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Please note: for information on accessing food banks and food parcels during the pandemic please see our briefing Coronavirus: Support for household finances. For an account of developments in food bank activity over the crisis period see section 2 of this paper, Food Banks in the UK. Recent research means we have increasing amounts of data on food banks, giving us a fuller picture of their provision across the UK, and providing a more detailed picture of the characteristics of food bank users.

Documents to download

Food Banks in the UK (406 KB, PDF)

Download full reportDownload ‘Food Banks in the UK’ report (406 KB, PDF)

Please note: for information on accessing food banks and food parcels during the pandemic please see our briefing Coronavirus: Support for household finances.

For an account of developments in food bank activity over the crisis period see section 2 of this paper, Food Banks in the UK.

Food bank statistics should not be used as a proxy for poverty measurements, which can be found in our briefing Poverty in the UK: statistics. The comprehensiveness and accuracy of food bank data, and the number of food aid outlets in existence, will affect food bank figures regardless of any changes or stability in poverty levels.

The primary source of data on food bank use is the Trussell Trust. This national charity provides food parcels to people referred to it by professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and the Citizens Advice who meet certain requirements. Other charities also operate food banks or similar services, and there is increasing data available on them, notably from the Independent Food Aid Network [IFAN]. Historic data used here is mostly from the Trussell Trust, and so it should be considered incomplete – there are some areas where the Trussell Trust does not operate, but where other services may have delivered food parcels.

This briefing has sections on:

The accelerated increase in provision of emergency food parcels over 2020-21
The 2000+ food banks in the UK, of which 1,200 are run by the Trussell Trust and over 900 are independent
Food parcel distribution statistics including the 18% rise from April 2019 to March 2020 in Trussell Trust figures and the 47% rise in Trussell Trust mid-year statistics for April-September 2020
Regional data; the North West being the part of the UK where the largest total number of Trussell Trust food parcels are distributed
Food banks and parcels in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scottish independent food banks being available in addition to Trussell Trust statistics, permitting a more complete picture
Government introduction of food insecurity indicators, following an announcement made in February 2019
Other food aid provision, such as meal providers, social supermarkets and initiatives aimed at school children
Food aid provision, take up and projections during the COVID-19 crisis

IRRV Alert - week ending 27th February 2021

News

Reports

Food Banks in the UK (24 February 2021)

Food Banks in the UK

Documents to download

IRRV Software