Aldi is calling on charities, community groups and food banks in Edinburgh to sign up for surplus food donations from its stores this Christmas.
The supermarket’s Edinburgh stores work with the community giving platform Neighbourly to donate surplus food throughout the year. But with all Aldi stores set to close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, there’s an opportunity for even more groups to benefit from the partnership over the festive season.
Participating charities will be matched with local Aldi stores and can collect fresh and chilled food nearing its expiration date, with Aldi expecting to donate an estimated one million meals to those in need over the festive period.
Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “The services our amazing charity partners provide are more in demand than ever during the festive period.
“That’s why we’re committed to offering as much support as we can to the communities we serve this Christmas.”
Steve Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer at Neighbourly, added: “Christmas can be a tough time for many families, and local charities are often a vital lifeline. We know there are still groups out there who could really use the extra help from businesses like Aldi, so we’d love them to get in touch.”
Any charity or community group not already working with Neighbourly can register their interest at neighbourly.com.
Customers can also donate food or household items year-round through community donation points in every Aldi store.
In addition to its long-term partnership with Neighbourly, Aldi has worked with Company Shop since 2022 to manage surplus stock from its Regional Distribution Centres. It sees surplus items sold at discounted prices to members throughout the year, making essentials more accessible and reducing waste.
Against a backdrop of unprecedented cuts to social security for disabled people and on the day of the first reading of the welfare reform bill, representatives of community food organisations from across UK called for urgent steps towards an Essentials Guarantee to ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose:
For the first time ever, more than 700 representatives – including people experiencing severe hardship, volunteers at local food banks and representatives from community food organisations – stood shoulder-to-shoulder to create an historic lobby at Westminster on Wednesday (18th June) as part of the Guarantee our Essentials campaign.
Among the prominent figures at the event was comedian, TV personality and Trussell supporter Nish Kumar who joined calls for a stronger social security system that ensures everyone can afford the essentials, like food.
Right now, more than 9.3 million people – including more than three million children – are facing hunger and hardship across the UK. In response, leading anti-poverty organisations including Trussell, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Independent Food Aid Network, Feeding Britain, Salvation Army and Your Local Pantry united in London to urge the UK government to take immediate action.
People from across the four nations of the UK came to meet their constituent MP, speak out against the levels of severe hardship they are seeing in their local area, and ask policymakers to play their part in delivering urgent and meaningful change to our social security system.
Representatives are calling for steps towards an Essentials Guarantee which would ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose, helping to prevent people from having to use a food bank.
This means moving closer to a guarantee that the basic rate of Universal Credit provides enough to ensure people are at least able to afford the essentials we all need to get by, such as food and bills.
Alongside the lobby, Trussell organised a panel discussion with people experiencing severe hardship and a session hosted by Nish Kumar.
The event took place on the same day the UK government published its draft welfare reform bill, and millions of the UK public nervously wait to hear how MPs will vote on £7 billion worth of cruel cuts to disabled people’s social security payments. These cuts will push 440,000 more people in disabled households into severe hardship, according to Trussell research.
Shockingly, three in four people who come to food banks in the Trussell community are disabled or live with someone who is, as disability payments for too many people already fall short of covering the essentials, like food and heating.
Too many people are falling behind on bills, are becoming trapped in debt, and having to live in cold, damp homes.
Trussell says this is not right, and the majority of the UK public agrees that social security payments for disabled people should be enough to cover at least the essentials.
Representatives at the lobby told more than 150 MPs these levels of severe hardship can and must change for the better. They urged them to play their part and join Trussell, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), and more than 100 charities, in calling on the UK government to create an Essentials Guarantee.
Steps towards achieving this include implementing a ‘full boost’ to Universal Credit, raising it by £5 a week after inflation from April 2026, not April 2029, as planned.
They also called for their MP to back bringing in an initial low-level protected minimum floor in Universal Credit to limit all deductions from social security payments including the benefit cap, to make the government’s new Fair Repayment Rate truly effective.
