94 per cent increase in food bank usage for Mid Sussex as the impact of the pandemic hit

Data from one of the country’s main provider of food banks has shown a 94 per cent increase in food bank usage in Mid Sussex, and a 225 per cent increase in Horsham, for 2020 compared with 2019.

As we approach a year of lockdown, we asked the Trussell Trust about how its usage changed during the peak of the lockdown last year.

March 2020 saw the food banks nationally hand out more than 50,000 parcels in one week, almost double its usual volume, and demand in Haywards Heath rose so much last year that the food bank had to find a new, larger premises in Sussex Road.

In Horsham the number of food banks quadrupled, rising from two to eight.

Trussell Trust food banks in Mid Sussex saw an increase of 1,733 food parcels handed out from mid-year 2019 to mid-year 2020.

It went from 1,843 parcels mid-year 2019 to 3,575 mid-year 2020, an increase of 94 per cent.

In Haywards Heath, the change was even bigger.

The last week of March saw the food bank help 75 families totalling 274 people, a percentage increase of 265 per cent, which is six times the normal level for the food bank. Horsham food banks went from handing out 1,212 food parcels in 2019 to 3,944 mid-year 2020, an increase of 225 per cent.

A spokesman for the Trussell Trust said: “Clearly the economic consequences of the pandemic have been devastating, leaving many unable to afford the basics without further support.”

The Trussell Trust was established in 2004, and runs around 60 per cent of food banks in the UK.

To receive a food parcel, you need to be given a voucher after being referred by an agency like Citizens Advice, which contains information including the number and age of people being supported.

This data allows the trust to compile the number of people that use the service.

When taking into account the approximate population sizes of the districts we can see the number of food parcels distributed per 1,000 people.

For Mid Sussex, 12.2 food parcels were distributed per 1,000 people in 2019, and 23.7 were distributed per 1,000 people mid-year 2020.

In Horsham, 8.43 were distributed per 1,000 people mid-year 2019, and 27.4 were distributed mid-year 2020.

From this we can see that despite Horsham having a larger percentage increase in the number of food parcels distributed, the figures per 1,000 people compared with Mid Sussex are very close.

The Trussell Trust spokesman said the pandemic had led to food banks having to change to cope with the increase in demand but added: “However, while some things have changed generally, the underlying reasons why people need support have not. As before the crisis, the key issue is a fundamental lack of income leaving people destitute and unable to afford the essentials.

“Dramatic increases to the number of people applying for welfare support and shortfalls between people’s living costs and their income have driven levels of need.

“Over the past year, we’ve all made incredible changes to the ways we live, work, and look after each other.

“We’ve seen amazing compassion and concern for people in crisis, but this kind of help shouldn’t be needed.

“This isn’t right and as the impact of the pandemic continues to unfold, we need change now more than ever.

“The contribution of volunteers and supporters is tireless, but the reality is no one should be forced to turn to charity to put food on the table.”

In Sussex, 27,991 parcels were distributed mid-year 2019 and 50,104 in 2020—a 79 per cent increase on 2019.

Mid Sussex and Horsham saw two of the biggest percentage increases for food parcels across the county.

Brighton and Hove saw the highest increase, from 1,186 to 5,075 or a percentage increase of 328 per cent mid-year 2020. Worthing had the lowest, from 937 to 943 or a 0.6 per cent increase.

According to food aid charities Independent Food Aid and Feeding Britain, the pandemic led to the emergence of the ‘newly hungry’­ — a group of people who previously had jobs and incomes that were enough to live on, who were forced to use food banks for the first time after losing their jobs last year.

According to the network’s briefing in October 2020, this includes ‘families with children whose incomes did not keep up with the costs of living, as well as people living alone with fragile physical or mental health whose low income was compounded by isolation’.

When looking at the number of food parcels distributed to adults and children in Sussex, the increase is drastic.

Mid Sussex food banks under the Trussell Trust gave 1,013 food parcels to adults mid-year 2019, and 1,757 in 2020 – for Horsham, the figures are 724 for 2019 and 2,204 for 2020.

This is a 73 per cent increase for Mid Sussex, and a 204 per cent increase for Horsham. For children in Mid Sussex, 829 food parcels were given out mid-year 2019, and 1,818 in 2020 – for Horsham, it was 488 in 2019 and 1,740 in 2020.

This is a 119.3 per cent increase for Mid Sussex, and 257 per cent for Horsham.

Increase in food and money donations for food banks

An increase in usage has come alongside an increase in donations made to food banks.

In the eight months between April and November, more than 28 tons of food were donated to Haywards Heath food bank, and almost 24 tons were distributed in the district.

Many supermarkets have also donated to food banks since the start of the pandemic, and encouraged customers to continue donating to food bank collection points.

