Just why has foodbank use become a lifeline for so many in the past three years?
I was doing some shopping today (Sunday 1st December) at Tesco in Langdon Hills, Basildon and noticed the stand set up by FareShare, The Trussell Trust and Tesco to collect donated food for distribution to some of the 13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK.
This weekend food collections took place in Tesco stores across the country and every day many people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. The work of these organisations has to be praised but how has this been allowed to happen in the UK?
The Trussell Trust foodbanks provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK.
In 2012-13 Trussell Trust foodbanks fed 346,992 people nationwide. Of those helped, 126,889 were children. Rising costs of food and fuel combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to come to foodbanks for help.
It is absolutely shocking that The Trussell Trust has seen a 170% rise in the number of people using foodbanks in the past 12 months. In 2008/9 there were 26,000 people who received a minimum of three days emergency food. In 2012/13 this figure rose to 346,992 and 36.6% of these were children. April’s welfare reforms could see numbers increase again this year.
FairShare are asking customers to donate long life products like rice, pasta, tea and coffee, as these items rarely become surplus. This food will be combined with the surplus, fresh produce they receive daily from the food industry and redistributed to over 1,000 charities and community projects across the UK.
In the hands of the Tories and their Lib Dem supporters we are in a national crisis regarding the care of our most vulnerable citizens. A change of economic and political leadership is needed to make sure that foodbanks become a thing of the past.
I was happy to donate a few tins of produce from my shopping basket today but as the Labour MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock I will fight to make sure that foodbanks become a thing of the past in my constituency and across the UK.
More about the Trussell Trust here:
More about Fare Share here:
Statistics from The Trussell Trust website:
Biggest ever increase in UK foodbank use:
170% rise in numbers turning to foodbanks in last 12 months
Trussell Trust foodbanks have seen the biggest rise in numbers given emergency food since the charity began in 2000. Almost 350,000 people have received at least three days emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks during the last 12 months, nearly 100,000 more than anticipated and close to triple the number helped in 2011-12.
Rising cost of living, static incomes, changes to benefits, underemployment and unemployment have meant increasing numbers of people in the UK have hit a crisis that forces them to go hungry. This dramatic rise in foodbank usage predates April’s welfare reforms, which could see numbers increase further in 2013-14.
346,992 people received a minimum of three days emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks in 2012-13, compared to 128,697 in 2011-12 and up from 26,000 in 2008-09. Of those helped in 2012-13, 126,889 (36.6 percent) were children.
The Trussell Trust has seen a 76 percent increase in the number of foodbanks launched since April 2012 but has seen a 170 percent increase in numbers of people given emergency food. Well-established foodbanks that have been running for several years are showing significant rises in numbers helped during the last 12 months. Christian charity The Trussell Trust is launching three new foodbanks every week to help meet demand and has launched 345 UK foodbanks in partnership with churches and communities to date.
Our Executive Chairman Chris Mould says:
‘The sheer volume of people who are turning to foodbanks because they can’t afford food is a wake-up call to the nation that we cannot ignore the hunger on our doorstep. Politicians across the political spectrum urgently need to recognise the real extent of UK food poverty and create fresh policies that better address its underlying causes. This is more important than ever as the impact of the biggest reforms to the welfare state since it began start to take effect. Since April 1st we have already seen increasing numbers of people in crisis being sent to foodbanks with nowhere else to go.’
He continues:
‘Last year The Trussell Trust estimated that our foodbanks would help 250,000 people in 2012-13, we’ve helped 100,000 more than that. 2012-13 was much tougher for people than many anticipated. Incomes are being squeezed to breaking point. We’re seeing people from all kinds of backgrounds turning to foodbanks: working people coming in on their lunch-breaks, mums who are going hungry to feed their children, people whose benefits have beendelayed and people who are struggling to find enough work. It’s shocking that people are going hungry in 21st century Britain.’
Only four per cent of people turned to foodbanks due to homelessness; 30% were referred due to benefit delay; 18% low income and 15% benefit changes (up from 11% in 2011-12). Other reasons included domestic violence, sickness, refused crisis loans, debt and unemployment. The majority of people turning to foodbanks were working age families.
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