Emergency food parcel distribution in Wales: April– September 2023 Background

Over 23,500 people were forced to use a food bank in Wales for the first time in the last six months Over the last six months, over 10,600 families have been forced to turn to food banks in the Trussell Trust network in Wales for the first time, including over 23,500 people. [...] The latest study on destitution (the most severe form of hardship) by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) finds that destitution was intensifying in the UK in the years running up to the pandemic, with the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis then compounding existing problems linked to a decade of cuts and freezes to social security. [...] When asked about main obstacles to their food bank making progress in the coming year: “Income maximization not achieving sufficient gains to overcome cost of living increase.” – Food banks in the Trussell Trust network24 22 The research is based on an online survey by the Trussell Trust of 184 food banks in the Trussell Trust network across the UK. [...] Polling by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust suggests that the public are particularly concerned with issues related to poverty and hunger in the UK and the majority of people in Wales (81%) think that food banks should not be needed in the UK.26 When it comes to how poverty and hunger can be solved in the UK, the vast majority (83%) people in Wales believe ensuring everyone has enough money. [...] What this means for policy We welcome the action taken by the UK Government during the last two years to help mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis, particularly the decision last Autumn to uprate benefits with inflation and the provision of Cost of Living Payments.