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Trussell Trust charity: Food banks at 'breaking point'
Image source, Matt Cardy
The cost-of-living crisis is pushing food banks to 'breaking point', according to a leading charity.
The Trussell Trust, who provide support to people in poverty, say new research over the last six months has revealed record-breaking levels of need across society.
With 320,000 new food bank users, they say the figures include a lot more families from working households.
Nearly 1.3 million food parcels were handed out - almost half a million of which went to children.
'People are struggling to afford the essentials'
The charity says that people who have, until now, not needed to turn to food banks are now being forced to because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Inflation and the war in Ukraine is putting pressure on food and energy prices, which is an extra strain on the food banks who are not able to keep up with the demand from families struggling to pay bills and buy food.
"We are fortunate to be able to help people and we work hard to support them in both the short and long term, but we are also facing challenges," said Josie Barlow, a food bank manager in Bradford.
"We have seen a huge increase in people coming to the food bank in the last two months compared with the same period last year and our stock levels are very low for this time of the year."
More emergency food parcels have been given out since April than ever before, and the trust is calling on the government to provide better financial support for people in the upcoming budget.
Trussell Trust boss Emma Revie said: "We are calling for the Prime Minister to act decisively in next week's budget. We urge the UK government to realise their commitment of supporting people on the lowest income with a broad package of support."
The government say that they are doing lots to help already.
A spokesperson pointed to support for energy bills over the winter "including sending another Cost-of-Living Payment this month worth 拢324 to over eight million people, part of a 拢1,200 package for those on the lowest incomes."
"Our extensive immediate support for families also includes our energy price guarantee, saving around 拢700 for a typical household over winter, and our household support fund, worth over 拢1 billion to help people with essential costs, combined with longer-term changes such as altering Universal Credit to help people keep 拢1,000 more of what they earn every year," the spokesperson added.