1.5 million food parcels distributed by the Trussell Trust as need continues to soar

• New figures from the Trussell Trust reveal that the charity’s UK-wide network of food banks distributed a record number of emergency food parcels between April and September this year – more than ever before for this six-month period. 
• A record 540,000 emergency food parcels were provided to support more than 265,000 children across the UK. 
• The charity is urging the Government to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to do more to protect households on the lowest incomes. 

New figures released today by the Trussell Trust reveal that 1.5 million emergency food parcels were provided to people between April and September by food banks in the charity’s UK-wide network. This is the most parcels that the network has ever distributed at this point in the year and represents a 16% increase from the same period in 2022. Low incomes, especially from social security, debt, health conditions and issues with social security payments such as delays or sanctions were the main reasons people were left with no option but to turn to a food bank for help.

A record 540,000 food parcels were provided for more than 265,000 children living in families who could not afford the essentials. This is an 11% increase compared to the same period last year, reflecting the continuing rise in need for the support provided by food banks.    

The new data also revealed that 65% of all the parcels provided by Trussell Trust food banks between April and September this year were for families with children.

Furthermore, the charity has reported that an alarming 320,000 people have needed to use a food bank for the first time in the past six months, warning that food banks are at ‘breaking point’ as more and more people in communities across the UK find themselves unable afford the essentials.

The Trussell Trust believes that the situation is unlikely to change in the coming months with this stark new data leading them to forecast that food banks in their network will distribute more than a million emergency food parcels between December 2023 and February 2024 the equivalent of providing a parcel every eight seconds this winter. 

Jess Holliday, Deputy CEO at Eastbourne Foodbank said: "At Eastbourne Foodbank, our donations are down even as need remains very high. We are deeply concerned about the alarming rise in the number of children needing our support. Last month, 633 of the food parcels we provided were for children. Day after day, people tell us they simply don't have enough money to buy the basics. A client told me, 'I have sold my car. I have sold everything and cut everything out. But that's still not enough. All I want is enough money to pay the basic bills and have some left to buy my own food.' "

In order to reduce these relentless levels of need, the Trussell Trust is calling on the UK Government to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to build on its work to protect households on the lowest incomes.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust said: “These statistics are extremely alarming. An increasing number of children are growing up in families facing hunger, forced to turn to food banks to survive. A generation is growing up believing that it’s normal to see a food bank in every community. This is not right. 

“Rising hunger and hardship have devastating consequences for individuals and our communities, damage the nation’s health and hold back our economy. People in work, as well as people who cannot work, are increasingly being pushed into debt and forced to turn to a food bank to survive.  

“That’s why the UK Government must build on its work to protect people from increasingly severe hardship and commit to putting an Essentials Guarantee into legislation, to embed in our social security system the widely supported principle that, at a minimum, Universal Credit should protect people from going without essentials. 

“We recognise this change cannot happen overnight, which is why we are also calling on the Government to urgently confirm in the Autumn Statement that benefits will rise in line with inflation next April, and to reduce the burden of debt deductions which drive unacceptable levels of hardship.”

The Trussell Trust is encouraging people to show their support for people facing hardship by signing a petition urging UK political party leaders to support the introduction of an Essentials Guarantee to ensure that the basic rate of University Credit at least covers life’s essentials, such as food and bills. You can find out more here: Guarantee our essentials - The Trussell Trust  

ENDS 

Notes to editors:  

Number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell Trust network in the mid-year periods of 2023/24, 2022/23 and 2020/21.   

1. In the mid-year period of 2023/24 (1 April – 30 September inclusive) these parcels were distributed from 1,585 locations operating in 295 local authorities across the UK. 
2. The Trussell Trust’s Data Collection System allows us to track whether someone has used a food bank in our network for the first time. In this mid-year period 319,830 people (including adults and children) were referred to food banks in our network for the first time.
3. ‘Emergency food parcel’: this typically is a three-day parcel containing emergency food for one person. During the crisis food banks have also been distributing seven-day parcels. For this release the Trussell Trust have simply combined both three-day and seven-day parcels together to report the total number of emergency food parcels that were distributed.  
4. Whilst the 540,000 emergency food parcels refers to parcels provided for children, the 65% figure refers to  parcels provided for the whole family, including the adults and children who are part of the same household.
5. Figures from the Trussell Trust network cannot be used to fully explain the scale of food bank use across the UK. The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) has identified at least 1,172 independent food banks while there are also Salvation Army food banks as well as food banks run from schools and hospitals. There are also thousands of other food aid providers including soup kitchens and social supermarkets.