[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

Thanks for the clarification Joey.

This is an area that needs the correct data, because its very important. I am not trying to sweep the issue away.

For example, if the average unique usages is 2, it implies that there is a social services that is not reacting fast enough which gives people a problem and they need to use them, but that the issue is resolved within a week ( 2 * a 3 day pack)

Also, when comparing over a longer term, if people are long term users of the service, well the numbers will grow as long as the service is available. So saying the number of usages increased from x to y over a 5 year period doesn't reveal much unless it is in reference to the number of unique uses.

Again, I say, I'm not trying to minimise the issue, but we do need to understand it more.

I posted this for you here as it has some figures in.
If you apply the same logic to the 2010 figure and the same person used the foodbank 3 times that would mean of that the true figure was 16,667 today that figure today equates to 361,535 which means 344,868 more people are using foodbanks today than 5yrs ago or an extra 68,974 people per yer over the last 5.

An individual can only use a foodbank 3 times over a year referred by a professional body such as doctor or social worker.

http://www.trusselltrust.org/