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.