Though we're technically the sixth richest country in the world, the UK has seen a 'shocking' rise in the number of people using food banks.
The Trussell Trust, a charity which hands out food to people who cannot afford meals, has said that in the last year, they handed out three days' worth of emergency food supplies to 913,000 people. This is up from 347,000 the year before and represents a 51 per cent rise in the number of clients. The charity has put it down to the alteration in benefits payments leaving people without the basic money to get food.
More than 500 members of the clergy have been made aware of this increase, and have written to MPs to say that the situation is 'terrible'. However, the government insists that this is nothing to do with the new rules they have introduced to the welfare system. 'There is no robust evidence that welfare reforms or benefit administration are linked to increased use of food banks' said a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions.
According to a survey of the people using food banks, the Trussell Trust found that 30 per cent of visits were because of a delay in welfare payments, and that 20 per cent was low income. 83 per cent of their food banks reported that benefits sanctions meant that more people were being referred to their services to get emergency food.
Food banks have been a source of political tussling after an inquiry into their use was launched last year. During a commons debate about the charities, several MPs, including cabinet member Iain Duncan Smith, walked out, presumably to go and get some dinner. Blackpool MP Paul Maynard also caused a controversy last year when he suggested that people might visit food banks out of 'habit'.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.