Food banks face winter surge as document six parcels a minute to be delivered in festive season | EUROtoday

Food banks face one other winter of record-breaking demand, main supplier Trussell has warned, because it estimates it can present a meals parcel each 10 seconds over the approaching months.

Almost three quarters of 1,000,000 (740,000) meals parcels had been supplied for kids final winter to individuals throughout the UK, new figures launched by the charity reveal, up 40 per cent from pre-pandemic ranges.

Of these, 266,000 had been supplied for kids – one in each three parcels – an increase of 29 per cent in the identical interval.

But researchers discovered that the largest enhance was amongst these aged 65 and over. This group obtained 24,000 meals parcels final winter – up 202 per cent in comparison with 5 years in the past.

Trussell has warned that the rising value of necessities means demand will solely proceed to rise this winter. With the worth of bills similar to meals, power and lease persevering with to rise towards incomes, fewer and fewer households are discovering themselves capable of afford what they want.

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Alicia Mehaffey is a single guardian from Northern Ireland who works as a care assistant. Her revenue is topped up by Universal Credit nevertheless it isn’t sufficient to cowl her payments.

“During the festive season, you want to do everything possible so that your family can have the best Christmas. But when you’re struggling to afford the essentials, being able to have a big dinner on Christmas Day feels like a pipe dream,” she said.

“I started using the food bank while I was pregnant with my baby girl. Becoming a parent brings so many added pressures like the cost of baby food, nappies, and toiletries. The food bank was an absolute lifesaver. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be.”

In September, Trussell found that 14 million adults are going without food because they cannot afford it. Meanwhile, energy arrears have more than doubled over the past five years, rising to £4.4bn by the end of June.

In the face of this pressure, over half (58 per cent) of Trussell’s food banks say that preparing for this winter feels harder than ever, as the level of need outpaces donations. Last winter – between December 2024 and February 2025 – these banks spent an estimated £3.5 million on food.

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Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, chair of the work and pensions committee, said: “No one should have to rely on a food bank to get through the week.

“This data demonstrates that for too many families, poverty has become an everyday reality rather than an exception, with the Trussell Trust expecting to provide a food parcel every 10 seconds. If we’re serious about equality, we must be serious about tackling the pervasive inequalities that lead people to the brink in the first place.”

“Supporting our most vulnerable isn’t just a moral obligation, it’s a measure of who we are as a society. In my constituency, nearly two-fifths (38 per cent) of children under 16 in Oldham live in poverty, and so I welcome the Government abolishing the two-child limit.

“But we must continue this work and look to long-term preventative solutions that address the root causes of hardship, not just the symptoms, and ensure everyone has the dignity, stability, and opportunities they deserve.”

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Carol Vorderman, presenter and Trussell supporter, stated: “Christmas is the toughest time of year for people on the very lowest incomes, who are already struggling to make ends meet.

“When I was growing up in the 60s my Mum was a single parent and I grew up in North Wales in abject poverty, that hardship stays with you. This year too many people will spend the festive period worried sick, skipping meals so their children can eat and unsure how they will cope.”

Sophie Carre, director of engagement at Trussell, stated: “Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, but this winter too many people will be struggling just to get by. Tens of thousands of families will be forced to turn to a food bank for the first time as they are left exhausted, isolated and without enough money to live on.

“Food banks offer more than emergency food – they provide hope, dignity and relief to people facing hardship. They welcome people with warmth, offer connection over a cup of tea and give advice that makes it less likely people will need to turn to a food bank again.”

A authorities spokesperson stated: “Food bank use is a blight on the country and although it went down last year we are determined to do more.

“To help with everyday costs we’ve increased the National Minimum Wage meaning an extra £1,500 a year for full-time workers, as well as taking £150 off energy bills from April and recommitting to the Triple Lock.

“Thanks to our decision to scrap the two-child limit and introduce a wider package of measures for families we will lift 550,000 children out of poverty by the end of this parliament.”