Number of people using food banks to double

A study by Oxford University suggests the number of people using food banks will double to more than 2m a year under the Conservatives’ plans for £12bn of welfare cuts.

Dr Rachel Loopstra’s research paper, entitled 'Austerity, Sanctions and the Rise of Food Banks in the UK', shows that food parcel distribution per head of population will rise by 0.16 percentage points for every 1% annual cut in benefit spending.

Labour used past cuts to calculate the figure based on Conservative plans for a £12bn cut in the welfare bill. Labour’s spokesperson on work and pensions, Rachel Reeves, said that David Cameron would have no choice but to cut tax credits and child benefit to meet the £12bn target.

Labour Milnshaw Councillor, Paul Cox, added "This would be yet another blow to many residents within Milnshaw, the last five years have been tough. Constantly we have been told that we must all feel some of the austerity cuts. However I feel this has be far to disproportionate to people living in the north west, especially East Lancashire. This Government has continued to hit the weakest the hardest and this is just another example."