Rising energy prices see food bank users asking for food that doesn't need cooking

Rising energy prices mean that food bank users have been asking for food which requires no cooking because they “can’t afford to put the oven on”, organisations have warned. The cost-of-living crisis has seen a rise in food bank users, as shop prices rose by a record 5.1% in August, according to the latest report by the British Retail Consortium.

This, combined with a huge surge in energy bills, has led to an “unsustainable situation”, Ian Oulton, a trustee of West Cheshire Foodbank, said. Mr Oulton claimed the charity is seeing a 70% increase in use compared to pre-pandemic levels.

He told the PA news agency: “For the first time, we’re spending thousands of pounds on food to top up our supply – around 20%. This is an unsustainable situation for an independent charity.”