Campaigners reiterated that whatever happens, we need Universal Credit to be there for all of us when we need it and urged that their MPs cannot ignore the shockingly high levels of severe hardship in our communities. Crucially, they highlighted the opportunity to create some positive changes, such as the boost, to help people as much as possible.
Emma Revie, chief executive at Trussell, said:“With more than 700 of us travelling to Westminster, we couldn’t send a more powerful and clear message to our MPs and to the UK government.
“We will not stand by while 9.3 million of us are facing hunger and hardship. People who have experienced severe hardship, people who work in food banks and from community organisations, as well as charity partners, have gathered from all over the UK, to call for a stronger social security system.
“The moment couldn’t be more crucial. Our event comes as we wait to hear whether MPs are going to vote to cut disabled people’s social security by £7 billion.
“It’s time for the UK government to act , and take steps towards creating an Essentials Guarantee to ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose and protects everyone that needs it.”
Nish Kumar, comedian and Trussell supporter, said:“It’s been incredible to join so many people coming together with one voice to speak out against the rising tide of hunger and hardship in the UK.
“This collective action shows that change is possible when we stand together and call for a future where everyone can afford life’s essentials.
“I’ve seen the incredible work that food banks do to support people facing hardship, but charities cannot and should not bear the brunt of an inadequate social security system that should be there to support us. We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet millions of people are struggling to make ends meet.
“We know the most important solution to ending the need for food banks – it’s about ensuring people have enough money in their pockets to put food on the table. This is a political choice, and our government has the power to end it.”
Jacob Forman, director at Epping Forest Foodbank, said: “On the same day the UK government formally introduced a new bill in Parliament proposing significant cuts to support for disabled people, I was proud to stand alongside food banks in the Trussell community to demand better.Better for everyone who has been forced to use a food bank, and better for everyone who may be forced to in the future.
We know the UK public supports a future without food banks, and it’s one of the promises that this government was elected on.
“We have not asked our MPs for the impossible. Instead, we have shared our vast experiences to highlight the actions that can genuinely change the life circumstances of the people we see every day for the better.
“As politicians sit on their benches, I hope our words resonate with them and encourage them push for a stronger social security system that ensures everyone can afford the essentials.”
Jen Coleman, from Black Country Foodbank, a member of the Independent Food Aid Network, said: “Across the whole of the UK, a vast network of charitable food aid providers are united in their calls for the same fundamental changes to our broken social security system.
“Above all, everyone should be able to afford the essentials and a labyrinth of food banks and food pantries shouldn’t be needed to pick up the pieces.”
On 3rd July, MPs will vote on a Bill that could push 440,000 disabled people into severe hardship. There’s still time to contact your MP and urge them to vote against these devastating cuts.
Celebrities support Trussell as it calls on the UK government to take urgent action to end hunger now
ANTI-poverty charity Trussell reports that 2.9 million emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across the UK between April 2024 and March 2025, with more than a million of these provided for children. This is equivalent to one parcel every 11 seconds and a 51% increase compared to five years ago.
Worryingly, the annual figures also show significant numbers of parents struggling to afford the essentials. Since 2019/20 there has been a 46% rise in emergency food parcels provided to families with children, and a 32% rise in parcels to support children under the age of five.
High-profile celebrities from the world of stage and screen, including actors Dame Julie Walters, Lesley Manville, and Charlotte Ritchie alongside comedians Rosie Jones, Nish Kumar and, James Acaster are highlighting these alarming levels of hardship and calling for urgent reform to ensure nobody is experiencing hunger.
They are joined by a host of other celebrities, including Trussell ambassador, AJ Odudu, Hairy Biker, Si King, musicians, James Bay and Tom Grennan, Reverend Canon Kate Bottley, and Dr Alex George.
“Emergency food distribution is being normalised in the UK,” said Dame Julie Walters. “These stats highlight the need for us to come together and play our part in saying this isn’t right and things need to change if we’re to see a future where no one needs a food bank to survive.”
