Overburdened food bank teams fear a devastating winter as unprecedented demand soars through the summer
Independent food aid providers are reporting a bleak picture of more and more people facing financial hardship and in need of their help. The latest survey from the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) finds food bank managers deeply concerned about the growing number of people with nowhere else to turn and a calamitous winter to come. As one food bank manager said: “It can’t go on like this.”
- 84% of survey respondents reported increased need comparing April to July 2023 with last summer
- All contributing organisations said they were supporting households seeking help for the first time including elderly and working people
- Most organisations said people are now seeking their help in the long term because of inadequate wages and financial entitlements
- Donations have fallen and if demand increases further, over half of the contributing organisations said they would need to reduce the support they offer or would have to turn people away
- Nearly half of contributing organisations reported a rise in the number of parents and carers struggling to feed babies
