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Nearest food banks in Scotland – what are your options?

Sharon McDougall - Updated - 6th March 2025 - 3 minutes to read

Earning a low income, losing a job, or experiencing a delay in receiving benefit payments, can lead to sudden or severe poverty that results in an individual being unable to afford the basics, including food.

Thankfully there is help out there for people in Scotland who are struggling to buy essential food for themselves and their family. So how do you gain access to this vital resource when in need?

The Trussell Trust operates 43 food banks across Scotland; they distributed 262,400 food parcels to Scottish residents between April 2023 - March 2024 via their food banks. 

There are also community-run food banks throughout Scotland which may be run by a Church or other charitable organisation.

How to use food banks in Scotland?

In order to access a food bank, you are likely to first need a referral by a professional, such as a health visitor, social worker, or Citizens Advice. If you obtain a referral you’ll receive a 3-day pack of nutritionally balanced food, and be able to take advantage of other resources offered by The Trussell Trust.

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Which other vital services are offered alongside food banks?

The Trussell Trust provides other help for people in crisis. Their ‘More Than Food’ programme is designed to develop the food banks in Scotland and around the UK into ‘community hubs,’ where access to vital advice and support is readily available.

Funded by a number of organisations and individuals including Unilever, Comic Relief, and The Big Lottery Fund, you’ll be able to take advantage of workshops and courses on managing your money, how to eat healthily on a low budget, school holiday clubs, and a Fuel Bank scheme.

Why has there been a huge increase in the use of food banks in Scotland?

Benefit delays and changes, as well as low incomes, have been the main driver for people to access the food bank service around the whole of the UK, with debt and homelessness also being factors.

For Scotland in particular,

  • Problems in the oil and gas industry have resulted in a high number of job losses in the Aberdeen area, resulting in an increase of almost 39% in the use of food banks in Aberdeen. In fact, only seven areas of Scotland haven’t experienced a rise in demand.
  • The roll-out of Universal Credit in Scotland has also been linked by the charity to the increased use of food banks. They report a “16.85% average increase in referrals for emergency food, more than double the national average of 6.64%.”

Are debts stopping you from being able to afford to buy food?

If your debt problems are the reason why you cannot afford to buy food for yourself and your family, please rest assured that there is a way out. At Scotland Debt Solutions we speak to people just like you every single day. Whether you have unmanageable credit card debt, council tax arrears, or you simply have run up a number of debts from various lenders over time, there is a solution out there that can help.

Our expert debt advisors can talk you through your options and explain how each one will affect you. They will be able to recommend the option they feel is best suited to you and your circumstances using their knowledge and experience of the debt market in Scotland.

If you’re living in poverty, and are unable to cover the basic necessities of life due to rising debt, Scotland Debt Solutions can help. Our expert team works from five offices around Scotland – Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness – and can arrange a same-day meeting free-of-charge.

Scotland Debt Solutions has been helping Scottish residents to escape debt since 1989 – let us assess your situation and identify your best course of action at this extremely stressful time.

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Sharon McDougall

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