“People are in financial crisis now” – Salford food bank trust says April is too long to wait for benefits rise

The trust running Salford food bank says the 10.1% increase in Universal Credit has not gone far enough to help the poorest people in need now.

The Chancellor announced the increase during his Autumn Statement, yesterday morning.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, welcomed some of Jeremy Hunt’s measures to protect those on the lowest incomes, but thought waiting until April was too long.

In 2021 Salford foodbank provided more than 8,000 three emergency food supplies to those in need and over 2000 to children in need.

Ms Revie said: “With food banks already pushed to breaking point, the UK Government must urgently consider how to bridge the gap between the November Cost of Living payment and the uprating of benefit in April.

“We welcome the Chancellor’s decision to uprate benefits and raise the benefit cap in line with inflation from April. The additional cash support for people on low incomes through cost-of-living payments and the extension of the Household Support Fund will also provide further protection.

“However, we know many people are already in financial crisis now and, for them, April will feel very far away. Rising costs and historically low levels of social security mean that, despite the support provided so far, thousands of people are already having to go without the essentials.

“In the last six months, 320,000 people turned to Trussell Trust food banks for the first time and this number is likely to rise.”