Actor Lesley Manville, who recently won an Olivier Award, said: “I’m shocked at the extremely high levels of emergency food parcels being distributed by food banks, especially the sharp rise in children under five needing support.
“This has to be a wake-up call for the UK government to prioritise hunger and hardship.”
Hairy Biker Si King also added his voice, saying: “It is heartbreaking to see a generation of children growing up thinking that it is normal to see a food bank in every town.
“We all have a moral responsibility to tackle the root causes of poverty to ensure no one has to turn to a food bank to get by.”
And singer-songwriter Tom Grennan said: “One emergency food parcel distributed in the UK is too many but nearly 2.9 million is scandalous.
“Food banks shouldn’t have to exist. In a just and compassionate society, everyone should have enough money to afford the essentials. Trussell won’t stop until this becomes a reality.”
Comedian James Acaster said: “Food banks do an incredible job in helping people facing hunger in the UK. The reality is that their support has seen a rise of more than 50% rise over the last five years with the biggest increase among families with children under four.
” It’s incredibly sad and I stand with Trussell in calling for government action to tackle poverty in our country.”
With MPs soon to vote on the UK government’s proposals to cut essential support for sick and disabled people, Trussell is warning that these changes could force even more people to turn to food banks to get by.
Disabled people are already overrepresented at food banks, with three in four ofpeople referred to a food bank in the Trussell community saying they or a member of their household are disabled, placing them at the highest risk of hunger and hardship.
Comedian Rosie Jones said: “These stats are a stark reminder to the UK government that slashing the income of someone living with a disability who is already struggling to cover life’s essentials is cruel and counterproductive.
“It will only result in more people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.
“We mustn’t forget that a lack of infrastructure support significantly correlates with an increased need for disability benefits. Social security should be there for everyone who needs it, built on compassion and justice.”
The Reverend Canon Kate Bottley said: “It’s desperately sad to know so many parents are left with no choice but to turn to a food bank to get by.
“We must strive for solutions to poverty in the UK if we’re to make food banks a thing of the past.”
Musician James Bay said: “These stats highlight the extraordinary work of food banks to support families facing hardship, but no one should have to turn to a food bank to feed their children.
“We can all use our voice and say this isn’t right and call for the UK government to step up if they’re serious about tackling poverty.”
Comedian Nish Kumar said: “Almost 2.9million emergency food parcels were distributed across the UK last year.
“Food banks were created to provide short-term support, but they’ve become a sticking plaster for a long-term problem: our broken social security system, which isn’t providing enough money to cover the cost of the essentials. The UK government must act or risk seeing more people turn to food banks on their watch.”
Actor Charlotte Ritchie added: “From my work with Trussell, I’ve seen firsthand the hope, dignity and relief food banks provide to people facing hardship.
“But they shouldn’t be needed in the first place. A food parcel distributed every 11 seconds to someone facing hardship in the UK highlights the need for government action to tackle food bank need, starting with a re-think on proposed cuts to disability benefits.”
TV star Dr Alex George said: “We are seeing an unacceptable increase in the number of children needing support from a food bank – a rise of more than 50% in children under five in the last five years.
“Trussell’s work is incredible, but no family should have to turn to a food bank to survive.”
TV host and Trussell Ambassador AJ Odudu added: “I’m proud to be a Trussell Ambassador, championing a future where no one in the UK faces hunger or hardship.
“Right now, someone needs an emergency food parcel every 11 seconds, a stark reminder of the growing challenge and the desperate need for collective action. It’s never been more vital that we all play our part.”
Number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell community: 1 April – 31 March 2019/20, 2023/24, and 2024/25:
Nation and Region
FY 2019/20
FY 2023/24
FY 2024/25
North East
98,520
150,599
129,011
North West
254,220
356,164
332,253
Yorkshire and The Humber
108,587
231,754
211,604
East of England
190,144
350,040
332,540
East Midlands
101,789
167,035
140,959
West Midlands
169,141
269,759
243,987
London
204,355
454,998
455,571
South East
199,519
347,440
311,991
South West
163,244
255,404
238,937
England
1,489,519
2,583,193
2,396,853
Scotland
238,583
264,778
239,503
Wales
136,104
187,983
171,673
Northern Ireland
45,139
90,525
77,057
United Kingdom
1,909,345
3,126,479
2,885,086
Emma Revie, chief executive of Trussell, said: “Thousands of families with children, single households, disabled people, working people and older people from across the UK needed to access food banks for emergency food in the past year.
