The issue of fuel poverty has featured heavily in the media recently as the recession continues to have an impact on living standards. However, there is another measure of the state of the nation that has yet to be acknowledged so openly – food poverty.
It is estimated that around 13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK and increasingly many of these are going hungry, as incomes tumble and the cost of groceries in retail commercial properties continue to rise.
This is a fact recognized by the Trussell Trust, which operates over 200 foodbanks throughout the UK distributing food parcels to those most in need. The Trussell Trust is a Christian organization that aims to empower local communities to combat poverty and exclusion.
It opened its first food bank in a garden shed in Salisbury in 2000 and now provides support to people of all backgrounds and beliefs, in locations as economically diverse as Tower Hamlets and Gloucester. The aim is to eventually have a food bank in every town in the UK.
Now, as the effects of the government’s austerity measures begin to bite, they are finding more and more people referred to them who are going without meals in order to feed their children. This has historically been as a result of low incomes and debt, but now recent benefit cuts are worsening the situation.
People are referred to food banks by professionals such as social workers, doctors and benefits staff, and over the past twelve months the number of referrals has doubled to 128,000. Over the same period the organization has been opening two food banks a week and anticipates it will be feeding 500,000 people by 2016.
Each food parcel contains enough nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food to last three days. This comes from donations by the public and retail commercial properties, and each individual is entitled to three parcels before they are passed on to organizations like the CAB in order to find a long term solution to their problems.
Chris Mould, the executive chair of the Trussell Trust, blames deterioration in living standards for the sharp rise in referrals and says; “It’s shocking that there is such a great need for food banks in 21st century Britain, but the need is growing.” Gavin Kibble of Coventry food bank agrees, describing food banks as a “barometer of the nation.”
Food banks are run as local franchises, but as the network expands, discussions have focused on how much this model may need to change in order to meet demand. This has led to calls for greater cooperation with commercial property retailers. Suggestions include asking commercial properties to match donations or to top-up local food bank supplies.
However, one food bank manager has called for a coordinated national partnership with commercial properties, saying; “Coordination with supermarkets done at a national level instead of a local level would, to a certain, extent, save all the negotiating – it can take two to three months to get a supermarket on board and working with you.”
The work done by food banks recently received government recognition when David Cameron met Chris Mould in Downing Street. Mr Mould said: “The Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of food banks is testament to the incredible work of all those across the UK who have stepped up and launched food banks in their towns to stop people going hungry. It’s a big well done to everyone.”
