Food poverty in the UK has risen sharply for the last ten years.

HUNGRY LONDON

Food poverty in the U.K. has taken a sharp turn, and it is getting worse during the coronavirus pandemic.

• During the start of the pandemic, around half of people who used a food bank had never needed one before

• Families with children were affected the hardest

London Met University hosted an online event on the 5th of January about food deprivation and how charities are teaming up together to fight the silenced poverty-stricken families in the U.K.

Foodbank usage has been increasing yearly and has been heavily linked to austerity. The speakers were a group of individuals who have started their own charities and campaigns to raise awareness and provide support where it is needed most.

The Guardian reported that the links between welfare changes, food bank use and destitution are strongly contested. Ministers have largely denied clear evidence of any association between extreme poverty and welfare policies that have cut tens of billions of pounds from the benefits budget.

The event speakers discussed the prevalence of food poverty in London. Those on the panel were - Tiffanie Cummings, health care worker and mother of three. Solomon Smith and Dr Mahamed Hashi, who founded the Brixton Soup Kitchen. Carmel McConnell MBE, founder of Magic Breakfast. Leon Aarts, founder of With Compassion, Anne Elkins of The Felix Project and Morven Oliver-Larkin, London Food Poverty Campaign.

The event had to be held online because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the atmosphere was a bit different, but the organizers balanced it well.

Data published by Statista shows in the last ten years. In 2010 just over sixty-one thousand people used a food bank a year in the U.K. Compared to 2019, it has risen to almost 2 million people a year using a foodbank.

The conversation also turned to the recent controversy surrounding free school meals parcels. In which the government were shamed into admitting liability for the failed scheme by footballer Marcus Rashford.

Brixton Soup Kitchen founder Dr Mohammed spoke about how their food bank operates. He said there around 50 to 60 people are going to the soup kitchen every day for support, which does not include their outreach services. It supports people going through food scarcity and poverty.

The meritocracy of government policy to support those in need during the pandemic was criticized by the speakers. Most agreed that the new benefits system Universal Credits have been slow in paying out to those in financial destruction.

Carmel McConnell MBE, the founder of The Magic Breakfast, said: “There is a need for a safety net, there is a need to make sure good food is available. One of the core aspects of this country is a rich and caring country. Is that we have to make noise about hunger. Because the right to food is something, the U.K. has signed up for globally.”

Food banks are opening all over the U.K., and Dr Mohammed explained their motivation behind it. It was endearing to hear there are so many people against food poverty in the U.K., and they are willing to fight tooth and nail to address the inequalities and barriers people are facing while being a support system for communities that benefit from extra help.

The speakers spoke in-depth about how many people use their services daily, weekly and monthly.

When speaker Solomon Smith spoke, there was a lot of passion in his voice. He has seen first-hand what poverty looks like and helps people access food. He used strong words to describe the lack of support that poor communities receive from the government.

"They gave rabbit food to children," he said. Talking about the recent free school meal parcels that caused an uproar on school media and saw the government receiving backlash for outsourcing to companies that have been accused of putting profits first.

Counsellor Dr Mohammed, who runs the soup kitchen alongside Soloman, gave insightful details about the level of poverty and deprivation in the area where their soup kitchen is based. "Twenty-seven per cent of children from Lambeth are on the poverty line, and there is a high rate of crime and teenage pregnancy," he answered.

A report published by Trussell Trust last year shows a 61% increase in food parcels needed across its U.K. network from October to December – six parcels were given out every minute.

Food bank user Donna Boswell, 32, told Diaspora magazine she stopped using food banks when she was referred to social services by a foodbank in Kent. Saying she would rather go hungry then ask for help now.