“A whole generation has now grown up in a country where sustained high levels of food bank need feel like the norm.
“This should be a massive wake-up call to government and a stark reminder of their responsibilities to the people of this country.
“This UK government will fail to deliver on its promise to improve living standards for us all unless it rows back on its harmful policy choices on disability benefits and housing support and shows greater ambition on areas like the upcoming child poverty strategy and future of local crisis support. Without action, they risk leaving a legacy of rising food bank need and child poverty.
“It is clear that the public’s cost of living fears are far from over, and these numbers show why. If the UK government truly wants to improve public services, boost the economy and make the UK a better place to live, then addressing hunger and hardship must be a priority.”
Food banks need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK. The public can help make sure food banks can continue to provide warm, compassionate, practical support and advice in the year ahead by donating food or funds to Trussell or your local food bank to help end hunger in the UK.
You can find out how many emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship in your local area on the Trussell website: campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode
High-profile names including Sir Stephen Fry, Stanley Tucci, Aisling Bea, Levi Roots, Guy Garvey, Dame Arlene Phillips, Charlotte Ritchie and Jed Mercurio have spoken out against the UK government’s proposals to slash financial support for disabled people.
Comedian Rosie Jones: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds”.
Actor Brian Cox: “So many people having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country”.
The comments come as new polling by Trussell reveals that 7 in 10 people think social security should at least pay for disabled people’s essential living costs.
The anti-poverty charity has branded the cuts as ‘cruel, irresponsible and out of touch’ with what the public want
Celebrities including Rosie Jones, Sir Stephen Fry and Stanley Tucci have united to express their outrage at the social security cuts announced on Wednesday, saying that they risk pushing even more disabled people to food banks.
The UK government, who were elected on manifesto pledges to end the need for emergency food parcels and to make sure Universal Credit tackles poverty, has published proposals that will make it harder for disabled people to get the payments that help them cover additional costs that they face such as purchasing specialist equipment or travel to healthcare services.
Comedian Rosie Jones, who has cerebral palsy, spoke out about the potential impact of these cuts, saying: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds if there’s cuts to disability payments, as they are already not enough to cover life’s essentials. Disabled people are far more likely to need to use a food bank and further cuts will only deepen the hardship they are facing.”
Polling done this week by Trussell, an anti-poverty charity which supports a community of 1,400 food banks, indicated that 60% of Brits think the UK government is ‘doing badly’ on reducing the number of people experiencing poverty across the UK.
Actor Brian Cox, who experienced poverty as a child, urged the Government to rethink the plans when he said: “The fact that so many people are having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country.
“This government vowed to tackle the need for emergency food parcels in the UK, yet this decision risks even more people having to seek support. It makes no sense and will have a lasting impact on the lives of so many people already finding it difficult to afford life’s essentials.”
Trussell has already expressed concern that the cuts will have a significant impact on people who are already facing hunger and hardship with 75% of people referred to one of their food banks living in a household where someone is disabled.
Recent research by Trussell indicated that three quarters (77%) of people getting Universal Credit and health or disability payments are already having to go without essentials. Four in 10 (43%) are already missing meals to try and keep up with other essential costs. A fifth (19%) have had to turn to a food bank in just the last month.
Calling for a reversal of the proposals, Sir Stephen Fry said: “Cuts should be for people who can best afford them, not for disabled people, who are amongst the most vulnerable and overlooked of all our population.
“The social security system should be rooted in justice and compassion, fairness and need. It’s not too late to rethink this.”
