One in seven forced to rely on food banks

One in seven people are being forced to rely on handouts from food banks, an alarming new report from Trussell (formerly the Trussell Trust) reveals.

According to the UK’s biggest food bank network, over nine million households struggle with severe poverty and hunger, with a million more living in ‘hunger and hardship’ (at least 25% below the breadline) than five years ago.

That’s also nearly three million more than there were two decades ago – a 38% increase.

Who’s most affected?

Troublingly, children are among the most vulnerable groups affected by this crisis as one in five youngsters face hunger and hardship.

Families with three or more children are particularly at risk, while those over 70 face the lowest risk (5%).

The research also shows the following groups are affected:

• more than half (53%) of disabled households
• one in three (32%) single-parent families
• over a quarter (28%) of people from black families
• just over one in ten (11%) white families
• one in five children (21%)
• a quarter (24%) of children aged 0-4
• a third of families with three or more children (31%)
• renters (70%)

What did the study find?

Trussell says food bank use is at record levels because more families are regularly struggling to afford everyday necessities like food, heating and clothing. Last year alone, the charity distributed a record 3.1 million food parcels to those in dire straits.

Interestingly, many individuals facing hunger and hardship live in working households. The report highlights that 58% of those experiencing these challenges belong to households where at least one person is employed.

This sheds light on the reality of working poverty, where a job does not guarantee financial stability.

On top of this, almost four in ten (39%) families claiming universal credit were affected.

‘Immediate action the government can take’

Despite the pressing need for action, Trussell hasn’t called for the two-child benefit limit – which significantly impacts larger families – to be immediately scrapped.

Helen Barnard, Trussell’s director of policy, has emphasised that while removing this limit would help, it wouldn't effectively tackle the broader issues of poverty faced by many disabled individuals and unpaid carers.

The charity says the government should prioritise fixing the broken benefits system so that people don’t need to rely on emergency food.

Addressing hunger and hardship

To tackle the crisis, Trussell has suggested the following measures:

• making sure those who get universal credit are supported in buying essentials
• capping any deductions on universal credit at 15%
• ensuring people of working and pension age receive all the support they’re eligible for
• linking housing benefit rates in line with rents
• protecting disability benefits
• making discretionary crisis support available from every council in England and increase funding for similar measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• building more social homes
• removing the two-child limit and the wider benefit cap
• extending free school meals in state-funded primary and secondary schools to all children whose families receive universal credit
• introducing the carer’s allowance supplement – which is currently only available in Scotland –  to the rest of the UK and increasing it
• improving the job-search offer by Jobcentre Plus
• for all employers in and outside of London to pay the Real Living Wage

What’s the government doing about this?

No specific details have been released yet, but the government has committed to:

• ending the need for emergency food, labelling it a “moral scar on society”
• tackling child poverty
• reviewing universal credit so that it addresses poverty

We’re here for you

If you’re finding yourself increasingly reliant on food banks or you’re finding it hard to feed your family, you can reach out to us.

In the first half of 2024, we directed over 21,000 people to food banks – more than 50% more than the same time last year. Find out how a food bank can help you by reading our guide.

If you’re struggling to make ends meet, it also might be time to see if you’re getting all the help you’re entitled to.

We can help you with everything from budgeting to making sure you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to, as well as advising you on debt solutions (some are free, for others there’s a fee).

All of our debt advice is free and impartial, and you can access it online 24/7 or over the phone during our office hours – 0161 518 8285.