"I look forward to the day we can close": Suffolk foodbanks have busiest year on record
Nearly 800 parcels were sent out across the county by the Trussell Trust in 2022-23
Several Suffolk foodbanks have recorded thier busiest years on record, with rising bills and inflation putting major pressure on households.
In the last 12 months, 776 emergency food parcels were sent to people struggling to make ends meet in Suffolk by the Trussell Trust, a charity which runs foodbanks across Waveney and East Suffolk.
Over half of those packages went to households with children, while a fifth went to those in work that still couldn't afford to buy food.
Ali Wainwright, who works for the charity, said: "What's of concern to us is the rise in the number of households with children needing support. "
"One of the other things we've noticed is the number of people using the foodbank for the first time this year. We look forward to the time where, actually, we don't need foodbanks in the UK."
The rise in the need for foodbanks across the United Kingdom
Director of Policy, Research and Impact at the Trussell Trust Network, Helen Barnard, said a rise in the demand for foodbanks across the UK isn't just a pandemic or cost-of-living related issue.
"We've seen it's more than a one-third increase in a year. But actually, I also think it's important that we look at the longer-term trend, this isn't just a pandemic effect or a cost-of-living effect."
“We looked back over the last five years and the need has been climbing steeply over that time.”
Helen added that 'most people turning to foodbanks had exhausted all other options, such as help from friends and family.'
The Trussell Trust doesn't just offer food, Helen said: “They will try and help people look at the root causes. There will be advisors there so you can get advice on whether you are getting the right benefits, for instance.”
But, people are finding that they still need foodbanks: “What we're finding is, even when people have been helped to get everything they should, the actual amount you're getting in social security doesn't cover the cost of essentials. It's not linked to the real cost of life."
Network lead at the Trussell Trust for the East of England Tansy Miller told us she has seen more and more people making return visits to their foodbanks
"People all across the country, but particularly here across the East of England, are really struggling and simply can't afford to food themselves. So our food banks have seen an unprecedented increase...
"Take Suffolk as an example, our food banks there have fed nearly 50% more people this year than they ever have before. It's the highest level on record for us.
"We knew the food banks were busy - our volunteers and members of the public have been amazing.
"They've been giving us the most incredible donations, but the demand is just going up and up and up…
"It's shocking. It's alarming and it's really shown us the staggering scale of the food crisis and the kind of poverty crisis that we're seeing in this country."
'Universal credit isn't covering the cost of essentials'
Helen told us that a single person needs ÂŁ120 per week to cover the cost of essentials, but Universal Credit is only offering ÂŁ85, resulting in a shortfall of ÂŁ35.
Asked how The Trussell Trust were tackling this problem, Helen called on the government to put an essentials guarantee into Universal Credit:
“When we think about this number of people who are living in destitution, the effect on people's health, is just appalling. The effect on your mental health, if you are living hand to mouth, if you're lying awake, worrying about debts, if you can't eat properly or stay warm, the effect on your mental health and your physical health is tremendous.
“The NHS is under enormous strain, we are piling pressure on it by allowing people to have to live like this, so it feels as if we are fuelling some of our other big national challenges by not dealing with this fundamental problem.”
A Government spokesperson said: "We are committed to eradicating poverty and we recognise the pressures of the rising cost of living which is why we have uprated benefits by 10.1% as well as making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month.
"This is on top of changes already made to Universal Credit which mean claimants can keep more of their hard-earned money - a boost worth ÂŁ1,000 a year on average.
"We are also providing record levels of direct financial support for the most vulnerable - ÂŁ1,200 last year and a further ÂŁ1,350 in 2023/24, with over eight million families starting to receive their first ÂŁ301 Cost of Living instalment from yesterday - while the Household Support Fund is helping people with essential costs."
Network lead at the Trussell Trust for the East of England Tansy Miller said Universal Credit is the biggest cause.
"Universal Credit, which is the basic Social Security Benefit just isn't enough to feed people...
"We've seen people who are working, we've actually got nurses at the hospital who are working, but because their rent has gone up because they're heating, bills have gone up, their broadband has gone up, the cost of food has gone up. They literally don't earn enough...
"Universal Credit... in real terms, is the lowest it's ever been for 40 years. But inflation is the highest it's ever been for 40 years.
"So all those things combined mean that people, even with the best budgeting in the world, just can't make ends meet. And so if they can't afford food. At least they can come to us and, get a food parcel...And we're seeing more and more people who need that kind of support on a more long-term basis."