The celebrities are not alone in thinking that government support should be enough to ensure that no one needs a food bank to survive. Trussell’s data shows that 83% of Brits think the Government is responsible for ensuring disabled people’s essential needs are met.
Two of Trussell’s Ambassadors reflected this, adding their voices to the call for change by saying:
Television writer Jed Mercurio: “While our social security system requires regular review and reform to ensure it targets people most in need, these cuts will only increase the likelihood of people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.”
Entrepreneur Levi Roots: “From my work with Trussell, I know disabled people in receipt of Universal Credit are already having to make impossible decisions between feeding their children and heating their homes. We need compassionate solutions that make food banks obsolete. Cuts to disability payments will simply keep food banks in business for longer.”
Actor Stanley Tucci has encouraged people to speak out about the risk of the cuts, saying: “It breaks my heart to know so many people in a country as wealthy and developed as UK are experiencing hunger.
“Through my work with Trussell, I know that the reality of these cuts will be parents in disabled families having to skip meals so that they can feed their children. Things don’t have to be this way. We must shout as loud as we can to let the UK government know this plan is wrong.”
Almost one in five people receiving Universal Credit and disability benefits used a food bank in the last month
Hunger and hardship are already at record levels. Welfare and disability benefit cuts risk pushing even more people to the doors of food banks, says anti-poverty charity Trussell
More than three quarters (77%) of people claiming Universal Credit and disability benefits have gone without essentials in the last six months.
Just over four in ten (43%) people claiming Universal Credit and disability benefit have skipped meals to keep up with other essential costs in the last three months.
The anti-poverty charity is urging the UK government not to cut welfare and disability benefits, which are already not enough to live on.
Trussell is calling on the UK government to take steps towards an Essentials Guarantee in Universal Credit, so the basic rate at least always covers the cost of life’s essentials.
Trussell has published new research that demonstrates the inadequacy of social security for disabled people across the UK.
The research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Trussell, reveals that almost one in five (19%) people receiving Universal Credit and disability benefits have used a food bank in the last month, while a shocking 77% have gone without essentials in the last six months.
Just over four in ten (43%) people claiming Universal Credit and disability benefits have skipped meals to keep up with other essential costs in the last three months, while more than a third (37%) said they had not been able to keep their home warm enough this winter.
Meanwhile, a quarter (25%) of people in receipt of Universal Credit and disability benefits have had to choose between paying for heating/food, or getting a bed/bedding in the last three months.
“I’m terrified the government will stop or cut disability benefits and if they do, I can’t bear to think of the outcome,” said one person in their survey response.
Another person said: “It’s just going to get worse, my health will get worse. I won’t be able to renew my car insurance in March, or get an MOT this year. I think I’ll soon fall behind with gas and electric bills. If the government switch to a voucher scheme for disability payments, I’ll probably starve!”
A quarter (25%) of people claiming Universal Credit and disability benefits have been unable to afford pain relief or other over the counter medication in the last three months. Four in ten (37%) participants were behind on bills, with 28% behind on gas or electricity in particular.
Just over half (52%) of people claiming Universal Credit were pessimistic about their own financial situation over the next year. Additionally, 58% said the UK government is doing badly at improving living standards for people in their situation.
Trussell is an anti-poverty charity and community of 1,400 food banks across the UK. Disabled people are overrepresented at food banks, as 75% of people referred to a food bank in the Trussell community said that they or a member of their household are disabled.
To fulfil its long-term ambitions, Trussell says the UK government must take serious action to reduce hunger and hardship by investing in social security. Focusing on short term cuts will just push more people deeper into poverty and to hunger and hardship, and this will harm us all.
Trussell has joined together with hundreds of communities, food banks and charities including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, in calling on the UK government to create an Essentials Guarantee in Universal Credit, which means the basic rate at least cover’s life’s essentials and that support can never be pulled below that level.
The majority of participants in the new survey agree, with 83% saying they would support an Essentials Guarantee.
