End of year stats
More than 3.1 million emergency food parcels were distributed by Trussell’s community of food banks in the past 12 months – the most parcels ever distributed in a year and nearly double the number compared to five years ago.
Food banks in the Trussell community saw the highest ever levels of need as more people found their incomes did not cover the cost of essentials like heating and food.
Food banks Trussell's UK-wide community distributed more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels to people facing hardship – this is an increase of 94% over the past five years. More than 1.1 million of these parcels were distributed for children.
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. As we approach the next UK general election, we urgently need all political leaders to set out how they will build a future where no one needs a food bank to survive. Voters want to see a change and we need cross-government action at all levels to deliver it. We know what’s pushing people to food banks, so we know what needs to change. A supportive social security system is the bedrock on which we end hunger for good. Building on this, we need much more effective employment and financial support for parents, carers and disabled people, and action to ensure everyone can have the security we all need to access opportunities and have hope for the future, through more secure and flexible jobs and investment in social housing. Food banks are not the answer. They will be there to support people as long as they are needed, but our political leaders must take bold action to build a future where everyone has enough money to afford the life’s essentials. The time to act is now.
Factsheets
Read our factsheets for a detailed breakdown of what this year’s statistics are telling us at a UK level and the findings for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Regional breakdown
Food bank statistics for previous financial years with regional breakdown.
What do these stats show?
Every year we release statistics about the number of emergency food parcels food banks in our community have provided to people. We release figures for the first six months of the financial year in November, and for the full financial year at the end of April or early May. These figures cover 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
Our statistics are a measure of volume rather than unique users. The data is collected using an online system into which food banks enter data from each food bank voucher, and the number of emergency food supplies is recorded.
For example, if a family of three were referred to a food bank twice in one year, this would count as six supplies on the system because it would reflect six instances of a supply going to someone in the household. However, if a family of three were only referred to a food bank once, this would count as three supplies.
Figures from Trussell cannot be used to fully explain the scale of food bank use across the UK, because our figures relate to food banks in our community and not to the hundreds of independent food aid providers and community groups also providing emergency food, which have increased in number through the pandemic. There are more than 1,400 food bank centres in Trussell’s UK-wide community. The Independent Food Aid Network has identified at least 1,172 independent food banks, while there are also Salvation Army food banks as well as food banks run from schools and hospitals. There are also thousands of food of other food aid providers including soup kitchens and social supermarkets.
Read more about our methodology
To find out more about the drivers of hunger and who is most at risk, read our research on Hunger in the UK.