INCREASING numbers of refugees and asylum seekers are being “left out in the cold”, according to a charity that helps the destitute.

Sanctuary applicants cut off from state aid contacted the Refugee Survival Trust (RST) in record numbers last month.

Now the organisation, which serves Scotland, is raising concerns after distributing more than 170 “last resort” grants to meet January demand. Worth almost £14,700, the funding supported a total of 270 people, including 60 children.

More than 100 of those helped were homeless at the time of application and all were based in the Glasgow area.

The spike in need follows a year in which applications to the organisation surpassed previous levels.

RST coordinator Zoe Holliday said: “In the past 10 months we have distributed £96,990 in the form of 1123 grants to 1898 people, of which 778 were homeless.

“Asylum seekers and refugees are only eligible to apply for this funding if they have no other financial support and have run out of other options.

“The bureaucratic asylum process in the UK is leading to record-breaking numbers of people turning to small charitable organisations like RST in order to meet their most basic daily needs.

“There are thousands of asylum seekers and refugees that the asylum system is literally and figuratively leaving out in the cold.”

The Home Office says that the UK has a “proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection” and that there is a range of advice and support for those that are seeking refuge.