Sumi Rabindrakumar, head of policy and research at Trussell, said: “Trussell’s heartbreaking new findings show that Universal Credit and disability benefits are failing to cover the cost of living, with 77% of people receiving them having gone without the essentials in the last six months.
“Not only that, but one in five people have had to use a food bank. This should not be the case in one of the richest countries in the world.
“We agree with the UK government that disability benefits urgently need reform. But balancing the books cannot come at the expense of people already having to survive on incredibly low incomes, and people with physical and mental ill health conditions.
“Our data shows that disabled people are far more likely to need support from a food bank, which likely reflects that life costs more for disabled people, with additional costs like therapies, treatments, specialist kit to help with day-to-day activities and paid care to think about on top of food, bills and toiletries.
“Welfare and disability benefit cuts risk pushing even more people to the doors of food banks. Many disabled people are terrified of the prospect of cuts to disability benefits, which are already not enough to live on.
“If the UK government is committed to its promise to end the need for emergency food, it must address underlying barriers to work and flaws in our social security system. It must also commit to creating an Essentials Guarantee which would ensure everyone can at the very least afford the essentials we all need, such as food, bills and toiletries- not whip away lifelines from people who need them most.”
Scottish Book Trust has announced that it will gift books to children and families visiting food banks this winter including Community One Stop Shop (3 Broomhouse Market) as well as Edinburgh Children’s Hospital, and primary school children.
The charity has been inundated with requests, from food banks and local authorities across Scotland, to support more vulnerable children and families facing challenging circumstances.
While the cost of living crisis continues, over a million people in Scotland are already living in poverty, a quarter of which are children.1 Too many children are growing up without books and the impact of this lasts a lifetime. Children and young people who don’t have a book of their own are twice as likely to have lower mental health.2
The charity’s Christmas Appeal 2024 will feature Eric Carle’s iconic and well-loved children’s book character, The Very Hungry Caterpillar with kind permission from Penguin Random House LLC and The World of Eric Carle.
Marc Lambert, CEO Scottish Book Trust, commented: “The power of books and the importance of children and young people having access to books should not be underestimated. Reading has the power to redress the impacts of disadvantage.
“We know the difference that books make in children’s lives and we want to ensure no child misses out. Books bring comfort, escapism and togetherness in families. Every child deserves the magic of a book and donations to our appeal will provide vital support for those most in need.”
Mary Mekarnom, Senior Director, Creative & Strategy, World of Eric Carle Penguin Random House, said “We are so happy that we can help support Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas Appeal this holiday season.
“Eric Carle used to say that he did not see children as a group. He saw a child, a child, a child. Meaning every child has individual needs and has a different way of learning or responding to a book.
“We are hopeful that The Very Hungry Caterpillar can help support this appeal and make a difference in the lives of each individual child and family in need.”
Over the past three years, the charity has given over 290,000 books to children in need of our support and living in areas of deprivation through food banks, community hubs and other charities.
Funds raised from the appeal will enable Scottish Book Trust to give books to families, via food banks, other charities and community hubs, and deliver more of its life-changing work.
Some examples of its programmes include specialist support for young families facing significant challenges through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs and supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them.
To learn more about Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas appeal, visit:
Food banks in our community gave out just over 1,428,000 emergency food parcels across the UK between April and September this year, charity Trussell Trust reports today.
This includes 508,000 parcels provided for children facing hunger across the UK.
The majority of food parcels were distributed to families with children, with 63% of the total number of parcels going to households with children aged 0–16, the charity reports. More than277,000 people visited a food bank in the Trussell community for the first time between April and September.
The total number of parcels provided across the UK is 67,000 fewer when compared to the same period last year, representing a 4% decrease. Trussell says there are a number of possible reasons for this recent small dip, such as the gradual slowdown in the extortionate price hikes we experienced on food and bills in recent years, and an end to the Local Housing Allowance freeze in April, bringing support for private renters back in line with local rents.
However, Trussell says it’s difficult to say if there has been an actual drop in hunger and hardship. The need for emergency food is still persistently high, and the number of parcels provided is 69% greater than the same period in 2019.
