Larne Foodbank sees rise in numbers seeking emergency food parcels

In 2021/22, the service had referrals for parcels for 1921 people; in 2022/23, this rose to 2847 people.

The figures match the trend seen in the Mid and East Antrim area as a whole, where more food parcels than ever were handed out by the Trussell Trust.

Figures from the charity show 7,822 food parcels were distributed out in Mid and East Antrim in the year to March throughout the area's five distribution centres – rising from 5,007 in 2021-22.

This was the highest number of parcels provided in the area since at least 2017-18.

The Trust, which is the country's leading operator of food banks, says the rise is a mainly product of problems with the UK's welfare system – not just the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

Commenting on the increased need for the service locally, Catherine Lynas from Larne Foodbank said: “Every session, we provide support to working families, many of whom are in low paid work or on zero hours contracts that do not provide the necessary income to meet increased essential outgoings.

"We also meet families relying on means-tested benefits who have found that while their payments have risen by 3.1 percent, the actual cost of essential items has risen by between 9 percent to 11 percent.

"A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation study has shown that while the basic universal credit payment is £85 per week, the true cost of essential items is £120, which leaves local people with a weekly shortfall of £35.

"It is no wonder then that more people are being forced to turn to our local referrers to seek help with food and energy costs resulting in the increased need we are seeing at Larne Foodbank.”

Across Northern Ireland, 81,084 parcels were handed out in the year to March – up 29 percent from 62,630 the year before.

These figures cover parcels handed out by the Trussell Trust itself, but do not include emergency food supplies provided by other charities and organisations.