limited powers the Scottish Parliament currently has, to protect people from the cost-of-living crisis, building on our commitment to double the Fuel Insecurity Fund last year, to triple it to £30m this year to help households who are at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy use.
“I remain acutely aware that the energy price crisis has not gone away. Average bills still remain twice what they were two years ago and our latest estimate against challenging statutory targets to reduce fuel poverty, is that around a third of all households in Scotland – 850,000 – will still be living in fuel poverty, with 69% of those households in extreme fuel poverty. This is an unacceptable situation and we continue to call on the UK government to do more with the fiscal and policy levers available to them to help the fuel poor.
“We will meanwhile continue to work with our trusted partners – including the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations – to do all we can with the limited fiscal and policy levers that we have to continue tackling the cost-of-living crisis.”
