Cost of Living Food Banks 2024-02-05
2024-02-05
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question stems from concerns about the impact of rising living costs on food bank usage in the constituency. Local food banks are seeing an increase in demand.
What recent assessment has his Department made regarding the relationship between cost of living increases and trends in food bank use? Food banks such as Luton Foodbank have been pushed to breaking point this winter due to Conservative policies. It is shameful that there are now more food banks than police stations in the UK.
Food banks operate independently, and data on trends is not available. Reasons for using food banks are complex. The Government offers support through cost of living payments and the household support fund, amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds. Additional measures include rising national living wage and reduced national insurance.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific assessment requested was not provided, focusing instead on general support mechanisms.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the high level of food bank usage in the constituency despite being one of the richest countries. Staff and volunteers at local food banks report an unprecedented demand.
Staff and volunteers at Norwood and Brixton food banks are responding to the highest level of need ever seen. Despite this, why does the Minister think that food bank reliance is continuing to rise? What measures are being taken by the Government to end the need for food banks in the UK?
Reasons for using food banks are complex. The Government provides support through cost of living payments, household support fund running hundreds of millions of pounds, rising national living wage, reduced national insurance, and local housing allowance helping 1.6 million low-income households.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific actions to end food bank reliance were not detailed.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Concerns are raised about the number of food banks increasing relative to police stations. Local food banks such as Luton Foodbank are struggling with demand.
Food banks like Luton Foodbank have been pushed to breaking point due to rising living costs, resulting in more food banks than police stations. What conversations has the Minister had about introducing measures in next month's Budget to support low-income working people and reduce reliance on food banks?
Further cost of living payments are going out this week. We do not comment on future fiscal announcements regarding Budget measures.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific conversations and proposed budget measures were avoided, focusing instead on upcoming cost of living payments.
Response accuracy