Emergency food parcels to families in the North West up 28% since 2017

A rise of food banks shows Britain needs to change the economy to make it fairer, according to the TUC.

New analysis by the TUC, published today, (Thursday) reveals that there has been a 28% increase in the number of emergency food parcels given to families in the North West since 2017.

The analysis uses publicly available data from the Trussell Trust to compare the number of emergency food parcels issued in the North West between April and September 2017 (87,000) with the same six-month period in 2019 (111,000).

The growth parallels wider trends in the economy that are pushing more families into hardship.

The average weekly wage in the North West is still worth £13 less than a decade ago.

11% of workers in the North West are in insecure work (low-paid self-employed, agency, casual and seasonal workers, or on zero-hours contracts).

A Tameside Foodbank has given out over seven hundred food vouchers this year- compared to five hundred, two years ago. 

The Oldham Evening Chronicle spoke to Susan Ayre who is the Project Co-ordinator at Tameside South and Longdendale foobank, she said, "You know often they've survived one if you like hit to the family budget and then they get hit by something else. They have nothing in place to cope with it.

"People who've gone to the benefit system and they haven't for some reason got any money because it's either delayed, it takes some time one of the reasons for which is Universal Credit. 

Or they may have changed their benefits, perhaps somebody has moved into their house and so they have to re-assess what's going on."

Average household debt (unsecured) has climbed to a record high of £14,200.

Since 2010, working families have faced severe cuts to support through tax credits and benefits, along with cuts to community services like children’s centres.

TUC Secretary for the North West James McKenna said, “The commitment of so many food bank volunteers and donors to helping their neighbours is amazing. But if we had a fair economy, it wouldn’t be needed.

“Austerity, low pay and insecure work are pushing working-class families below the breadline. And Universal Credit is failing to catch people when they fall.

“People are fed up with a rigged economy that only serves those at the top. It’s time to put working-class families first. Let’s change our economy to make it fair again for everyone”

The TUC is calling for the following changes to create a fairer economy for working families.

Raise the minimum wage to £10 per hour, Ban zero-hours contracts and use fair work contracts with flexible working rights, Stop and scrap Universal Credit and mend the safety net, Reverse the cuts to support for working families and New rights for workers to bargain through trade unions for fair pay and conditions.

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