Research says over 9M people in UK live in severe poverty, cautions of rising hunger crisis
Date
10/10/2024 4:37:11 AM
(MENAFN) According to new research from the Trussell Trust, more than nine million people in the UK are now living in such severe poverty that they have become increasingly reliant on charity food handouts. The charity's report highlights a critical warning that Labour’s pledge to eliminate food bank dependency will likely fall short unless immediate action is taken to address the underlying causes of low household incomes. This growing crisis reflects broader economic challenges, as the report indicates that one million more individuals are categorized as living in "hunger and hardship"—defined as those surviving on incomes at least 25 percent below the relative poverty line—compared to five years ago.
The total number of people experiencing this level of hardship has risen to over nine million, a staggering increase from figures reported two decades ago. These individuals routinely struggle to afford basic necessities such as food, heating, and clothing, illustrating the severity of their circumstances. The crisis is particularly acute among children, with one in five UK youngsters facing the threat of hunger and hardship. Families with three or more children are especially vulnerable, with a third of them at a high risk of relying on food charity, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of this issue on larger households.
Emma Revie, the CEO of the Trussell Trust, has expressed profound concern over the escalating dependency on food banks, stating, "It’s 2024, and we’re facing historically high levels of food bank need. As a society, we cannot allow this to continue. We must not let food banks become the new norm." Her comments underscore the urgent need for systemic change to combat poverty and ensure that all individuals have access to sufficient resources.
The alarming trends outlined in the report call for a concerted effort from policymakers, community leaders, and social organizations to tackle the root causes of poverty and food insecurity in the UK. Without prompt and effective intervention, the reliance on food banks may continue to grow, perpetuating a cycle of hardship for millions of individuals and families across the nation.
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