The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairsNewsPolitics & Social issues

Shocking 163% rise in food bank use‏

Shocking 163% rise in food bank use‏
17 April 2014
Joe Turnbull
Avatar
Joe Turnbull
17 April 2014

Almost a million people received emergency ration supplies from food banks in the past year – a shocking rise of 163% from the previous year – a new report by Trussell Trust has revealed.

Figures show 913,138 people accessed their food banks and were given three days’ emergency food in 2013-14, nearly triple the 346,992 in the previous year.

The report reveals the number was just 61,468 in 2010-11, the year the coalition government came to power, representing an unbelievable 1,385% increase in the course of the current parliament.

The Trussell Trust charity, which runs 400 food banks nationwide, blames “static incomes, rising living costs, low-pay underemployment and problems with welfare,” for the staggering increase in figures.

The Trust reported that 83% of the food banks they surveyed cited increasingly harsh benefit sanctions as the most significant driver for the increased demand.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions dismissed the claims, telling the BBC, there was “no robust evidence that welfare reforms or benefit administration are linked to increased use of food banks.”

The Trussell Trust alone is now launching two new food banks every week to meet growing demand.

However, Chris Mould, Trussell Trust’s chairman, has warned that these figures were “just the tip of the iceberg of UK food poverty,” pointing out that “it doesn’t include those helped by other emergency food providers, those living in towns where there is no food bank, 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 response to the figures, a letter signed by more than 600 clergy, including the Archbishop of Wales, was mailed to the leaders of the three main political parties and published in the Guardian today.

It described the numbers as “shocking” and “terrible” and called upon the government to “commit fully to engage with the independent inquiry into the rise of UK hunger, championing its recommendations”.

Mr Mould said that in order to alleviate hunger and bring food bank use down, a “more thoughtful approach to the administration of the benefits regime and sanctions in particular,” was needed.

He also suggested increasing the minimum wage, introducing the living wage and bringing in “social tariffs” for essentials like energy as means of combating this spiralling problem.

Joe Turnbull

Related Itemsfood bankssocial issues

More in Current Affairs

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Nek brings Italian pop rock to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Smith & Burrows – Only Smith & Burrows Is Good Enough
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Celebrate Margarita Day at home with these simple yet sophisticated cocktails
    Food & Drinks
  • Edie Brickell & New Bohemians – Hunter and the Dog Star
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Trial of the Chicago 7
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wrong Turn
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Creation Stories
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • Minari
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • Gatsby at Cadogan Hall: An interview with Jodie Steele and Ross William Wild
    Theatre
  • The United States Vs Billie Holiday
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Berlinale 2021: Top picks to look out for in the festival’s 71st year
    Berlinale
  • Minari
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • West End Musical Drive In Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hymn at the Almeida Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Bradford – Bright Hours
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Pelé
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

UK beaches top charts with excellent water quality
First arrest made in Heartbleed hack case