[Livia]

Originally Posted by Josy

Does it matter? the food banks are being used more and that's the amount of people that had to be given a 3 day emergency food pack and that's from the 2014/2015 statistics when we aren't even half way through this year, which takes me to Joeys point..figures shouldn't matter because no one should have to rely on a food bank, saying the more food banks there is the more they will be used doesn't make it any less awful that people cannot afford to feed themselves and their families.

I'm not really sure why you find the figures hard to believe either when it's reported that their is over 13 million people in the UK living below the poverty line and working people make up more than half of that.

Edited to add - The figures I posted are only from 1 charity that has over 450 foodbanks, obviously the numbers would be higher if adding all of the charities together.

Does it matter? Of course it matters! Whether a million people are using foodbanks, or fifty thousand people are using them twenty times? Yes, I'd say it matters quite a bit if you're going to quote statistics. Unless it's crystal clear what you mean it just upholds the thinking that you can say anything with statistics.

I'm not trying to suggest that there aren't people on low wages or relying entirely on benefits. I'm suggesting that the problem isn't as big as the left suggests. And having foodbanks is a good thing, because there are now more, could that not mean that more people are being helped, rather than there are more people in need? And yes, joey's right, it's unfair that people should have to rely on foodbanks. But it's the reality of life right now, and if those people in need can be helped, the more foodbanks that are set up the more people will be helped.