Hungry people are having to boil rice in their kettles as the Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare the scale of extreme poverty in the UK.
The Trussell Trust says their new research reveals people who rely on food banks went into the pandemic with just £248 per month on average after housing costs to live on.
Homeless services have also been shocked to find that people lacked basic kitchen appliances to cook with, such as kettles, toasters, microwaves and cookers, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "How can anyone in this country stay warm and dry and buy food on just £248 a month after rent?
"People struggling in extreme poverty are pushed to the doors of food banks because they don't have enough money to survive.
Have you had to deal with hardships like these during the pandemic? If so email webnews@trinitymirror.com
"Hunger in the UK isn't about food - it's about people not being able to afford the basics."
The asthmatic mother of an adult autistic son who also cares for her partner full-time pays local charities £3.50 a month for around £40 of food and toiletries.
"Luxuries are non-existent in our budget", she said. "If I get a jar of coffee, well, that can last me six months.
"It used to be a choice of have a meal or have gas and electricity," she added.
Jo Warmington, Project Manager for Manchester South Central Food Bank, said the demand for food bank services more than doubled during lockdown.
Gary Hollis, 54, who also pays for emergency food, said food banks helped him get through the lockdown.
"I'm isolated", he said. "I come here once a week and I see the girls and I look forward to it."
Asked if he could afford to eat without the food bank, he replied: "Not a chance."
Jack Barton, Communications Manager for The Mustard Tree homeless service in Manchester, said they delivered 100 food parcels a day for the council during lockdown.
"One thing we found during the first lockdown was that we really uncovered the true scale of poverty in Manchester, because we found out people just do not have basic appliances to cook with such as toasters, microwaves and cookers", he said.
"We were giving people food that they couldn't eat and we were having to refine it because people didn't have microwaves or were boiling noodles in a kettle."
The Trussell Trust is calling on government at all levels to commit to wiping out the need for food banks.
