Nearly 19,000 emergency food parcels handed out in Kent

Nearly 19,000 people have received emergency food parcels in Kent, since April.

According to figures by the Trussell Trust, Medway was the area which gave out the most parcels - with over 6,440 distributed.

Swale was next with 4,043, followed by Dover (3,688), Gravesham with (2,226), Sevenoaks (1,117), Folkestone and Hythe (640) and Tunbridge Wells (580)

Together, 18,934 parcels were handed across the county between April 2024 and September 2024.

Mike Evans works for the Trussell Trust in Medway, he said: "The parcels provide food for three days, it as simple as that. That means families will have more money in their pockets to pay their electricity bill, to get about on the buses.

"It's basically to get by for the next time they may need a food parcel and It's just so sad and really makes me feel angry because I know it's not necessary.

It's staggering to me that there is so much wealth in this country yet there is so much poverty at the same time, it just doesn't have to be this way."

On why adults and children end up needing food parcels, Mike explained: "The two child benefit cap is a big reason as well as Universal Credit, with the standard allowance only £91 a week.

"From that you have got to find food, pay utility bills and transports costs and buy clothes plus the other inconveniences of life. When you put that all together, £91 isn't a lot of money and I can imagine a lot of your listeners will find it hard to get by on that."