FOOD banks are “at risk of being overrun” as the grip of the cost-of-living crisis tightens.
Almost all food banks (99 percent) have witnessed an increase in demand since the start of the year, according to community-giving platform Neighbourly and Aldi – which collaborate to distribute extra food from Aldi stores. One in three persons who visit banks for the first time has never needed them before.
As poverty, destitution, and hunger levels continue to climb alarmingly, the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) appealed to the Prime Minister and Chancellor pleading for assistance.
The organization, which represents food aid providers around the UK, including over 550 independent food banks, wrote: “We are profoundly concerned about the scale of suffering we are already experiencing, as well as our capacity to prevent people from going hungry in the coming weeks and months.”
“An emergency supply of food cannot resolve someone’s financial crisis and will only act as a temporary sticking plaster.
“Measures must be urgently introduced to decisively increase people’s incomes through the social security system and wage increases combined with job security.”
The food banks are pleading with the government to enhance benefits by at least 8% to keep up with inflation.
Additionally, they want the five-week waiting period for Universal Credit eliminated and crisis cash payments made promptly available.
Sabine Goodwin, who drafted the letter on behalf of IFAN, also requests that salary increases keep pace with inflation.
The Daily Express spoke to charities, food banks, and community causes to find out how they’re coping. Ms. Goodwin, the coordinator of IFAN, said: “Foodbanks in our network are facing an impossible situation.
“They are struggling to support more and more people unable to afford food while their capacity is reduced due to lack of donations and volunteers.
“The answer is clearly not unsustainable charitable food aid provision but to ensure people have enough income to survive through adequate social security payments, wages, and job security.
“We’re urging the Government to address the UK’s deepening poverty crisis and to stop hunger from happening in the first place.”
Andrew Forsey, national director of Feeding Britain, said: “Our country’s last line of defense against destitution is at risk of being overrun. With hard-up Brits feeling the pinch, the queue for Feeding Britain’s help is lengthening each week. Those in the queue have had to unplug fridges and freezers, stop using heating and hot water, and take home larger amounts of food from our projects in a desperate attempt to keep a roof over their head.”
Orla Delargy from Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, said: “Colleagues working in food banks are warning about the huge increase in need. But food banks can
only go so far and are incapable of resolving the financial problem that many of their users are experiencing.
