Leeds Food Banks Supporting More Familes
A Leeds food bank says it’s seeing an increasing number of families with children, looking for help.
Nationally 22-31% of food bank users have children, but in Leeds, it’s 47%.
This number is on the rise, in April 2015, the figures show 51% of users in Leeds West, had children to feed.
At the Leeds West food bank, the top three reasons for food bank referral were benefit delays - 29%. Low income 24%. Benefit changes 15%.
The top three primary referral causes at Trussell Trust food banks nationally were benefit delays, low income and benefit changes.
The latest figures published by the Trussell Trust nationally show that over 1,000,000 people have received at least three days’ emergency food from the charity’s foodbanks in the last twelve months, more than in any previous year. The data indicates that despite signs of economic recovery, the numbers of people turning to foodbanks continues to grow.
Last year local people donated 27 tonnes of food to Leeds West foodbank, and over 120 volunteered. Local schools, businesses and faith groups have provided vital support to the foodbank, enabling us to give three days’ nutritionally balanced food and support to people in crisis.
Of the 3847 people given three days’ emergency food, 47% were children – 11% more than the national average.
How Trussell Trust foodbanks work:
Trussell Trust foodbanks provide three days’ nutritionally balanced food and support to people in crisis in the UK. We also signpost people to other agencies and services able to help resolve the underlying cause of the crisis. As part of the charity’s More Than Food approach, many foodbanks also host additional services like debt/financial advice, holiday lunch and breakfast clubs.
Everyone who comes to a Trussell Trust foodbank is referred by a professional such as a social worker, health visitor or schools liaison officer. Over 30,000 professionals referred people to Trussell Trust foodbanks in 2014-15, and 50 percent are statutory agencies.
Over 90 percent of food given out by Trussell Trust foodbanks is donated by the public.
The Trussell Trust is a Christian charity that runs the biggest network of foodbanks in the UK. For more on The Trussell Trust visit www.trusselltrust.org
Trussell Trust statistics:
Trussell Trust statistics are collected using an online data collection system into which foodbanks enter the data from each foodbank voucher. The system records the number of adults and children given three days’ emergency food. Trussell Trust figures have always been reported in this way. We cannot measure unique users on a national scale, but recent detailed evidence collected from a range of foodbanks indicates that on average 49 percent of foodbank users only needed one foodbank voucher in a year, and that only 15 percent needed help more than three times in a year. On average, people needed two foodbank vouchers in a year.
Trussell Trust data collection seeks to comply with ONS guidance. The Trussell Trust receives technical advice from a former senior government statistician.
The Trussell trust publishes figures on use of their foodbanks annually and half yearly, as part of a regular publication scheme.
‘Benefit delays’ refer to people not receiving benefits to which they are entitled on time, this category can also include problems with processing new claims, or any other time lags in people receiving their welfare payments.
‘Benefit changes’ refers to the problems resulting from a change in people’s welfare payments, for example, people having their benefits stopped whilst they are reassessed. This can also include a sanction.
‘Low income’ refers to anyone who is struggling to get by on a low income. This could be people in work, or people on benefits, for whom a small crisis e.g. boiler breaking down or having to buy school uniform etc, can be enough to mean that they cannot afford food.