Over 138,000 adults and
children have received three days’ emergency food and support from Trussell
Trust foodbanks in North West
in the last 12 months, a shocking 238 percent rise on numbers helped in the
previous financial year. Despite signs of economic recovery, the poorest have
seen incomes squeezed even more than last year reports The Trussell Trust, the UK’s largest foodbank
network. More people are being referred to Trussell Trust foodbanks than ever
before.
Static incomes, rising living
costs, low pay, underemployment and problems with welfare, especially sanctioning,
are significant drivers of the increased demand. A nationwide survey of
Trussell Trust foodbanks conducted recently found that 83 percent of foodbanks
surveyed reported that benefits sanctions, which have become increasingly
harsh, have caused more people to be referred to them for emergency food in the
last year. Over 50 percent of referrals to Foodbanks in 2013-14 were a result
of benefit delays or changes.
The Trussell Trust’s Chairman,
Chris Mould, says:
‘That 138,644 people in North West have received three days’ food from a
foodbank, over triple the numbers helped last year, is shocking in 21st century
Britain.
But perhaps most worrying of all this figure is just the tip of the iceberg of
UK food poverty, it doesn’t include those helped by other emergency food
providers, those living in towns where there is no foodbank, people who are too
ashamed to seek help or the large number of people who are only just coping by
eating less and buying cheap food.
In the last year we’ve seen
things get worse, rather than better, for many people on low-incomes. It’s been
extremely tough for a lot of people, with parents not eating properly in order
to feed their children and more people than ever experiencing seemingly unfair
and harsh benefits sanctions. Unless there is determined policy action to
ensure that the benefits of national economic recovery reach people on
low-incomes we won’t see life get better for the poorest anytime soon.
A more thoughtful approach to the
administration of the benefits regime and sanctions in particular, increasing
the minimum wage, introducing the living wage and looking at other measures
such as social tariffs for essentials like energy would help to address the
problem of UK hunger.’ Whilst there has been a 163 percent increase in foodbank
use nationwide, there has only been a 45 percent increase in the number of new
Trussell Trust foodbanks opening in the last year. Across the UK the rate of
new foodbanks opening has reduced from three a week in 2012/13 to two a week in
2013/14. 11 foodbanks have launched in North
West region in the last year.
Nationwide, foodbanks that have
been open for three years or more have seen an average increase of 51% in
numbers helped in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13, showing that well established foodbanks
are experiencing significant uplift in demand. The Trussell Trust’s figures
further reinforce evidence from the recent government-commissioned DEFRA report
that increased foodbank use is not a question of supply, but of meeting a real
and growing need.
Increasingly, Trussell
Trust foodbanks are partnering with other agencies to provide additional services
such as welfare advice, budgeting help and debt support at the foodbank,
helping people to break out of crisis. They are also providing essentials like
washing powder, nappies and hygiene products to families who are at breaking
point.
Today over 35 Anglican Bishops
and over 600 church leaders across denominations will deliver a letter to all
three major party leaders calling for urgent action to be taken on UK
food poverty. This will be followed by a public vigil led by End Hunger Fast
opposite Parliament at Old Palace Yard at 6pm. At the vigil Rabbi Laura
Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi at Movement for Reform Judaism, will for the
first time publicly express the cross-communal support of the Jewish community
for action against UK
food poverty. Academics are also expected to add their voice to the growing
groundswell of public concern at the growth of UK hunger.
Chris Mould says: ‘We are
encouraged that there is a growing public concern over the problem of UK hunger.
Faith leaders, academics, charities and MPs are all standing up to say that
hunger is not acceptable in Britain, and that is what gives us hope for
change.’
