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60,000 families relying on foodbanks this Christmas

At least 60,000 adults will rely of foodbanks to feed their families this Christmas, according to the Trussell Trust.

Chief executive Chris Mould dubbed fresh data exposing the UK's growing food poverty problem as a "deeply distressing reality".


Some 60,000 people are likely to receive emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks in the two weeks over Christmas alone, including 20,000 children.


– Chief executive of The Trussell Trust Chris Mould

Food situation worsens for 40% of UK households

Some 40% of UK households admitted their ability to put food on the table for their family had worsened over the past 12 months, according to new data.

A survey from Tesco, The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare found:

  • 28% of adults had struggled to buy their regular amount of healthy and nutritious food over the last year.
  • 30% say they have either skipped meals, gone without or relied on family or friends for food.
  • Among those who experienced food poverty, 60% say they will go without heating to provide food.

'More than a quarter' finding it hard to feed family

Over one quarter of adults has found it harder to feed their family during the last 12 months, research has shown.

At least 20% of adults have gone hungry so the rest of their family can eat, according to a survey. Credit: PA

At least 27% found it harder to put food on the table and a further 20% skipped a meal because they can not afford the ingredients.

Over a third, 37%, of UK households admitted to keeping the heating off to ensure that food is available for their children, according to data collected by Tesco, The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare.

FareShare chief executive Lindsay Boswell said: "We're now supporting more than 1,000 frontline charities that offer a hot meal and invaluable support to 51,000 people every day.

"Alarmingly, one in five people turning to these charities for help are children under the age of 16."

Read more: Foodbank use inquiry call

'Getting the economy going' the answer to food poverty

Reinvigorating the economy is the answer to the food poverty crisis and not further state intervention, according to the Institute for Economic Affairs.

Ruth Porter said ensuring economic recovery was the "ultimate answer" in tackling poverty, arguing high taxation and state intervention was not the solution.

However, Tim Nichols from Child Poverty Action insists there are things that can be done to make it fairer for those struggling at the bottom such as tackling tax-dodging.


Figures reflect situation of 'struggling families'




Demand for food banks show 'society falling away'






Number of people using food banks 'triple' in a year

A food bank charity is calling for an inquiry into the explosion of the number of people relying them, as they found demand for their services "tripled" in the space of a year.

"Over 350,000 people" have approached the Trussell Trust for a three day food package, the charity's executive chairman told Daybreak.

"The numbers are rising fast. That is why we believe we need to grip the problem and understand what is behind it," said Chris Mould.

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