Norfolk foodbank: Universal Credit must match cost of living prices
Over 42 thousand emergency food parcels were given out in the county, between the end of March in 2024 and this year
A foodbank in Norfolk tells us Universal Credit needs to match cost of living prices, so more people aren't pushed in to poverty.
Over 42 thousand emergency food parcels were given out in the county, between the end of March in 2024 and this year.
That's a jump of over 18 thousand recording over the same period in 2017 and 2018, by the Trussell Trust.
Of that- just over 15 thousand children in the county got emergency food support between late march of this year and last.
More than eight thousand were given out over the same period, eight years ago
"Anyone can find themselves in need of a foodbank"
Helen Gilbert works at their branch in King's Lynn:
"Anyone can find themselves in need of a foodbank. You lose your job or you have a relationship breakdown, there's all sorts of reasons.
"However, people will only ever need to return to see us, if they haven't got that help and support to get themselves out of that situation".
She says the Government's planned welfare cuts will only make things worse:
"People with long-term health conditions or disabilities are very over-represented in foodbanks, as compared to the general population.
"So those proposals will inevitably have an impact on them and the people who are on the edge of needing support from us, as well".
The figures in more detail:
Total emergency parcels distributed:
1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025- 42,262
1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024- 46,331
1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023- 45,479
1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022- 26,933
1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021- 37,975
1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020- 33,311
1 April 2018 - 31 March 2019- 25,965
1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018- 23,720
What's the Government said on this?
The Government said in it's election winning manifesto that it wants to end the so-called 'mass dependence' on emergency food parcels, "which is a moral scar on our society".