11% increase in emergency food parcels provided by North Cotswold Foodbank in the last 12 months, as people struggle to get by on low incomes

New figures released today by North Cotswold Foodbank have revealed that 1,742 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across our communities between April 2023 and March 2024 – an increase of 11% compared with the previous 12 months – as more and more people struggle to afford essentials such as heating and food.

North Cotswold Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network, which provided more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels across the UK in the last 12 months, an increase of 4%. This was the largest number of parcels ever distributed by the network in a year and nearly double the number compared to five years ago. More than 1.1 million of these parcels were provided for children.

Kevin Carden, Project Manager at North Cotswold Foodbank, said, “It’s 2024 and we’re facing historically high levels of foodbank need. The significant increases we have seen over the last few years are linked to the soaring cost of living and the fact that people’s incomes have failed to keep up with these costs. While it is welcome that inflation is now finally slowing, the high cost of essentials, particularly food, continues to make it harder for families to make ends meet. The result is more people having to turn to foodbanks for emergency food.”

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “As a society, we cannot allow these rising levels of need to continue, and we know what needs to change to help people who can’t afford the essentials. We must not let foodbanks become the new norm. We urgently need all political leaders to set out how they will build a future where no one needs a foodbank to survive. Foodbanks 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 life’s essentials. The time to act is now.”

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