Dear algorithm, please connect us to people who also believe food banks shouldn’t need to exist in the UK.

Food banks are vital, but they are not the answer.

We brought the Jobcentre to Parliament. MPs stepped into experiences produced and delivered with people with lived experience. They saw the reality people face every day and what’s possible when Jobcentres lead with trust, not suspicion. Together, we can stop the stigma and fix the system.

Things that shouldn’t exist: 1) heatwaves on a weekday 2) having to function when it's above 30 degrees 3) food banks

Let's tackle a common misconception: lots of people on Universal Credit have jobs. Bills are rising, rents are sky-high, food prices are by 37% - and wages don't stretch to cover it all nowadays. Even with a Universal Credit top up, people still can't afford everything they need to live.

📢 Let's be clear... Cutting social security support for disabled people would only make hardship and heath worse. And make it harder for people to get jobs.

People are skipping meals and going without the essentials 💔 Hunger isn’t normal. Poverty isn’t normal. Together, we CAN change this.

In the last 5 years... - Energy bills have shot up by 54% - Food prices are up by 39% But wages? Just 36%. And Universal Credit has risen by only 31%. Costs are rising so much faster than incomes. THIS is why people are struggling to survive right now. 💔

We are 1,400 food banks, 36,000 volunteers, 100,000s of community groups, and millions of people across the UK. Together, we can end the need for food banks. And we will.

🚨 BREAKING: 1.25 MILLION young people could be out of work or training in 5 years, if no action is taken. Young people are being failed by the very systems that are meant to support them, including health, education and social security.

❗️People with terminal or lifelong conditions and disabilities shouldn’t have to keep proving they’re ill to get support. We're standing with @mariecurieuk.bsky.social and 30+ organisations to call on the government to change this, so people don't have to go through repeated stress and uncertainty.

People living with life-limiting illnesses that will only get worse shouldn’t have to be put through repeated benefits reassessments. They add stress and paperwork at a time when people are already dealing with so much. It has to stop. 🛑 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

🚨 BREAKING: half of people in the UK have lost access to community spaces - with families in the most deprived areas losing them fastest. Parks, libraries, leisure centres are essential for our mental and physical health. We all need places to connect. Especially when life is tough.

🚨 NEW: The #KingsSpeech mentioned change – but with global issues driving up the cost of food and bills, more must be done to support people on the lowest incomes. 2.6 million food parcels were provided last year. Without more action, we risk even more people being forced to turn to a food bank.

With elections happening in Wales, Scotland and some parts of England today, it feels like the right time to share this again. Together, we CAN build a future where we never need a sign like this. 💚

MILLIONS of people in the UK are skipping meals, sitting in dark and damp houses, going without essentials. But it doesn't have to be this way. Ending hunger is a political choice.

🚨 BREAKING: The life expectancy gap between people in the UK’s poorest and wealthiest areas has grown to 20 years. Most areas in the UK have seen healthy life expectancy fall since 2012. This isn’t right. Everyone should be able to live a healthy life - no matter where they live or what they earn.

Say it with us: Ending the need for food banks is possible. Together we can. Together we WILL.

POV: your income is £98 a week Universal Credit, but you need to pay for... - £42 on food - £24 on gas and electric bills - £8 on wifi bill - £7 on water bill - £21 on transport - £13 on toiletries and cleaning products - £7 on clothes Could you make this add up? 💔

This is absolutely harrowing. The housing crisis is pushing families into dangerous housing that's putting their very lives at risk. The UK government MUST take urgent action, by making sure people can access safe, truly affordable homes and unfreezing Local Housing Allowance.

ICYMI: a greener future CAN help end hunger. #EarthDay

❗Elections are coming this May in Wales, Scotland and parts of England. This is your chance to make sure YOUR voice is heard. Add these key dates to your diary: 🗳️ Deadline to register to vote: 20 April ✉️ Deadline to apply for postal vote: 21 April ✅ Elections take place: 7 May

❗️Ending hunger is a political choice. With elections coming up in Scotland, Wales, and local councils in England, we’ve listed 5 simple actions political leaders MUST take to end hunger. 🧵

❗ Removing the two-child limit is a major step forward. This cruel policy has driven countless families into hardship and to the doors of food banks. Now it's fully removed, we can help ensure all children have a fair start in life.

A BIG win: The two-child benefit limit is officially gone. 🎉 A massive 450,000 will be lifted out of of severe hardship by 2027 as a result. This is a huge victory for children, campaigners, and every one of you that urged the Chancellor to act. 💚

🚨 BREAKING: 6 million people are facing hunger in the UK, including 2m children. This is a 20% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. These new stats from DWP reveal a heart-breaking injustice; too many people are being trapped in severe hardship.

