Rise in food bank use due to benefit changes, warns YMCA

A study by the charity found that over the past year around 5,000 vulnerable young people have been referred to food banks by local YMCAs, with 80 per cent attributing an increase in the rate of referrals to welfare system changes introduced since 2012.

Around four out of five of the local YMCAs surveyed said they were having to refer young people to food banks as a result of problems with benefit payments or sanctions being imposed on claimants.

YMCA England's Food For Thought report also reveals that after benefit payment delays and sanctions, the third most common reason for referring young people to food banks was due to them being refused a hardship payment or crisis loan by their local authority.

The report says benefit claims from vulnerable young people – such as care leavers, homeless people and those estranged from family – are often complex and can result in delays which, even if just a few days in length, can cause problems due to them struggling to manage finances and living hand-to-mouth lives.

Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England, said: “The government cannot continue to put its head in the sand with regard to the problems which are driving more and more young people each year to depend on food parcels.
 
“Urgent action needs to be taken in order to protect the most vulnerable in our society and ensure that young people are given the support they need to provide for themselves. It is unacceptable in this day and age, that anyone should have to rely on the kindness of strangers in order to eat.”