More families than ever across Kent are having to rely on food bank parcels to survive.

More than 12,000 food parcels were given out in the county between April 1 and September 30 this year, according to figures released today by the Trussell Trust.

Of the number of parcels supplied, 7,523 were given to adults and 4,832 were given to children.

The figure is a 25% increase on the same period in 2018, which saw 9,000 parcels supplied to adults and children.

Lorraine Schulze manages the Medway Trussell Trust food bank, and said families under financial strain are fuelling the increase in food bank usage.

She said: "We have real concerns about Universal Credit, low and unstable wages and people who are on zero-hour contracts.

"It's very difficult particularly over this period as we head towards Christmas and it's cold. Some people are having to decide between eating and heating."

The food bank manager added: "We're working with 140 agencies in Medway, including social services, children services, public health teams, schools, government, and council organisations who are banging on our door to give vouchers to their clients."

Some areas resorted to running early evening food banks in the summer holidays to help struggling working families feed their children.

Sheila Ward, who works at Deal's Trussell Trust food bank, said it was shocking to discover parents with jobs who could not afford to buy food.

She said: “When we started seven years ago, it really wasn't envisaged that people in work would also be claiming food. And that's rather sad, horrid to see.”

Since opening, the number of volunteers supporting the Deal food bank has increased from 50 to 130 people.

Mrs Ward said: "We have five 17 to 18-year-olds volunteering and they’ve been a tremendous asset to us.

"They reach out to people in a way that older people are not able to because of different experiences and life skills."

Trussell Trust director of policy and research, Garry Lemon, said: "We know the majority of people referred to food banks are meant to be anchored to poverty by the benefits system, but what we're finding when we speak to them is because of delays, the money coming through isn't enough to make ends meet.

"In the run up to the General Election we're asking all parties to pledge that people have got enough money in their pockets to make sure they can make ends meet, that they can put food on the table for their own children and for their own families."

A report released by the food charity revealed people referred to a food bank have an average weekly income after housing costs of just £50.

Esther Hurwood, project manager at Swale Foodbank, which is also part of the Trussel Trust, said 729 food parcels were given out between April 1 and September 30 this year.

They fed 1,487 people, of which 469 were children.

KMTV previously reporting on rising poverty levels in Kent

The figure is a 40.7% increase on the same period in 2018, which saw 518 parcels supplied to adults and children in the borough – they fed 901 people.

When asked why she thought there’d been an increase, Esther said: "We are certainly seeing a lot of people coming in because of Universal Credit – the truth is, it really is impacting people in real life.

"What seems to happen is people will wait and wait because they think they will get a job.
"They wait until they get to the end of their tether before they apply for Universal Credit and then they’ve got five weeks of nothing coming in at all.

"Or they can ask for an advanced payment and then they have got to pay that back to the Job Centre, but the money they’re getting paid is not enough to pay that back and live on."

Esther said they were also seeing a rise in working individuals and families on low incomes using the food bank.

She added: "The amount of money they’re earning is not enough for the cost of living and they’re just not able to make their ends meet.

"We are calling on all parties and whoever comes into government on December 13 to look at Universal Credit and why people can’t make ends meet.

"No one should have to use food banks, something needs to be done."

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