Foodbanks in Wales handed over 39,000 parcels of emergency three-day supplies to families in crisis in the six months to September.
Figures from the Trussell Trust, who operate a network of over 400 food banks across the whole of the UK, reveal that 39,245 packages of food were given out in Wales.
It is the equivalent of 216 people visiting a foodbank every single day.
Cardiff foodbank had the highest daily average in Wales, with the equivalent of 32.4 people coming every day in the six months from April.
Flintshire foodbank was second with the equivalent of 15.2 people visiting it a day over the same period, followed by Bridgend with 14.2 per day.
The Wales-wide figures are almost identical to those seen in the six months between April and September of 2014 when 39,168 parcels were distributed – meaning the figures have increased by less than a quarter of 1%.
Many in dire need
But director of the Bevan Foundation Dr Victoria Winckler said the figures show many are still in very dire need.
Dr Winckler, whose left-wing think tank is based in Merthyr Tydfil, said headline statistics showing the economy and employment growing do not represent the crisis facing many at the bottom.
She said: “They (employment and growth statistics) don’t look at how different people in different circumstances are affected and we know the least well-off have seen no real increase in their wages for some considerable time.”
Dr Winckler said people are now feeling the effects of welfare reform , with many losing housing benefit due to the so-called “bedroom tax” or being sanctioned for failing to comply with benefit rules.
Between April and September 2015 Trussell Trust foodbanks across the UK gave 506,369 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis compared to 492,641 in the same period last year. As many as 185,218 of the three-day supplies went to children.
On average people needed 1.7 foodbank referrals in this six month-period, leading the charity to estimate that approximately 298,000 people are likely to have used a foodbank.
Benefit delays biggest cause
Benefit delays and changes remain the biggest cause of foodbank use, accounting for 43% of total referrals. Low income has risen slightly as a referral cause from 21% to 22%.
UK foodbank director Adrian Curtis said several foodbanks are reporting that some charities that would normally refer to foodbanks have been unable to because funding reductions have seen their services squeezed or closed.
He added: “We’re seeing that hunger remains a major issue for low-income families and individuals. When the proposed changes to tax credits are implemented, we are concerned that more working families will not be able to make ends meet, and that we could see a substantial rise in foodbank use as a result.
“As a nation we need to learn more about the realities of life for people struggling on low incomes and make sure that no incomes are too low to live on.”
Significant rise in winter
Winter is likely to see a significant rise in numbers of people needing foodbanks, as people on low incomes face choices between eating and heating.
In December 2014, referrals to foodbanks were 53% higher than the average across other months, with over 130,000 three-day food supplies being given to people in crisis in just one month.
No comments:
Post a Comment