Food Banks

Food banks are run by volunteer-based organisations, redistributing food donated by consumers, retailers and the food industry.

Food bank use in Britain has grown rapidly in recent years. Several factors help to explain this:

1. Higher food prices have made food less affordable for low-income households
2. High long term unemployment have hit family budgets
3. Declining real incomes for many people on lower wages
4. Welfare reforms including a maximum welfare cap for families and tighter rules for claiming benefits
5. More food banks have been set up – i.e. supply is responding to growing demand and need among many families