Wrexham Has Second Highest Foodbank Usage In North Wales

Wrexham has the second highest usage of foodbanks in North Wales, with over 5,600 people being supplied with emergency food over the past 12 months. 

Last week Wrexham.com reported that 5,683 people in the area had been provided with emergency food supplies in the period between 1st April 2014 and 31st March 2015.

However new regional figures released by the Trussell Trust today show Wrexham has the second highest usage of foodbanks in North Wales, with neighbouring county Flintshire having 6,443 people provided with emergency food supplies in the last financial year.

Wrexham’s foodbank usage is up slightly on last year – with 5515 people receiving emergency food between April 2013 and March 2014. A breakdown of Wrexham’s figures goes onto show 3,702 adults used foodbanks in the last 12 months, while 1981 were children.

Nationally there has been an increase in foodbank usage in the last year, with over 1,000,000 people receiving three days’ emergency food from Trussell Trust foodbanks nationwide in 2014-15, compared to 900,000 in 2013-14.

National Growth of the Trussell Trust since 2008

Across Wales a total of 85,875 people were supplied with emergency food in the last financial year, which is the equivalent of giving three days’ food to the entire population of Caerphilly more than twice

Whilst problems with benefits remain the largest driver of foodbank use, there has been an increase in numbers referred due to low income in the last year. In Wales, the top three primary referral reasons were:

-Benefit delays accounted for 31% of referrals

-‘Low Income’ accounted for 24% of referrals

– Benefit changes accounted for 14% of referrals

Nationally, ‘Low income’ referrals have grown from 20 percent in 2013/14 to 22 percent of all referrals in 2014/15. Foodbank managers reported that clients who are in work are struggling with insecure work, low wages and high living costs.

Speaking about the national increase in foodbank usage, Trussell Trust UK foodbank director Adrian Curtis said:
“Despite welcome signs of economic recovery, hunger continues to affect significant numbers of men, women and children in the UK today. It’s difficult to be sure of the full extent of the problem as Trussell Trust figures don’t include people who are helped by other food charities or those who feel too ashamed to seek help.

“Trussell Trust foodbanks are increasingly hosting additional services like debt counselling and welfare advice at our foodbanks, which is helping more people out of crisis. The Trussell Trust’s latest figures highlight how vital it is that we all work to prevent and relieve hunger in the UK.

“It’s crucial that we listen to the experiences of people using foodbanks to truly understand the nature of the problems they face; what people who have gone hungry have to say holds the key to finding the solution.”

More information about the Wrexham Trussell Trust Foodbank can be found on their website here.