Overview

• The Trussell Trust distributed nearly 2.9 million emergency food parcels in the year to March 2025, a 51% rise compared to 2020.
• Families with children saw a 46% increase in food bank use, while parcels for children under five rose by 32% over five years.
• London experienced a 123% surge in food bank demand since pre-Covid levels, with over 455,000 parcels distributed last year.
• Proposed government welfare reforms, including cuts to disability benefits, could push 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty, according to official assessments.
• Advocates urge the government to reverse planned cuts, unfreeze housing allowances, accelerate Universal Credit increases, and implement a robust child poverty strategy.