In fact, some UK regions saw a marginal increase in the number of food parcels provided. East of England and London saw increases of 1% and 4% respectively in the numbers of parcels provided.
Trussell says while food banks are a last resort for people who’ve been left isolated, facing hunger, and without enough money to live on, many are at breaking point due to years of growing numbers of people forced through their doors.
Winter is often the busiest time for food banks and Trussell is calling on the public to continue to play their part and support their local food banks to meet this urgent need, by volunteering, donating, fundraising or campaigning to help end hunger in the UK.
Food banks offer hope, dignity and relief to people facing hardship. Many need vital funds to provide services beyond distributing emergency food, such as advice and support that unlocks money someone should be getting and services aimed at helping people out of financial hardship.
Trussell says the evidence is clear that hunger in the UK isn’t a food problem, it’s an income problem. People are being forced to turn to food banks because incomes from work, and social security payments, do not cover the cost of the essentials, such as food, bills, and toiletries.
That’s why Trussell has also joined forces with hundreds of communities, food banks and charities including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, in calling on the UK government to take urgent action now.
Today, food banks across the UK have joined together to rally for change and are giving out a newspaper, the Hardship Times, in Westminster. The newspaper is made up of messages of hardship and hope, collected from hundreds of food banks across the UK.
The charity says there is hope and it knows we can end hunger, if positive action is taken. The UK government must act swiftly to follow up announcements in the recent Budget, with a clear plan to meet its manifesto commitment to end the need for emergency food and ensure that we do not see even more people facing hunger and hardship on its watch.
This plan should include investment in our social security system, at the very least introducing a protected minimum floor in Universal Credit to limit the amount of reductions that could be applied to a household’s Universal Credit. This would ensure, for the first time, that there would be a real safety net below which no one could fall.
The charity says this would be a low cost but concrete step towards ensuring our social security system protects people from facing hunger and hardship.
Emma Revie, Chief Executive of Trussell, said: “The sheer numbers of people still facing hunger and hardship across the UK is heartbreaking. This cannot go on and we refuse to stand by while so many of us are pushed to the brink, left without enough money to live on.
“Our food banks are a lifeline, offering a warm welcome and space to be heard. They need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK.
“You can help make sure food banks can continue to provide warm, compassionate, practical support and advice this winter by volunteering, donating, fundraising or campaigning to help end hunger in the UK.
“Meanwhile, alongside our community of food banks campaigning today in Westminster, we will continue to call for change.
“The UK Government was elected with a manifesto pledge to end the need for emergency food and the time to act is now. There have been promising steps, but we need a clearer plan with more decisive action to invest in our social security system, if we are to end hunger once and for all.”
Number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell community: 1 April – 30 September 2019, 2023, and 2024:
Our manifesto sets out the actions we want the next UK government to take to build a future without the need for food banks.
It’s 2024, and we’re facing historic food bank need.
More than 3.1 million emergency food parcels were provided by food banks in the Trussell Trust network to people facing hardship across the UK in the past 12 months – the most parcels the network has ever distributed in a single year.
Urgent reform of our social security system, which isn’t even providing enough support for people to afford the essentials, is critical.
That’s why, as we approach the next UK general election, we’re setting out our manifesto to end the need for food banks.
These are the actions we urge all political parties to support, and our priorities for the next UK Government, so they can lead us into a more hopeful future.
We know what needs to change to help people who can’t afford the essentials.
Social Enterprise, Places for People has continued its support of local food banks with £8,500 of funding to help provide individuals and families with essential items over the winter period.
The funding was allocated following Places for People annual survey which found that 26% of customers in Scotland were struggling financially. A number of customers also stated that they had ran out of food provisions and many expressed an interest in food-related cost-of-living support. It comes after the Trussel Trust reported a 16% increase in demand on local foodbanks between April and September 2023.
The foodbanks that will be supported include:
· Edinburgh Food Project – with seven centres the funding from Places for People will look to benefit over 150 people with food parcels, totally over £5,500.
