Nursery World - Welfare cuts force more than a million people in the UK to turn to food aid

A new report from Oxfam and Church Action on Poverty warns that Britain faces a hidden scandal where thousands of people cannot feed themselves or their families.

Walking the Breadline estimates that over 500,000 people in the UK are now reliant on food aid, the use of food banks and receipt of food parcels.

Up to half of all people turning to food banks are doing so as a direct result of having benefit payments delayed, reduced or withdrawn.

The report claims that rising levels of unemployment, underemployment, food and fuel prices, along with low and falling incomes, are also contributing to an increase in the number of people using food banks.

It goes on to say that the number of people reliant on food aid is likely to escalate in the coming months because of cuts to benefits and the introduction of Universal Credit, which will require internet access and makes payments less frequently.

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