Salisbury charity calls for Government to improve benefits
The Trussell Trust wants a guarantee that payments will always cover essentials
A Salisbury based charity is calling for the Government to ensure benefits will always cover the cost of essentials like food and energy.
The Trussell Trust has been giving evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee in Westminster.
Their Director of Policy, Helen Barnard, spoke to them about the one-off cost of living payments given out to low income households:
"Every time a payment went out, we saw a dip in the number of people turning to foodbanks for help with the essentials. But the respite didn't last. A couple of weeks later, the need is back again."
The charity runs foodbanks across the country, and regularly campaigns for change to support families with low incomes.
Figures released in April 2023 showed the Trussell Trust gave out 3 million emergency food parcels to households in the year to March.
A third of that support was for children.
At the time, the charity raised their concerns about benefits payments, telling us a single person needs £120 per week on average to cover the cost of essentials, but universal credit is only offering £85.
Director of Policy, Helen Barnard, explains how the Government could help:
"When people don't have enough income every week to cover essentials like food and bills, a one-off payment can't fix that. That's why we need an essentials guarantee, so that benefits always cover the cost of essentials."