New figures reveal 9,632 emergency food parcels delivered to children in Lambeth and Croydon last year
New figures released today have revealed that 27,109 emergency food parcels were provided to people across Lambeth and Croydon in the last year, with 9,632 of these going to children.
The figures from The Lambeth Partnership of Foodbanks show a 9.5 per cent increase in the number of emergency food parcels distributed compared to last year.
Elizabeth Mayton MBE project lead at The Norwood and Brixton Foodbank – part of the Lambeth Partnership of Foodbanks – said: “We’re upset but not surprised to see yet another increase in the number of people using our food bank.
“Fifty per cent of people that received parcels were single, highlighting the increasing number of people living on their own that just can’t cope.”
Another concerning trend, Ms Mayton said, was a 40 per cent increase of food bank users aged above 65.
She said: “We’re really concerned for the elderly population in our boroughs who are vulnerable and clearly struggling.”
A typical emergency food parcel consists of items such as cereal, tinned fruit and vegetables, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, biscuits, UHT milk, pasta and rice.
Ms Mayton said she was “hugely thankful” for the donations the food bank receives from the community, but is unsure if the service will be able to keep up with growing demand.
Alongside the provision of emergency food, The Lambeth Partnership of Foodbanks offers people who are referred to them connections to advice and support, making it less likely someone will need the food bank again in the future.
Partnering with the Brixton Advice Centre, Centre 70, Age UK and Christians Against Poverty, amongst other organisations, means that immediate support is available to anyone that needs it in one of the seven foodbanks across Lambeth and Croydon.
The Lambeth Partnership of Foodbanks 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 to people facing hardship across the capital between April 2023 and March 2024.
More than 1.1million of these parcels were provided for children.
The Trussell Trust is calling for urgent reform of the social security system which it describes as “failing” in it’s “most basic duty” to protect people from going without essentials.
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.
“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.
“The time to act is now.”
A spokesman from the Department for Work and Pensions said: “There are 300,000 fewer people in London in absolute poverty compared to 2010, and our £108billion cost of living support package prevented 1.3million people falling into poverty in 2022-23 nationally.
“After boosting benefits and raising the State Pension, we’re putting more money in people’s pockets by raising the National Living Wage, cutting taxes and driving down inflation while investing billions through our Back to Work Plan to help over a million people break down barriers to work and become more financially secure.”
The Trussell Trust has set out the crucial actions they are calling on the next UK Government to take :trusselltrust.org/manifesto
Pictured top: A volunteer at Waterloo Foodbank (Picture: Eleanor Bental/Trussel Trust Waterloo Foodbank)