In Burgess Hill, Waitrose has hosted food drives which the food banks hope will start again this year, a food collection bin, and donated extra food.

Tesco made ‘generous’ donations of food, the Co-Op host food collection bins in Burgess Hill and Hurstpierpoint, and Budgens in Hassocks also has a food collection point.

One volunteer from Balcombe said the number of people who have helped struggling families and donated food is ‘incredible’.

They said: “We have been overwhelmed with people’s generosity, they are so eager to do something to help.

“Makes you realise that there are so many good people in the world who care.”

Sharon Benefer, who is a volunteer and trustee in Burgess Hill’s food bank, described her experience in the food bank during the last year.

She said: “We had a couple in just before Christmas whose jobs had been affected by the pandemic.

“They had children, and the lady was just in tears.

“They’d never had to use a food bank, she was so thankful that she could come and get food for the Christmas period, especially because food is a big part of people’s Christmases.

“Generally people are very grateful for the support and often say thank you in deliveries especially.

“For people who are shielding it takes the

stress out of how to get food and getting a delivery slot, especially those struggling with money.”

Mrs Benefer said how the food bank had seen a spike the week before every lockdown, and 93 per cent of those they saw last year used the food bank between one and six times.

She said: “In this area there are a lot of people who are too embarrassed to come and use a food bank.

“We try to make it as easy as you can for them to come and get some food.

“This pandemic has affected all levels of society and as a food bank we are here to support the whole of our community who are in need.

“We will always treat you with respect, dignity and compassion and it’s all kept as confidential as possible.”

How the councils are helping with the demand

A spokesman for Haywards Heath Town Council said: “Haywards Heath Town Council recognised the pressure that was inevitably to be placed on the Food Bank at the start of the pandemic back in March. As a result, over the last year, the Town Council has offered support in the form of actively using Council resources to assist with food deliveries and granted £12,000 of Council funding to the Food Bank.

“So much was the concern of the Town Council in line with its ‘Leave No One Behind Campaign’ it has, with the Haywards Heath Mutual Aid Group and the blessing of the food bank, set up a complementary service called the ‘Emergency Food Hub’ so to support the Food Bank and take on referrals, which fell outside of Food Bank capacity and help people who were not already with the food bank system.

“The town council and the Haywards Heath Mutual Aid Group have obtained funding and donations to support this project also.

“The food hub is not in full operation at the present time as demand, thankfully, is not as high enough generally and the food bank is managing requests in the main, but it has the capacity to start services again if required.

“The main drive of the emergency food hub at the moment is to provide food to support the Bentswood Community Partnership and the school community on request.

“The town council continues to act a sign poster for those who need help in the first instance by referring them to the food bank and continues to regularly engage with food bank representatives.”

Robert Eggleston, leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, said: “The Burgess Hill Town Council help point team acts as a signposting service to the Burgess Hill Community Foodbank and gives out vouchers so that residents can get emergency help from the Burgess Hill community food bank.

“There has been, as might be expected, an increase in demand for vouchers during this pandemic and as the economic consequences unfold we would expect emergency help to continue at above normal levels.

“The town council has also taken a very forward looking approach to the whole issue of long term food insecurity and is in the final stages of establishing the Burgess Hill Pantry.

“We have formed a charity (Burgess Hill Community Cupboard CIO) and taken space in the former William Hill Interiors unit in the Martlets Shopping Centre.

“The pantry will operate as a membership based food shop which supports residents on low incomes on a long term basis.

“For a small weekly subscription of £4.00 residents buy food valued at up to 4 times their weekly membership fee, helping their income to go further.

“Over time, the Burgess Hill Pantry will add other services and act as another community hub providing support to residents in need.

“It has to be done as a community scheme where eligible residents go shopping for food but in a way that is affordable.

“It’s not just a handout, it’s giving people the ability to go and shop in an affordable way.

“The ethos is it isn’t just dealing with a food need, it’s meant to operate as a social hub with advice centres on finances, nutritional advice, and even a job club.

“I think it’s important in this time of crisis for the nation and town with what we’ve been through that we do our very best not to leave people behind.

“I feel very strongly that you do best by dignifying the customers.

“They’re not set apart, there’s no stigma attached and they’re not hidden away in a corner, they’re going to a normal shop and treated exactly the same.”

A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said: “We recognise that coronavirus has had a significant impact on residents across the county and we have been working closely with a number of organisations to make sure that our most vulnerable residents are being supported in this unprecedented period.

“This support has included providing financial assistance to food banks and food partnerships to assist in the support they provide within their local communities.

“If people are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic, we would encourage you to get in contact with the Covid-19 community hub on 0330 222 7980, who can offer you practical support and information in confidence.

“The Hub is open between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.”