Demand for emergency food supplies from Wandsworth Foodbank is up 53% on pre-pandemic levels

Wandsworth Foodbank has revealed that demand for emergency food supplies to local people is up 53% compared with pre-pandemic levels.

In their report, A Time of Crisis, the local food bank provided a snapshot of their 2021/22 food bank research report which is due to be published in early summer.

The report reveals continued high levels of need for emergency food aid across the borough.

In 2021-22 the foodbank provided 9,908 emergency food supplies to local people whose income didn't cover the cost of essentials.

More than one in three emergency food supplies were for children and 53% of people had a disability or long-term health issue or lived with someone who did.

Wandsworth Foodbank said they believe this shows the urgent need for Universal Credit and legacy benefits to increase in line with inflation, in order to protect everyone from poverty.

The report also revealed that 6 in 10 parents at the food bank had skipped meals so their children could eat.

In the last five years the number of local households referred in poverty to Wandsworth Foodbank almost doubled from 1,209 to 2,127.

One man told Wandsworth Foodbank: ""Recently the price of things going up, food going up, electricity going up. Inflation going up and the pension increase not so much. It is only in the last two years that I have ever asked for help from anybody. I am 84. It frightens you. You think what can I do?"

You can read the full report here.