Suffolk charity urges Chancellor to tackle food security in budget
The Chancellor's due to make his Spring statement shortly
A Suffolk charity is urging the Chancellor to tackle things like food security in his Spring statement this afternoon.
Rishi Sunak will outline minor changes to existing plans shortly, but he is under pressure to offer solutions to the cost-of-living crisis facing households across the country.
The Chancellor is expected to put forward plans to account for the rise in inflation and fuel costs in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month.
In addition, an increase in national insurance is on the table, a move that opposition party members claim will put more pressure on those struggling the most financially.
Graham Denny, founder of Felixstowe charity Basic Life, explained how widespread food insecurity in the area is: “I would say that the amount of people has doubled during this year; people just simply don’t have enough money to live on.
“It’s just everybody, you know? People come along that you’d never think were suffering from food insecurity, but their backstories would tell you that while they have a job, they don’t have any disposable income.”
Basic Life run several pop-up food banks across Felixstowe that allow those that need it to pay £2 for a bag that they can fill with whatever produce they want. Graham says the simple £2 not only adds value that can be reinvested into the community, but it also fights the stigma around food banks.
Looking towards the statement this afternoon, Graham says people in his area need more support: “At the moment a lot of people are running at a deficit, before they start the month, they’re losing money. So, if it can be put back to a level playing field at least then people have a fighting chance to get by.”
The Chancellor will deliver his statement to the House of Commons at 12:30pm.