Salisbury Foodbank usage 2023/24

8,086 emergency food parcels provided to people by Salisbury Foodbank in the last 12 months, as people struggle to get by on low income.

 

• ‘Increase in the number of households with children, specifically 12-16 years increased by 27%’
• ‘Increase in the number of pensioners by 10% compared to 2022/23’
• New annual figures from the Trussell Trust show that more than 3.1 million food parcels were given out across the UK.

New figures released today by Salisbury Foodbank have revealed that 8,086 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across Salisbury and the surrounding areas in the last financial year – with 3,041 of these going to children.

Salisbury Foodbank has seen a 2% reduction in number of emergency food parcels distributed compared to last financial year. People continue with the struggle to afford essentials such as food.

The levels of need were particularly acute in December, which was the busiest month for Salisbury Foodbank, with 936 emergency food parcels provided by staff and volunteers, in addition to our usual seasonal hampers offering which supported a further 2000 people.

Maria Stevenson, Foodbank Manager at Salisbury Foodbank said:

We have faced a very challenging few years with rising demand.  44% of people accessing our support are citing the main cause to be rising cost of essentials in 2023/2024.  This is a situation we all share, with increased household bills and essentials such as food and insurance etc.  People with the lowest income do not have the financial resilience to buffer cost of living increases.  Our second largest main cause driving people to our foodbanks is priority debt at 16%

 

Over the last 18 month alongside the provision of emergency food, Salisbury Foodbank offered people who were referred a warm welcome, as well as connections to advice and support that makes it less likely someone will need the food bank again in the future.

 

We have funded Wiltshire Citizens Advice to address the root cause of people’s financial hardship, offering a fast track, face to face service for people accessing Salisbury Foodbanks support. I am delighted to record that this hard work and partnership working is starting to pay off.  We have a recorded 2% reduction in visitors during 2023/24.

This is by no means the end of our challenging journey.  The number of people accessing our support remains high, with an average of 700 people supported each month.

 

Our food stocks are depleting with an average of 11 tonnes of food leaving our doors every month and only 8 tonnes coming in.  This presents us with a large stock deficit month on month.  The support of Salisbury and its surrounding community is vital in ensuring that Salisbury foodbank can be there for anyone who turns to us for help.  In the last quarter of 2023/24 we purchased over £12,000 worth of food to ensure local people will not face hunger in the next month.

 A typical emergency food parcel consists of items such as tinned fruit and vegetables, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, biscuits, UHT milk, and rice and much more, but Salisbury Foodbank is having to purchase more and more stock as donations are no longer meeting local need.

 

Any donation is gratefully received and can be dropped off at the food bank and supermarket collection points.

 

Financial donations are welcome and can be made payable to Salisbury Foodbank, Unit 6b Ashfield Road Trading Estate, SP2 7HL.  Or by visiting the Give Help page on our website.  https://salisbury.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/

 

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Salisbury Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust’s network, which reports record levels of need in the last 12 months with more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels provided by food banks in its network, to people facing hardship between April 2023 and March 2024. More than 1.1 million of these parcels were provided for children.

 

The Trussell Trust is calling for urgent reform of the social security system this is currently failing in its most basic duty – to protect people from going without essentials we all need in life. Alongside many other organisations, the anti-poverty charity is urging the UK Government to introduce an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ into Universal Credit to ensure everyone has a protected minimum amount of support to afford the essentials.

 

Speaking about the rising need for emergency food, Emma Revie, Chief Executive at 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. As we approach the next UK General Election, we urgently need all political leaders to set out how they will build a future where no one needs a food bank to survive. Voters want to see a change and we need cross-government action at all levels to deliver it. We know what’s pushing people to food banks, so we know what needs to change.

 

“A supportive social security system is the bedrock on which we end hunger for good, and we also need to ensure everyone can get the right support at the right time. People should be supported in a way that reflects the reality of their lives, especially if they’re facing the higher costs and barriers that impact certain groups such as parents, carers, disabled people. Everyone should have the security we all need to access opportunities and have hope for the future.

“Food banks are not the answer. They will be there to support people as long as they are needed, but by taking bold action our political leaders can build a future where everyone has enough money to afford the life’s essentials. The time to act is now.”

The Trussell Trust has set out the crucial actions the next UK Government must take to support people and ensure everyone has enough money to afford life’s essentials: trusselltrust.org/manifesto *

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