Foodbanks see demand rise by a third during the pandemic

Food bank charity The Trussell Trust have revealed they gave out a record 2.5 million emergency food parcels in the year from April 2020 to March 2021. That's an increase of 33% on the previous year.

Almost 1 million went to children- that's almost two parcels every single minute.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic there are high rates of unemployment and record redundancies across the country and with more people needing the social security system, many are turning to food banks for help.

A worrying rise in need

This is not the first time the charity has experienced a rise, they're warning that the need for their services is increasing year on year.

Today's (22nd April) figures reveal that there has been a rise of 128% compared to this time five years ago, with this being the first time parcels given out has gone over 2 million.

The charity, which set up it's first food bank in Salisbury in 2000, have called the figures "alarming" and have warned they are just "the tip of the iceberg".

According to the Labour Market Overview, from November 2020 to January 2021 the unemployment rate for those aged 16 plus was 5%, up from 3.9% in the previous year, meanwhile redundancies increase by 138% between April and July last year.

They are now calling on all levels of government to act and any candidates running in local elections to commit to working towards ending the need for food banks.

"Year on year increases on demand for food parcels"

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said:

"These figures are really shocking, we've seen year on year increases on demand for food parcels with more and more people finding themselves having to come to a food bank.

"The reasons why people are using food banks and largely unchanged, that is because people find themselves in a situation where they don't have enough money for the essentials and in many instances that's where people have experienced the loss of a job or become too unwell to work or living with issues like having a disability or being a single parent, the money they are receiving from social security is just not enough to cover the cost of essentials.

Emma continued:

"No one should face the indignity of needing emergency food. Yet our network of food banks has given out record numbers of food parcels as more and more people struggle without enough money for the essentials. This is not right but we know we can build a better future. This pandemic has shown the unexpected can hit suddenly, but we know when we push for change, united by our desire for justice and compassion, the government has to listen and act.

"We are asking you, the public, to write to your local candidates standing for election on 6 May, asking them to commit to working to end the need for food banks if elected. Together we can take action now to build a hunger free future."

You can find your nearest food bank by visiting the Trussell Trust website.

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• the trussell trust
• coronavirus
• food banks