In latest figures released by the Trussell Trust, food banks in its network provided more than 2.1 million food parcels to people in the past year across UK, alarmingly, more than 800,000 of these were for children. In the West Midlands, over 200,000 parcels were provided.
The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Paul Butler, has called on the government to take urgent action to prevent hundreds of thousands of people from being pushed through the doors of food banks as families across the country face the biggest income squeeze in a generation.
Food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network provided more than 2.1 million parcels to people facing financial hardship across the UK, from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. This represents a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2019/20 – before the pandemic – as more and more people are unable to afford the absolute essentials that we all need to eat, stay warm, dry and clean. This is the first time food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network have provided more than 2 million parcels, outside of 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
Rt Revd Paul Butler said:
“I’m deeply concerned by the latest figures from the Trussell Trust which paint a bleak picture of acute need across the country. The plight of families will only get worse as we see inflation at its highest level in a generation and soaring energy bills. Too many families are being pushed deeper into poverty and being left with no option but to use a food bank. This simply isn’t right and we all deserve the dignity of being able to put food on the table to feed our families. But there is still time for the government to take action and put more money into the pockets of people at the sharpest end of this crisis. That’s why I’m calling on them to show some compassion and give people the dignity of being able to put food on the table.”
The Trussell Trust says food banks in its network experienced their busiest winter outside of 2020 at the height of the pandemic, providing 1.2 million parcels in the second half of the year alone (from October to the end of March). That is more parcels than were provided for the whole year of 2016/17, just five years ago.
As inflation continues to soar and rising bills are putting pressure on families across the country, the Trussell Trust says its network expects need for emergency food to rise further still, over the coming months and beyond. One food bank manager said: “The people who come in are telling me they’re scared. People are beside themselves about what the next six months will bring.”
With the energy price cap rise just starting to bite the charity says for most people at risk from financial hardship – who cannot work or work longer hours due to disability, caring responsibilities or mental health issues – there is very little protection ahead. Food bank staff and volunteers will always do all they can to help people in their communities, they do this every day - but they cannot and should not be picking up the pieces of government inaction, particularly with a crisis of this scale.
Churches play an important role in supporting people who are reaching crisis point – by housing food banks in their buildings, volunteering, praying and of course donating supplies. As the cost of living crisis carries on, the Trussell Trust ask that you continues to do this, alongside adding your voice to call upon the government to bring benefits in line with the true cost of living as a bare minimum, and strengthen our social security system so no one struggles to stay fed, warm and dry.
