Responding to figures released by the Trussell Trust today showing that 111,364 Londoners received three days’ emergency food in 2016/17, Labour’s London Assembly Economy Spokesperson, Dr Fiona Twycross AM, said:
“It’s appalling to see that huge numbers of people in London are still being forced to depend on food banks to feed their families and get by. We’ve warned for some time that the worrying upward rise in the use of food banks was becoming entrenched and sadly that’s exactly what has happened.
“Recent welfare cuts will drive more and more vulnerable people, including increasing numbers of children, into the grasp of poverty. Unless the government is willing to reverse these cuts and unless they are willing to tackle low pay, we can expect this situation to get worse.
“There is no disputing that the Trussell Trust and their counterparts do amazing work and provide a vital safety net to those with the greatest need, but the state should be fulfilling that role. We need to make sure that people get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and in the context of Brexit, and the increasing cost of living, this is becoming increasingly urgent.”
Notes to editors
- The Trussell Trust’s data shows that 111,364 people in London received three days’ emergency food from the Trussell Trust in 2016/17. Amongst these there were 70,422 adults and 40,679 children;
- Previous Trussell Trust figures for London are set out in the table below:
- These figures relate only to people using Trussell Trust services. It is therefore expected that, when other providers are accounted for, the number of Londoners reliant upon help from food banks will be higher;
- The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, increased the London Living Wage from £9.40 to £9.75 in November 2016. The Government’s National Living Wage is £7.50 for those aged 25 and over;
- Welfare changes coming into force this month (April) include:
- Two-child limit on child tax credit, from 6th April;
- Scrapping the “family element” of child tax credit for all families except those with a child born before 6th April;
- Employment and Support Allowance claimants in the Work-Related Activity group (WRAG) will get £29.05 less per week;
- Housing benefit scrapped for jobseekers aged 18-21, from 1st April;
- New Bereavement Support Payment. Lump sum given to grieving families will increase from £2,000 to £3,500, but weekly taxable benefit of £112 (up until the youngest child leaves education) will be cut to £350 a month (with a time limit of 18 months), from 6th April;
- A report from the Resolution Foundation found that incoming tax and benefit changes will leave poorer households worse off, whilst richer households unaffected by benefit changes will be better off;
- Fiona Twycross AM is a Londonwide Assembly Member
For more information please contact London Assembly Labour Group senior press officer, Alison Orlandi, on 020 7983 4952 or 07825 865 305. Number not for publication.