FOODBANKS are expecting a 61 per cent surge in demand this winter, with a charity fearing a “catastrophic rise in poverty” if urgent support is not made available. 

New research released by the Trussell Trust today lays bare the devastating impact of the coronavirus crisis, particularly on families and children, with tens of thousands driven to use foodbanks for the first time. 

Earlier this year, the charity reported a surge in foodbank use, recording an 89 per cent increase in emergency packages given out compared with the same month in 2019. 

Many of them were given to first-time users, as 100,000 households joined the ranks of those surviving on foodbank aid between April and June, the latest research reveals.

The trust, which runs a network of 1,000 foodbanks nationwide, has warned that the need for such help could soar even higher if unemployment rises as high as predicted following the end of the job retention scheme. 

Chief executive Emma Revie said: “Our research finds that Covid-19 has led to tens of thousands of new people needing to use a foodbank for the first time. This is not right.

“If we don’t take action now, there will be further catastrophic rises in poverty in the future.

“With the furlough scheme set to wind down, we must act now to put in place protection for each other.

“The Budget and comprehensive spending review present a pivotal opportunity to put things right.”

The research, carried out by Heriot-Watt University, estimates that 670,000 additional people could be classed as destitute by the end of this year, meaning that the charity could face a 61 per surge in need this winter. 

The government has provided an extra £9.3 billion in welfare support, including increasing universal credit payments by £20 a week, but many housing groups and trade unions have warned that this is not enough.