Food bank use forecast to rise this winter

New research from the Trussell Trust shows that food banks are forecast to give out six emergency food parcels a minute this winter.

The Trussell Trust’s new analysis forecasts a 61 per cent increase in food parcels needed across its UK network in October to December, with families with children continuing to be the hardest hit.

A new report reveals how coronavirus has affected food bank use, with a huge rise in people needing to use a food bank in its network for the first time. Analysis carried out by Heriot-Watt University estimates that if changes aren’t made this autumn, there is likely to be a 61 per cent rise in need at food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network this winter, equating to 846,000 food parcels being given out.

The charity warns that with mass unemployment predicted on a scale not seen since the early nineties, there will be further rises in poverty with 670,000 additional people classed as destitute by the end of 2020, meaning they cannot afford essentials like housing, energy and food. This is on top of year-on-year rises in the number of people unable to afford food and forced to food banks across the UK.  

The charity says that the autumn’s budget and Comprehensive Spending Review should act as an opportunity to: protect people’s incomes by locking in the £20 rise to Universal Credit brought in at the start of the pandemic; help people hold on to more of their benefits through the economic crisis by suspending benefit debt deductions until a fairer approach to repayments can be introduced; and make local safety nets as strong as possible by investing £250m in local welfare assistance in England.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Communities throughout the country have shown enormous resilience in helping more people than ever before. But food banks and other community charities cannot continue to pick up the pieces. None of us should need a charity’s help to put food on the table.

“Our research finds that Covid-19 has led to tens of thousands of new people needing to use a food bank for the first time. This is not right. If we don’t take action now, there will be further catastrophic rises in poverty in the future.”

“But it doesn’t have to be like this. The pandemic has exposed the power of what happens when we stand together in the face of adversity. We must harness this power to create the changes needed to prevent many more people being locked into poverty this winter. With the furlough scheme set to wind down, we must act now to put in place protection for each other. The Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review present a pivotal opportunity to put things right. We must take it to help us weather the storm left in the wake of Covid-19.”