Rhymney Valley Foodbank travelled to Westminster in historic moment, lobbying MPs to take urgent action against rising tide of hunger and hardship across UK

Against a backdrop of unprecedented cuts to social security for disabled people, representatives from community food organisations across the UK are calling for urgent steps towards an Essentials Guarantee to ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose.

On Wednesday 18th June, for the first time ever, Rhymney Valley Foodbank joined more than 700 people, including people experiencing severe hardship, volunteers at other food banks and community food organisations, and people across the anti-poverty sector, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, creating an historic lobby at Parliament as part the Guarantee our Essentials campaign.

Right now, 9.3 million people – including more than three million children – are facing hunger and hardship across the UK, uniting community organisations, Trussell, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), Feeding Britain, Salvation Army and Your Local Pantry to travel to London on June 18. 

Rhymney Valley Foodbank joined people from all four nations of the UK in Westminster, and with Blaenau Gwent Foodbank met Nick Smith MP, to speak out against the levels of severe hardship they are seeing in the Rhymney Valley and urge him to play his part in delivering urgent and meaningful change to our social security system. 

The food bank is calling for steps towards an Essentials Guarantee which would ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose, helping to prevent people from having to use a food bank. This means moving closer to a guarantee that the basic rate of Universal Credit provides enough to ensure people are at least able to afford the essentials we all need to get by, such as food and bills.

The event took place on the same day the UK government published its draft welfare reform bill, and millions of the UK public nervously wait to hear how MPs will vote on £7 billion worth of cruel cuts to disabled people’s social security payments. These cuts will push 440,000 more people in disabled households into severe hardship, according to Trussell research.  

Shockingly, three in four people who come to food banks in the Trussell community are disabled or live with someone who is, as disability payments for too many people already fall short of covering the essentials, like food and heating. Too many people are falling behind on bills, are becoming trapped in debt, and having to live in cold, damp homes.

Father Mark Owen, Chair of Trustees said: “Our food bank distributed 6450 emergency food parcels to people facing hunger and hardship last year, including 2158 to children. We cannot continue to hold back the tide of hunger and hardship and need MPs to take urgent and meaningful action for their communities. With lifechanging cuts on the horizon, it is more important than ever that Universal Credit protects people from severe hardship.

“We told our MP Nick Smith that this can and must change. We urged them to play their part and join Trussell, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), and more than 100 charities, in calling on the UK government to create an Essentials Guarantee.”

Emma Revie, chief executive at anti-poverty charity Trussell, said: 

“With more than 700 of us travelling to Westminster, we couldn’t send a more powerful and clear message to our MPs and to the UK government. We will not stand by while 9.3 million of us are facing hunger and hardship. People who have experienced severe hardship, people who work in food banks and from community organisations, as well as charity partners, have gathered from all over the UK, to call for a stronger social security system.

“The moment couldn’t be more crucial. This event comes as we wait to hear whether MPs are going to vote to cut disabled people’s social security by £7 billion.

“It’s time for the UK government to act, and take steps towards creating an Essentials Guarantee to ensure Universal Credit is fit for purpose and protects everyone that needs it.”

Rhymney valley and Blaenau Gwent Foodbank staff and volunteers outside Westminster, with Guarantee our Essentials table cloth full of stories of hope and hardship from within the community

Trussell CEO Emma Revie greeting hundreds of foodbank representatives at the Emmanuel Centre

Rhymney valley and Blaenau Gwent Foodbank staff and volunteers outside Westminster

Rhymney valley and Blaenau Gwent Foodbank staff and volunteers outside Westminster

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