· The Vennie Food Outlet in Livingston, West Lothian – the centre based at Mosswood Community Centre will see over £1,500 going to support over 100 individuals through the donation.
· Newtongrange Development Trust in Newtongrange – the self-referral service for local residents, which opens on Sundays will receive £1,500 to support discounted weekly shops.
This support is one of the ways Places for People works in their communities to make a difference and support activities across a wide range of areas.
Selected schemes are based on the insight from their annual survey and targeted based on local needs. By taking this approach, Places for People has identified 9 foodbanks to allocate funding to.
In addition to the funding, Places for People is working directly with each foodbank to ensure that the customers who access the service are offered further support by being referred to any relevant support.
Marcus Hulme, Director of Places Impact at Places for People commented: “We have seen first-hand the impact that the cost-of-living crisis is having on communities, and we want to do everything we can to support our customers and communities through this difficult time.
“The rise in the use of foodbanks across the country is deeply concerning, we hope that this funding will help to support our local foodbanks and help provide people with the essentials they need.
“This funding is only part of the continuing work we are doing to support our customers and communities, between April 2022 and March 2023 we provided £750,000 of financial support through our Cost of Living Fund including rent relief and vouchers for essentials including food and fuel. A fund which we have dedicated more funds to this financial year.”
Places for People has an ongoing commitment to support communities, in April 2023 they dedicated £1 million to their cost-of-living fund to help ease the challenge of the steeply rising cost of living, the fund is used to support customers with food and fuel vouchers, rent and service charge relief as well as energy efficient packs.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives with reading and writing, has today announced that it will gift books to children and families visiting food banks this winter, for the third year.
The need for food banks has continued to grow in Scotland, rising 30% between April 2022 and March this year, compared to the same period in 2021–22. New data from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports that over a million people in Scotland are living in poverty, around a quarter of whom are children.
Marking its 25th anniversary this year, Scottish Book Trust works to tackle inequality and break the poverty cycle through access to books and reading.
Since 2020, Scottish Book Trust has distributed over 290,000 books to children and families in need through food banks, community hubs and other charities across Scotland. This includes food banks in Edinburgh and the Lothians, The Salvation Army on Gorgie Road, East Lothian Foodbank, West Lothian Foodbank and The Larder.
Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and Macmillan Children’s Books have given the charity kind permission to use illustrations from The Gruffalo’s Child to help support and raise awareness of the charity’s Christmas appeal.
Julia Donaldson said: ‘Scottish Book Trust has been doing great work for 25 years supporting children with literacy and improving access to books. The charity has just beaten the Gruffalo by one year, as he is going to be 25 next year.
“In fact, the Gruffalo’s origins go back to when I first tried the story out in various primary schools in Scotland, under the wing of Scottish Book Trust.
“I have continued to work with the charity regularly since then and am very pleased that The Gruffalo’s Child is leading their Christmas appeal this year and helping children and families at a time when books and stories are needed more than ever.’
Axel Scheffler said: ‘I am very happy that The Gruffalo’s Child is at the centre of Scottish Book Trust’s fundraising campaign this Christmas.
“Enjoying books together is important for families and it is terrible that many children still have no access to books – and that this need is becoming ever greater.
“I hope that many people will support this Christmas appeal, so that Scottish Book Trust can increase their work in making a difference to children’s lives in Scotland.’
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Christmas is looking stark for many families across Scotland. Access to books is absolutely essential for a child’s development and wellbeing, and for many the only books they have at home are the ones that have been given to them by Scottish Book Trust.
“Books make a huge difference to daily lives, bringing comfort, escapism and togetherness in families. Every child deserves a little magic at Christmas and donations to our appeal will provide vital support for those most in need.’
Funds raised from the appeal will enable Scottish Book Trust to give books to families via food banks and community hubs and deliver more of its life-changing work. Some examples of its programmes include specialist support for young families facing significant challenges through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs and supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them.
To learn more about Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas appeal, visit:
