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 than 277,000 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:
| 1 April – 30 September 2019 | 1 April – 30 September 2023 | 1 April– 30 September 2024 | |||||||
| For adults | For children | Total | For adults | For children | Total | For adults | For children | Total | |
| UK | 534,786 | 309,203 | 843,989 | 952,394 | 542,915 | 1,495,309 | 920,960 | 507,721 | 1,428,681 |
| England | 411,598 | 243,697 | 655,295 | 785,489 | 451,713 | 1,237,202 | 764,077 | 424,758 | 1,188,835 |
| Scotland | 75,361 | 36,891 | 112,252 | 87,485 | 42,136 | 129,621 | 82,424 | 39,967 | 122,391 |
| Wales | 37,262 | 21,199 | 58,461 | 56,496 | 32,209 | 88,705 | 53,878 | 28,907 | 82,785 |
| Northern Ireland | 10,565 | 7,416 | 17,981 | 22,924 | 16,857 | 39,781 | |||