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Cost of living: Food banks used by 3% of UK families Cost of living: Food banks used by 3% of UK families
(32 minutes later)
About 3% of families in the UK say they used a food bank in the last year, according to Department for Work and Pensions figures. About 3% of families in the UK - at least 2.1 million people - used a food bank in the year to March 2022, according to official figures.
That rose to about one in nine (11%) for families receiving state income-related benefits.That rose to about one in nine (11%) for families receiving state income-related benefits.
Those in the north of England and Scotland were most likely to have used a food bank in the previous 12 months compared to the rest of the UK.Those in the north of England and Scotland were most likely to have used a food bank in the previous 12 months compared to the rest of the UK.
These are the first official figures on UK food bank usage. These are the first Department for Work and Pensions figures on food bank use.
The data was collected between April 2021 and March 2022, so the figures cover some of the pandemic but miss most of the energy price crisis, which hit in April 2022. The data was collected between April 2021 and March 2022, with people asked if they had been to a food bank in the last 12 months and last 30 days. So the figures cover some of the pandemic but miss most of the energy price crisis, which hit in April 2022.
Food bank use in the previous month was less common, with about 1% of families saying they had used one - rising to about 3% for families on benefits. Asked if they had used a food bank within the last 30 days, about 1% of families (at least 600,000 people) said yes - rising to about 3% for families on benefits.
Some 4% of families in Scotland and the north of England had used a food bank within the 12-month period, while 3% had in Wales, the West Midlands and south-east of England.Some 4% of families in Scotland and the north of England had used a food bank within the 12-month period, while 3% had in Wales, the West Midlands and south-east of England.
The figure fell to 2% for Northern Ireland, the East of England, east Midlands and south-west of England.The figure fell to 2% for Northern Ireland, the East of England, east Midlands and south-west of England.
It comes amid the continuing cost-of-living crisis, with prices rising more than expected, according to new inflation figures released this week.It comes amid the continuing cost-of-living crisis, with prices rising more than expected, according to new inflation figures released this week.
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Other figures published by the DWP showed the number of people living in poverty in the UK has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.
In total, 14.4 million people were estimated to be in relative low-income households - with below 60% of average household income - in the year to March 2022, up from the 13.4 million in March 2021 and close to the 14.5 million the year before, as the Covid pandemic hit.
Some 4.2 million children were estimated to be living in poverty in the year to March 2022, a rise from 3.9 million the previous year and just below the 4.3 million in March 2020.
Related Topics
Food banks
Cost of living
UK economy