A quick reminder that you can donate to your local food bank in @Waitrose stores this week. Look out for the collection point in your local branch, and if you see food bank staff or volunteers, feel free to ask what items are needed most. Thank you for your support 💚

Why is Universal Credit failing to protect people from hunger? Right now, Universal Credit isn’t matched to the cost of living, and this is driving people to the doors of food banks. It’s time to take the politics out of social security.

Across every corner of the UK, food banks in our community are seeing severe hardship. ❗️ 2.6 MILLION food parcels were provided last year alone. But which areas are facing the highest levels of need? Let us explain…

Between 2019 and 2025, the number of people needing a food bank more than once rose by a massive 35%. Cost of living payments and falling inflation have helped some people get back on their feet, but too many people are being left behind and trapped in severe hardship.

📦 2.6 MILLION emergency food parcels were provided across the UK in 2025 👶 912,216 of these were for households with children 📈 That’s still 45% higher than pre-pandemic levels Inflation is easing, but hardship isn’t. This isn’t right - and it doesn’t have to be this way.

£73.20 a week. That’s supposed to cover food, bills, travel… and surviving as a young adult. Impossible? Exactly.

🚨The Chancellor highlighted positive steps taken so far to tackle hunger in today’s #SpringStatement We welcome these, but with 6.8 MILLION people facing severe hardship, the UK government must make more plans to tackle hunger in the upcoming Autumn Budget. 🧵

❗BREAKING: A greener future can help end hunger. Resilient homes, green energy, decent jobs and community support can protect people from hardship driven by climate change. Together with @friends-earth.bsky.social we're calling for a greener future that's good for people AND the planet.

What will it take to build a future where no one needs a food bank? Our Social Change Advisor, @heather-buckingham.bsky.social asks this in her new book, A Taste for Change. Available for pre-order now. From 17-20 Feb, Waterstones are offering 25% off with the code FEB26: https://bit.ly/4kKgc6r

Food banks are a lifeline. But they’re not a long-term solution to hunger. Repost if you agree.

We don’t need more food banks, we need change. Repost if you agree.

Hunger in the UK isn’t a personal failure. Its a systemic failure - one that is entirely fixable.

⚠️ JUST IN: 6.8 million people are facing severe hardship. Research by @jrf-uk.bsky.social reveals that the cost of living crisis is far from over, with record numbers of people going without essentials like food and heating. We NEED more action to turn the tide on hunger in the UK.

❗ Pensioners are cutting back on food, skipping showers and turning off the heating - because they have no money. Rising food and energy costs are pushing older people to the brink, forcing many to rely on food banks. This cannot continue.

🚨 The cost of living crisis is not over yet: UK inflation is back up. People are already struggling to survive. This will pile even more pressure onto overstretched incomes, and push more people to the doors of food banks.

Hunger in the UK ISN’T about a lack of food. - It’s about people not having enough money to survive - It’s about a lack of affordable housing - It’s about low wages - It’s about a weak social security system

What you think food banks do: provide food. What they actually do: provide food and toiletries, listen, give advice and support with housing, mental health and social security, offer a cuppa and a biscuit, make people feel hopeful again.

BIG NEWS: more effective support will be given to people facing hardship from April! The Crisis & Resilience Fund will provide financial support to prevent people from needing food banks. This is a big step because hunger in the UK is NOT a food problem, it’s an income problem. 🧵👇

26 years ago, there were no food banks. Now, because of rising food, rent and bills, and our poor social security system there are over 1,400.

This is a real issue that food banks are seeing across the country: people are being forced to get into bed because they can't afford to put the heating on. Many of them are in receipt of Universal Credit. It's time for change. Everyone deserves a warm, safe place to call home. 🏠

❗ 1 in 4 people who will turn to a food bank in our community this winter will have had almost no social contact – the food bank may be the first time they speak to someone.

❗There’s been a 40% increase in emergency food parcels provided over winter in the last 5 years. Food prices have risen by 37% in the last 5 years, rents are skyrocketing, bills are crazy, and our social security system hasn’t kept up. People don’t have enough money to live.

This is a real quote from somebody at one of our food banks... ‘Since my husband died two weeks ago, I’ve been living on Weetabix. My account was frozen, and Universal Credit hasn’t started.’ Losing a loved one is hard enough. People shouldn't have to worry about food on top of that. 💔

PSA: We expect to provide an emergency food parcel EVERY 10 SECONDS this winter.