'This cannot go on': Hundreds of thousands of people turning to food banks for the first time

The “sheer numbers” of people turning to food banks is “heartbreaking”, a leading charity has said, as its latest figures reveal that hundreds of thousands of people are seeking help for the first time.

More than 277,000 people visited a food bank in the Trussell community for the first time between April and September this year, according to the latest statistics. Trussell food banks handed out more than 1,428,000 emergency food parcels to people in need – 508,000 of which went to children.

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It is 67,000 fewer than the number of parcels provided in the same period last year, a 4% decrease, perhaps indicating some relief in the aftermath of the cost of living crisis as inflation has eased.

However, Trussell has said it is difficult to determine whether there has been an actual drop in hunger and hardship, with the need for emergency food still persistently high. It is 69% more than the same period five years ago.

Emma Revie, chief executive of Trussell, said: “The sheer numbers of people still facing hunger and hardship across the UK is heartbreaking. This cannot go on and we refuse to stand by while so many of us are pushed to the brink, left without enough money to live on.”

The majority of food parcels were distributed to families with children, with 63% of parcels going to households with children under the age of 16.

Meanwhile, some UK regions saw a marginal increase in the number of food parcels provided. London saw an increase of 4%, and the East of England saw an increase of 1%.

Helen Barnard, director of policy, research at impact at Trussell, said in a media briefing: “The central thing is that people’s incomes have essentially fallen further and further behind the actual cost of essentials. The cost of essentials, like food and energy, went up significantly in recent years, while freezes and cuts to social security have eroded the protection that people should be able to access.”

Trussell is calling for the government to introduce a protected minimum floor in universal credit, below which the benefit could not be reduced. It claims this would be a low cost but concrete step towards ensuring the social security system protects people from hunger. 

In the long-term, Barnard said Trussell would like to see an ‘essentials guarantee’ implemented in universal credit so that it ensures that universal credit is enough for people to afford the essentials they need to survive. The standard rate is estimated to fall short by around £120 each month.

“The essentials guarantee is where our system needs to move to,” Barnard said in response to a question from the Big Issue. “The protected floor is essentially a first step along the way, so it would introduce into the system a floor, and it would start to address the very hardest edges of the current system.”

Revie added: “We will continue to call for change. The UK government was elected with a manifesto pledge to end the need for emergency food and the time to act is now. There have been promising steps, but we need a clearer plan with more decisive action to invest in our social security system, if we are to end hunger once and for all.”

There are more than 1,000 independent food banks across the country, which are not represented by Trussell, and they too have seen worrying trends in the number of people needing help.

Sabine Goodwin, director of the Independent Food Aid Network said: “It’s long been established that, year after year, eye-watering Trussell figures represent just the tip of the UK’s food insecurity iceberg. Our focus must be on permanently reversing this devastating trend while ending the normalisation of a charitable response to poverty.

“Actions from our government must be bolder, swifter, and focussed on avoiding the long-term impact of financial hardship. Labour’s manifesto commitment to end the need for emergency food parcels is possible as is eliminating severe food insecurity so that everyone is able to access a living income.”

Revie added: “Our food banks are a lifeline, offering a warm welcome and space to be heard. They need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK. You can help make sure food banks can continue to provide warm, compassionate, practical support and advice this winter by volunteering, donating, fundraising or campaigning to help end hunger in the UK.”

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