Posted on 2013-06-21 | 08:00

Roger has tabled an Early Day Motion 223 today which draws attention to the growing pressure on the nations already over stretched food banks.

Roger said: “A recent report from the Trussell Trust (the biggest provider of food banks in the UK) stated that more than 350,000 people turned to their food banks for help in 2012–13, almost triple the number who received food aid in the previous year and 100,000 more than anticipated. The true figure of those receiving food aid last year is however nearer 500,000 when other independent food banks, churches, charities and community groups are taken into account.”

He went on to say: “The impact of food poverty has been particularly dramatic in the West Midlands with the Trussell Trust seeing  biggest ever increase in West Midlands food bank use with a 200% rise in numbers turning to foodbanks in last 12 months.  Over 41,000 people in the West Midlands have received at least three days emergency food from Trussell Trust food banks during the last 12 months, more than triple the number helped in 2011-12.

There are many underlying causes to this dramatic increase in demand for food support not least of all unemployment. However, the Trussell Trust’s own research suggests that 45% of all referrals are as a result of benefits problems which include benefit delays (30%) and benefits changes (15%).”

Roger also believes that a significant causal factor is likely to be the rising tide of draconian benefit sanctions although at the present time there is only anecdotal evidence to support this and rising levels of complaints from constituents.

He concluded: “There is every indication that levels of food poverty show every sign of growing as further changes to the benefits system take effect.  Such developments, I believe, are wholly detrimental to the social fabric of the UK, further marginalising the poor, the unemployed and already socially disadvantaged and are incompatible with the functioning of a modern, compassionate society. 

I have called on the government to launch an urgent enquiry into causes of food poverty, particularly in respect of the administrative failure of the Dept of Work & Pensions (DWP) to deliver benefits effectively and its widespread use of punitive benefit sanctions.  The DWP is never backward in reminding us all repeatedly how much money it is managing to save the UK taxpayer but wouldn’t it be nice if it actually got the money that people are entitled to distributed before they had to visit their local food bank.