Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Britain's food banks face big surge in demand as unemployment rises

BEFORE the parcel from the food bank arrived, Natasha Cartey had just half a bag of rice and a tub of butter. She was wondering when her next meal would be.

Cartey lives in social housing in Newham, one of London's poorest boroughs, and receives government benefits. She is worried there will be riots if people are stuck at home for much longer.


"The country might end up coming to a standstill," she said. "How are people meant to bring up their kids or survive or pay the bills or earn income?

"Protests and riots can and will get out of control," she said, comparing the situation to the England riots of 2011.

Britain is in its second week of coronavirus lockdown, with strict social distancing measures in place. As shops and businesses close, millions of people have lost their income.

As the country faces its biggest crisis since World War Two, food banks which normally serve meals in their premises have closed so food distribution charities are left to deliver food parcels to people's doors.

One in 20 people in the UK had already lost their job due to coronavirus when YouGov conducted a poll a week ago and applications for Universal Credit - the government benefits system - are sky high, with nearly half a million claims last week.

Suman Uththamaputhir used to work for betting shop Paddy Power before it closed.

"Really I'm struggling at the moment," he said. "I've got a lot of family and friends ... everyone's doing the same thing, everyone's struggling."

Cartey and Uththamaputhir both received food parcels from the Docklands Settlements community centre in East London, which has been asked by the council to expand its operations to prepare for the influx of demand.

"I think that as time goes on there's going to be a lot more people that are going to need a lot more food," said Sam White, the community centre's manager.

Use of food banks in Britain has surged in recent years. The amount of food distributed by the Trussell Trust, which runs around 1,200 of the country's 2,000 food banks, has risen 73 per cent in the past five years.

For many, the government's financial aid will be too little, too late. The country's 5 million self-employed will not hear if they are eligible for money until June, and although the government has said it will fund 80 per cent of employees' wages if their company keeps them on, there is nothing to make an employer apply for this.

"As we're going out and we're delivering the food you can feel the desperation with some families," White said.

"And things are only going to get worse as time goes on," she added.

Sabine Goodwin, who works with Food Aid Network, which runs 830 food banks across the UK, told The Sun: "There’s a lot of people that haven’t been thought about in the arrangement that are in the category of vulnerable people.

"There are huge numbers of people who are living with economical vulnerability and food insecurity, and who were even before this crisis.

"Now that figure has increased and we’re seeing much more demand across the country.

"The government needs to take action and make sure people have money to go to the supermarket and buy food themselves.

"It’s not possible for the food bank system to cope with this level of need."

A government spokesperson said "up to 1.5 million people in England have been identified as being the most clinically vulnerable and at higher risk of severe illness if they contract coronavirus".

“We are working to identify others who may still need support in getting essential food supplies," he added.

More For You

nhs-hospital-getty

NHS faces pressure as flu admissions rise sharply

FLU cases in the country have surged, with over 5,000 hospital admissions last week, marking a sharp increase as the NHS faces pressure from a winter quad-demic of flu, Covid, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus.

According to The Times, flu admissions rose from 4,102 on Christmas Day to 5,074 by 29 December.

Keep ReadingShow less
AI-diabetes-risk-tool-iStock

World's first AI diabetes risk tool to be tested by NHS in 2025

THE NHS in England is set to launch a world-first trial of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that predicts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes up to 13 years before symptoms appear.

The trial, scheduled for 2025, will take place at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Agni: The sacred science of fire and its transformative power

Fire (agni) holds a profound significance in Vedic rituals

iStock

Agni: The sacred science of fire and its transformative power

Ashwini Guruji

Agni, the first word of the Rig Veda, holds a profound significance. It is, in fact, a wondrous element. While most are familiar with fire for its heat and light, very few understand that fire sustains our body and plays a pivotal role in cleansing it and the surrounding elements. Even fewer appreciate its role as a medium to connect with the Devlok (realm of the divine), and hardly anyone explores its potential to manifest changes within and around them. Dhyan Ashram is one such rare place in today’s world where sadhaks (practitioners) experiment with and experience the extraordinary properties of fire.

In Vedic times, yagyas were a routine practice. They were not mere rituals but a precise science designed to invoke and channel the forces of Creation through the medium of fire. The Vedic Shastras detail nearly 400 types of yagyas, each with a specific purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
genomics-iStock

A recent RHO review highlighted significant gaps in health equity data for genomic services. (Representational image: iStock)

NHS study to tackle inequalities in access to genomic medicine

THE NHS Race and Health Observatory (RHO) and NHS England have launched an 18-month research project to address disparities faced by ethnic minority groups in accessing genomic medicine.

The initiative will examine racial and ethnic biases in the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) through national and regional assessments of health inequalities.

Keep ReadingShow less

Coffee, a widely consumed beverage, has been associated with reduced risks of several conditions, including heart disease, cognitive decline, and chronic illnesses. (Photo: iStock)
Coffee, a widely consumed beverage, has been associated with reduced risks of several conditions, including heart disease, cognitive decline, and chronic illnesses. (Photo: iStock)

Coffee could extend healthy lifespan by nearly two years, study finds

DRINKING coffee may extend a person’s healthy lifespan by almost two years, according to a study published in the journal Ageing Research Reviews. The research, which reviewed previously published studies, concluded that moderate coffee consumption could correspond to an average increase in healthspan of 1.8 years.

Researchers from Portugal highlighted coffee’s potential in promoting a healthy lifestyle, especially as the global population continues to age. "We know that the world's population is ageing faster than ever, which is why it's increasingly important to explore dietary interventions which may allow people to not only live longer but also healthier lives," said Rodrigo Cunha from the University of Coimbra, who led the study.

Keep ReadingShow less