Cornish foodbank fears government plans could push people into 'indefinite' poverty
The Truro site says there are no clear targets for easing the need for foodbanks
A Cornish foodbank fears that government plans could 'condemn some people to indefinite food poverty'.
Truro foodbank says it appears some politicians now accept that food aid organisations have a permanent role to play.
The charity is affiliated to the Trussell Trust which has a national mission to end the need for foodbanks in five years.
But the Truro manager, Simon Fann, says the government’s recent white paper on levelling up sets no clear targets for easing the need for foodbanks.
He said: “There are 12 missions in the white paper. I can’t see anything specific about ending the need for foodbanks. There’s no detailed plan to help people out of food crisis, no improved deal for those who’re struggling.
“Therefore, we are seen and relied upon as an established institution. We are now taken for granted by some political leaders and members of the public.
“We have become the get out of jail card for any social policy or individual choice that embeds reliance on our service.”
It comes after the Chancellor revealed his Spring budget statement on Wednesday.
Rishi Sunak announced tax cuts, including a five-pence-a-litre cut to fuel duty and increasing the National Insurance threshold by ÂŁ3,000, from July.
He says that will save a typical worker ÂŁ300 pounds per year. But there are concerns that low learners and those on Universal Credit will be hit the hardest.
Truro Foodbank has seen a huge increase in demand since the pandemic. It provided 30,000 meals in the last year for more than 3,500 people.
Mr Fann said: “Some people have the skills and the motivation to pull themselves out of food poverty. Others don’t and they find themselves in a crisis time after time. They can’t see a way out of it.
“They now face a perfect storm with the cut in Universal Credit, the increase in National Insurance and soaring energy costs. The fear is that they will come to rely on us indefinitely.”
The foodbank, which is working with the Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum, is pressing for independent research into why wages are so low in Cornwall. It’s also calling on all local politicians and business leaders to take action to ease poverty in the county.
Mr Fann said: “The main problem is low incomes in Cornwall. More information is needed to understand this. What is the real cost of living here? What increase in income is needed to take people out of food crisis? Should there be a Cornish living wage?
“Any solutions need to be enthusiastically supported by political and business representatives as well as by local people. We’re trying to engage with them. Otherwise, nothing will change and foodbanks will continue to be taken for granted.”
Trussell Trust says that two in five Brits that receive Universal Credit have been forced into debt this winter just to eat and pay bills, according to new research.
They say the data has revealed the true and devastating consequences of the current cost of living crisis, with hundreds of thousands of families across the country struggling to get by.
A new poll conducted by YouGov showed that 33% of those surveyed had more than one day in the last month where they didn’t eat at all or had only one meal, while the same amount of people have not been able to heat their home for more than four days across the last month.
They claim that the rise in the cost of living means people are having to choose between the essentials like food or heating.
The charity say that the situation is only set to get worse with inflation set to hit at least 7% this April, but benefit levels going up by just 3.1%.
The Salisbury based foodbank charity is calling on the UK government to increase benefits by at least 7% this April as a bare minimum, to bring them in line with the true rate of inflation.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Right now, the cost of living is forcing hundreds of thousands of families across the country into a downward spiral of debt just to get by. People are telling us they're going days with minimal food, are having to endure the cold to save money and are being forced to turn to food banks with devastating effects on people’s mental health. Social security should be protecting people from debt and food banks - not pushing them towards it.
“This isn’t right. We know the situation is only set to get worse and we cannot wait any longer. That’s why we are calling on the UK Government to bring benefits in line with the forecast rate of inflation as a bare minimum in the upcoming Spring Statement, to prevent thousands more people being forced into debt and through the doors of food banks. Longer term, it is vital we strengthen our social security system so it protects us all from harm and invest in local crisis support so no one needs to use a food bank to get by.”
The public are being urged by the charity to write to their local MPs, asking the Chancellor to take action.