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Worcester foodbank manager hits out at two-child benefit cap | Worcester foodbank manager hits out at two-child benefit cap |
(32 minutes later) | |
Graham Lucas says an "awful lot of families just haven't got sufficient money" in Worcester | |
A food bank manager has criticised the UK's two-child benefit cap, saying many families in Worcester are struggling with food poverty. | |
Graham Lucas, manager of Worcester Foodbank, spoke out as 11 charities including the national Trussell Trust food bank charity wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging her to make a commitment in next week's spending review to abolish the limit. | |
He said in Worcester "an awful lot of families just haven't got sufficient money" to pay for household essentials. | He said in Worcester "an awful lot of families just haven't got sufficient money" to pay for household essentials. |
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which said it was "determined to bring down child poverty", is expected to announce its decision on the cap in the autumn. | |
The letter sent by the charities to the chancellor claimed the two-child limit had pulled 37,000 children into poverty since the government took office. | |
'Cap exacerbates poverty' | 'Cap exacerbates poverty' |
"The cap was not the right thing to be doing. It hits families unfairly and just causes them more problems with poverty, and particularly food poverty," Mr Lucas continued. | "The cap was not the right thing to be doing. It hits families unfairly and just causes them more problems with poverty, and particularly food poverty," Mr Lucas continued. |
"We see at ground level and particularly see it in Worcester, a large number of families that are struggling, families that don't have enough income. | "We see at ground level and particularly see it in Worcester, a large number of families that are struggling, families that don't have enough income. |
"The two-child benefit cap just exacerbates that and causes more families to be in food poverty and... roughly 40% of the people we feed are children." | |
Mr Lucas said rising food costs had been a key problem and the cost-of-living crisis generally had caused more people to seek help. | Mr Lucas said rising food costs had been a key problem and the cost-of-living crisis generally had caused more people to seek help. |
The BBC has approached the DWP for a response to Mr Lucas's comments. | The BBC has approached the DWP for a response to Mr Lucas's comments. |
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |