Food bank use nearly doubles in Yorkshire as more families struggle

The Trussell Trust has revealed that more than 210,000 emergency food parcels were issued to families with children in the region in the past year - at a rate of one every 2.5 minutes.

Alarmingly, nearly 75,000 of these were for children - representing a 79 per cent increase as more families struggle in the cost of living crisis.

This should serve as a "wake-up" for Government to strengthen its social security system, the charity warns, and rethink cuts to benefits that are pushing more people to the edge.

Karen Burgon, chief executive at Leeds North and West Foodbank, said it is topping up donations by £12,000 a month to keep up with rising demand.

"Food donations are not keeping up with the level of need we are seeing, and this is putting us under a lot of strain," she said.

As she called for support, she said change must focus on how to help families: "It’s not right that anyone should be forced to turn to charity for emergency food."

The figures show there has been a 95 per cent increase in the number of emergency food parcels issued in the year to March, when compared to five years ago.

They also show it is families that are hardest hit - with an 85 per cent rise in appeals from families with at least one child.

Food banks in Yorkshire are reporting levels of hardship that are "heartbreaking", the charity said, with some parents forced to ration their own food.

Trussell calls for a re-think on proposed benefits changes and for Universal Credit rates to rise.

It also calls on Government to fulfil its commitment to a child poverty strategy, ending the two-child limit.