The number of people using food banks to make end meet has tripled this year, according to new figures released today by the Trussell Trust.
The number of people using food banks to make ends meet has tripled in a year, according to new figures released today by the Trussell Trust.
355,000 people used foodbanks between April and September 2013, compared to 113,000 between April and September 2012, according to the Trust, which runs 400 food banks across the UK.
A third of those being helped were children and a third required food following a delay in the payment of their benefits.
“The level of food poverty in the UK is not acceptable,” said the Trust’s executive chairman Chris Mould.
“It’s scandalous, and it is causing deep distress to thousands of people,” he added
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said that welfare reforms were pushing households into food poverty.
“One only has to look at the huge rise in foodbanks to see how little support is being given to people who fall on hard times. But instead of recognising the tremendous difficulties people are facing, ministers are blaming them for their plight.”
The government blamed the increase on a greater number of foodbanks.
However the Trussell Trust said that food poverty in the UK was getting worse.
“We’re talking about mums not eating for days because they’ve been sanctioned for seemingly illogical reasons,” said Mr Mould.
“Or people leaving hospital after a major operation to find that their benefits have been stopped or delayed.”
Food banks have risen dramatically under the coalition. 346,992 people received a minimum of three days emergency food from Trussell Trust food banks in 2012-13, compared to 128,697 in 2011-12 and 40,898 when Labour left office in 2010.
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14 Responses to “Number using food banks triples in a year”
Sparky
Perhaps more people are using food banks because more people know about them. And so the Trussell Trust then raises more funds. And then more food banks are then created. And then more people use them. And the increase in use is reported, and more people know about them. The exponential rise you see on the graph is not necessarily due to an exponential rise in poverty.
Sparky
Perhaps more people are using food banks because more people know about them. And so the Trussell Trust then raises more funds. And then more food banks are then created. And then more people use them. And the increase in use is reported, and more people know about them. The exponential rise you see on the graph is not necessarily due to an exponential rise in poverty.
Fi Archer
No, you’ve got that the wrong way around.
You can’t just turn up at a food bank without proof of need – you have to have some sort of official referral; I’m not sure who exactly can make these referrals, but my understanding is that it could be a GP, social worker, council benefits officer, sometimes even the DWP themselves.
Kevin Leonard
your reply leads me to believe you are godsend for this coalition of incompetence as you absorb every dribble of propaganda put out by them to try and cover up the facts.
We are not under “Austerity measures” we are in the midst of a robbery as this government led by the ideology of the Tory right is determined to take away every last hope of the poor sick and disabled to the right to a sustainable life whilst they hand over every last penny of the tax payers money and assets to their mates in the private sector and more importantly the banks.
They are dismantling the welfare state piece by piece and calmly blaming the poor sick and disabled for it. They sicken me to the core likewise those who seek to defend them.
Kevin Leonard
your reply leads me to believe you are godsend for this coalition of incompetence as you absorb every dribble of propaganda put out by them to try and cover up the facts.
We are not under “Austerity measures” we are in the midst of a robbery as this government led by the ideology of the Tory right is determined to take away every last hope of the poor sick and disabled to the right to a sustainable life whilst they hand over every last penny of the tax payers money and assets to their mates in the private sector and more importantly the banks.
They are dismantling the welfare state piece by piece and calmly blaming the poor sick and disabled for it. They sicken me to the core likewise those who seek to defend them.