FOOD BANK DEMAND RISING

FOOD BANK DEMAND RISING

New figures from the Trussell Trust show that 3,109 of three day emergency food parcels were handed out in West Lothian between 1st April and 30 September this year, including 1,058 provided for children.

The statistics released show April to September 2019 to be the busiest half-year period for food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network since the charity opened.

The main reasons cited for people needing emergency food in Scotland are low benefit income (38%), and delays (19%) or changes (17%) to benefits being paid.

Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley said:

“Across Scotland and West Lothian we continue to see a rise in demand for help from Food banks and we know that the reasons for this are welfare cuts and the disastrous role out of Universal Credit pushing more people into poverty.

“Food bank organisers and volunteers are dedicated and compassionate individuals but, let’s be clear, food banks should not be needed in a resource rich country like Scotland. It is unacceptable that food bank provision has become commonplace.

ENDS

Notes

New data released today shows April to September 2019 to be the busiest half-year period for food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network since the charity opened. During the six months, 107,609 three-day emergency food parcels were given to people in crisis in the Scotland; more than a third of these (35,464) went to children.

This is a 22% increase on the same period in 2018 – the sharpest rate of increase the charity has seen for the past five years.

The main reasons for people needing emergency food in Scotland are low benefit income (38%), and delays (19%) or changes (17%) to benefits being paid.

The new figures come just a week after the Trussell Trust released State of Hunger, the most in-depth study ever published into hunger and the drivers of food bank use in the UK. The research revealed:

• The average weekly income of households at food banks is only £50 after paying rent
• One in five have no money coming in at all in the month before being referred for emergency food
• 94% of people at food banks are destitute

The Trussell Trust’s statistics:

• ‘Emergency food parcel’: three days’ emergency food for one person. These statistics are a measure of volume rather than unique individuals. Recent analysis shows on average people need around two food bank referrals in a year. More information about the way this data is gathered and what it can and can’t show here.
• Between 1st April 2019 and 31st September 2019, food banks in The Trussell Trust’s network provided 823,145 emergency supplies to people in crisis. 301,653 of these supplies went to children.
• This is a 23% increase on the previous six months, when 668,678 emergency supplies went to people in crisis; 237,708 of these went to children.
• Trussell Trust figures cannot be used to fully explain the scale of food bank use across the UK, because figures relate to food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network and not to the hundreds of independent food banks. There are more than 1,200 food bank centres in the Trussell Trust’s network across the UK – research from the Independent Food Aid Network shows there are at least 805 independent food banks, so the Trussell Trust network accounts for roughly two-thirds of all food banks.
• The Independent Food Aid Network and A Menu for Change recently published data on the number of emergency food parcels distributed by independent food banks in Scotland which almost doubles the scale shown by figures from the Trussell Trust network – more detail here.

About The Trussell Trust:

• The Trussell Trust is an anti-poverty charity that supports a network of more than 1,200 food bank centres across the UK.
• It takes more than food to end hunger. The Trussell Trust therefore does three things: supports its network to provide emergency food to people referred; helps food banks to provide on-site additional help or signpost people to relevant local charities to resolve the cause of referral; and brings together the experiences of hundreds of communities on the front line to challenge the structural issues that lock people in poverty, and campaign for long-term change so we can see a future without the need for food banks.
• Read more at trusselltrust.org

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