UNISON condemns the soaring need for food banks in the UK as a ‘national disgrace’

The Trussell Trust today released figures showing that the past year was the busiest in the food bank charity’s 22-year history.
In the 12 months from April 2018 to March 2019, nearly 1.6 million three-day emergency food parcels were given to people in crisis in the UK ­– more than half a million of which went to children.
This is an 18.8% increase on the previous year.
And today’s figures are just the tip of the iceberg of the UK’s poverty crisis. The Trussell Trust network of 1,200 food bank centres across the UK accounts for approximately two-thirds of all emergency food banks – so there are hundreds more not touched on by the statistics.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis commented: “We live in the sixth richest country in the world, but hundreds of thousands of families and children are forced to rely on food parcels to survive.
“That’s a national disgrace that should shame us all.”
The Trussell Trust data suggests that the main reasons for people needing emergency food are benefits consistently not covering the cost of living, along with delays or changes to the benefits being paid.
Universal Credit is not the only benefit payment causing problems, but issues with moving onto the new system are a key driver of increasing need – almost half (49%) of benefits-related food bank referrals were linked to Universal Credit.
The charity believes that ending the five-week wait for a first Universal Credit payment should be the government’s first priorit...

Source: UNISON Health care news - April 25, 2019 Category: UK Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News There for you support Source Type: news