More than one million (1.14 million) of those parcels were for children, while the total number of deliveries almost doubled in five years.
Overall, almost half a million families benefitted from using food banks between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, according to The Trussell Trust’s data.
This included 453,000 children and 745,000 adults using the service, with numbers rising due to the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on households in the UK.
The reliance on food banks from families with three or more children has more than doubled, whereas those who don’t live with children have seen an 86% rise since the 2018/19 financial year.
As well as families, pensioners’ requirement of food support has also escalated, with support for pensioner households quadrupling (a 345% rise) in five years.
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This is due to the number of pensioners in poverty rising to 18%, compared to just 13% in 2012.
‘Food banks are not the answer’
Emma Revie, chief executive of The Trussell Trust, said: “It’s 2024 and we’re facing historically high levels of food bank need. As a society, we cannot allow this to continue. We must not let food banks become the new norm.”
Ahead of the general election – expected to take place towards the end of the year – Revie called on all political leaders to work together so they can “build a future where no one needs a food bank to survive.”
Revie added: “Food banks are not the answer. They will be there to support people as long as they are needed, but our political leaders must take bold action to build a future where everyone has enough money to afford life’s essentials. The time to act is now.”
Last week (10 May), Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that “the economy is returning to full health” following the UK’s exit from its short, shallow recession.
More support is needed for Universal Credit users
However, Iain Porter, senior policy adviser at Joseph Rowntree Foundation, disagrees and said the figures “show the painful economic reality facing families with the least.”
“Our social security system should protect us all during hard times. Historic levels of food bank need show that it’s failing to even cover the cost of essentials like food.
“The Government must introduce an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ to Universal Credit to ensure that everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to afford the essentials.”
Porter added: “This is an issue that no political party can ignore in this election year. Along with implementing an Essentials Guarantee, we need our political leaders to set out ambitious plans to tackle hardship if we are to build a future without food banks.”
Related: How to donate to a food bank
