Food banks fear a surge in demand as Universal Credit cut
Food banks around the UK are appealing for donations as Universal Credit cut brings in more people
Last updated 24th May 2022
Food banks in the UK are worried that today's cut in Universal credit will lead to a surge in demand for help.
Today the temporary £20 Universal credit weekly uplift will be stopped for those who claimed it through the pandemic.
Our reporter in Grimsby went to speak to a foodbank there:
The Rock Foundation in Grimsby, Lincolnshire are especially appealing for donations and bracing themselves for a surge in demand.
Susan Calvert visits the food bank twice a week, she said:
“We barely manage with gas and electric as it is, sometime we go without. So if they’re cutting my benefits then I don’t know how I’m going to cope with it. Last winter we struggled and didn’t always have gas so we had blankets.”
Staff at the Rock Foundation say the £20 weekly cut in Universal Credit, alongside energy price rises, and a lack of delivery vehicles are leaving their shelves at risk of being empty.
Pam Hodge runs the food bank, she said:
“We’re already starting to see a slight increase so we are monitoring that. It is going toi make an impact on food provision. With the lorry situation we're not getting probably as much as what we would have done in the past from the supermarket so we're not getting as much as we as we were before so that's already having impact on us as well.
“We have been trying to be careful over the past few months, where we’ve had fresh fruit and veg come in, we’ve kept our tins to one side so that we've got some back up there but it's going to be very difficult to and we're just going to have to all pulling together.”