Welfare cuts and delays are forcing more people to seek emergency food parcels from the Trusell Trust – the UK’s biggest food bank network – than any other time in history.
519,000 parcels were given out at 420 food banks between April and the end of September 2016, according to the charity’s food distribution figures. By April the trust expects to have given out more food parcels than the 1.1m it gave out during the year to April 2016.
Trussell said problems with social security payments, including administrative delays and benefit sanctions, were the biggest single reason why individuals were signposted to food banks during the period, accounting for 44% of all referrals.
If you use or have used food banks we’d like to hear from you. Or maybe you work or volunteer for a food distribution centre? If so, we’d like you to share your experiences with us.
You can fill in the form below – anonymously if you prefer – and we’ll use your experiences in our reporting.
