Action for Children found that almost half of Scottish children live in families with no savings.
The majority of children in the UK are a pay cheque away from going without essentials, according to new research.
Analysis by Action for Children (AFC) found that more than 8.6 million children were living in families with savings of less than the average monthly income at the time the coronavirus outbreak hit.
In Scotland, 60% of children fell into this bracket, with almost half of all children in the country (46%) living in families with no savings at all.
As unemployment soars during the pandemic, AFC is warning these families are now “teetering on the brink”. The charity has launched an emergency appeal to help families facing months of hardship and struggling to pay for essentials like food, nappies and utility bills.
Paul Carberry, AFC director for Scotland, said: “Millions of vulnerable families with children across the UK were struggling to put food on the table even before they were hit by the economic impact of this once-in-a-generation health crisis. A month into lockdown, many are at breaking point.
“Since the lockdown, we have also been inundated with donations from incredibly generous Scots to support our efforts during this time of crisis. All monies raised through our recently launched emergency appeal will be used by our frontline staff to support families we work with and who are in the most need.”
Michelle, a hairdresser and mother-of-two from Dunfermline, has been unable to work since the outbreak began. Despite her partner taking on extra shifts, the family struggled to cover the costs of their mortgage, bills and food.
“I was being really careful with food, making sure the kids were getting fed first and I was just eating smaller portions,” she said.
“My youngest is only one and we were just weaning her off from breast feeding but then the shops started running out of milk and with only the one wage, we couldn’t afford the powdered milk so I’ve had to go back to breast feeding more often. My body is so tired, it was preparing to stop and now I’m having to push it to let me keep feeding her.”
Michelle reached out to AFC and was offered support from the charity’s Emergency Coronavirus Appeal fund. She said: “I was getting so frustrated. We’ve been working and making our own money and then suddenly, I’m not able to provide for my family.
“Thankfully I’ve been given a £100 voucher to get food for the family. I’ll be able to buy powdered milk, which I definitely couldn’t afford without it. It just makes me feel so relieved. I was so stressed and now I don’t need to worry. It really makes you realise that regardless of your circumstances before, anyone could need help right now. It’s ensuring that I can put food on the table for my little girls.”
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