Man ‘starves to death amid cost of living crisis’
A MAN has starved to death because he could not afford rising bills amid the cost of living crisis, a food bank manager has claimed.
Heather Kay, of the Star Project – an anti-poverty organisation in Paisley – spoke of the devastation of her colleagues and local residents after the man in his 60s, who lived alone, was discovered dead in his home.
Last night politicians described the death as ‘unacceptable’ and ‘absolutely tragic’.
Mrs Kay, project co-ordinator of the charity which is currently seeing more than 300 people using its food bank service each week, said: ‘The community is heartbroken. He died of starvation because of the stigma of asking for help. He couldn’t admit he was struggling so much, so he chose not to eat.
‘We’re talking about an exceptionally proud man, very hard-working, who did a lot with the community.
‘He spent his lifetime looking after the community and didn’t look after himself.
‘He was like many people who before the cost of living rises were already barely coping. Now they are falling through the cracks and the stigma attached to asking for help will mean that a lot more will die before this is over.’
Mrs Kay added: ‘During the pandemic, we lost a lot of our community members and I don’t think I can bury any more.
‘We knew after the pandemic we would open up the country again and find people dead behind their doors because they had been forgotten about.
‘This latest death is a precursor for what’s ahead as bills start to rise.
‘I want to tell the public they can reach out and are not alone. It’s not their fault, we’ll help them to overcome the stigma. It’s important to us that they know that.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said it was an ‘unacceptable tragedy that people are dying of starvation in 21st Century Scotland’. She added: ‘It reveals an appalling failure in the state’s safety nets.
‘The UK Government must uprate benefits with inflation. It’s also time the Scottish Government put independence aside and recalibrated its priorities to ease the bills and pressures that are cornering people into a crisis.
‘Both of Scotland’s governments must reassure struggling families and pensioners worried sick about the winter ahead.’
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘This is an absolutely tragic story and my thoughts are with the family and friends of this man who are grieving his loss.
‘It is unthinkable to learn that an individual has died of starvation in modern-day Scotland.’
He added: ‘These are hugely challenging times and people must know where they can turn to for support, particularly as winter begins to bite.
‘This shocking account should be a wake-up call for everyone who can support our most vulnerable to ensure that nobody is left behind.’
Deputy First Minister John Swinney last night said: ‘To describe this as a tragedy would be an understatement and my condolences go to everyone affected by this senseless loss of life.’