Over the past two to three years, food bank use across the UK has remained at historically high levels. Data cross the public and charitable sector shows that many households are still struggling to afford the essentials, and food banks continue to play a critical role in helping people through crisis.
A national picture: sustained high need
According to the Trussell Trust, food banks in its network distributed over 3.1 million emergency food parcels between April 2023 and March 2024, the highest level ever recorded in a single year.
In the following year (April 2024 to March 2025), provision fell slightly to around 2.9 million parcels, but this still represents almost double the number distributed five years earlier, before the pandemic and cost‑of‑living crisis
Of course, a small fall in parcel numbers does not definitely mean a fall in need. Listening to more project and community leads, as well as volunteers, it feels like tis is down more to the stretch in services, barriers when people are being referral, including a continued feeling of embarrassment or pride and people continue to face the struggles of high costs of living and the food shop taking the brunt.
Families, children and working households
Children and families continue to be disproportionately affected. In 2023–24, over one million food parcels were provided to children, making up more than a third of all emergency parcels distributed.
Trussell also reports rising numbers of working people and pension‑age households turning to food banks, highlighting that employment is no longer a guaranteed route to food security.
Cost of living and food insecurity
National survey data helps explain why high use of food banks and community shops continues. The Office for National Statistics reports that in early 2026, around 3% of adults in Great Britain said their household had run out of food in the previous two weeks and could not afford to buy more. 87% of adults questions said that cost of living, alongside he NHS and he economy were the most important issues facing the UK today.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports that in late 2025, over half of low‑income households reported skipping meals or cutting back on food, and 40% said they had gone hungry in the previous month because they could not afford enough food.
While food price inflation rise in reported as slowing, the continues and consistent rising costs of rest, electricity, water and fuel, basic ‘resilience’ may no longer be enough.
How this looks in Suffolk
Suffolk also reflects these national trends. Food banks across the county have repeatedly reported record‑breaking demand since 2022, with some services seeing double or triple the number of people compared to pre‑pandemic levels.
Waveney Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network, has described successive years as their busiest on record, with growing numbers of first‑time users alongside households needing ongoing support.
More than emergency food Alongside food distribution, many Suffolk organisations now focus on wrap‑around support; community connection, health services, benefit support, recognising that food banks alone cannot address the root causes of the economic pressure and financial strain.
Charities, local services, faith groups and more are feeling to continues need for food based support, with both global and local changes adding uncertainty to the future ahead, seeing more and more communities looking for a bigger change to help what is not enough on a small scale.
Web Page Links
National food bank & poverty data
Trussell Trust
End of Year Food bank statistics: End of year food bank stats | Trussell
Impact Report 2023–24: impact-report-2024.pdf
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK | Joseph Rowntree Foundation
with data dashboard UK poverty statistics | Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Office of National Statistics
Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain – Office for National Statistics
House of Commons Library
cost of living briefing
High cost of living: Impact on households – House of Commons Library2025 UK Wellbeing Report 2025
https://worldwellbeingmovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/UK-Wellbeing-Report-2025.pdf
House of Commons Library
In November 2025, 61% of adults in Great Britain reported an increase in their cost of living compared with the previous month. Of those whose cost of living increased, 95% said it was because food shopping had increased in price, while 68% said it was because gas and electricity bills had increased in price.
Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: March 2026
Unemployed adults and renters were among the groups most likely to report that their household had run out food and could not afford to buy more
Proportion of adults reporting their household had run out of food in the past two weeks and they could not afford to buy more, by characteristic, Great Britain, 7 January to 29 March 2026
