One in five British Muslims have used food banks due to rising living costs, according to The Independent

Around one in five British Muslims have had to use food banks since last August due to the rising cost of living, according to a new report.

Research by Muslim Census revealed that over half of British Muslims had some difficulty when paying at least one of their household bills, with a further 65 per cent having to take out some form of debt to manage everyday costs.

Around 50 per cent of the Muslim population in Britain is considered to be in poverty, compared to 18 per cent of the national population, according multiple reports.

The study, supported by the National Zakat Foundation, surveyed over 1,500 Muslims living in the UK on how they have been impacted by the cost of living crisis.

This included relying on their credit cards, utilizing an overdraft or a buy now, pay later scheme or having to take out a long-term or pay-day loan, with those in low household incomes and in receipt of benefits, social or council housing disproportionately impacted.

Some 40 per cent of British Muslims have also had to choose between paying one bill at the expense of another, and almost one-third have reporting having to miss a meal to afford their household bills in the last year.

British Muslims have said that their hopes are “gone” amid the cost of living crisis and they are very “worried” about their futures.