Our Impact in 2021-22
Our 2021-22 Annual Impact Report tells the story of the work we’ve been doing over the last twelve months – a year marked by the continuing effects of the pandemic and a growing crisis in the cost of living.
Working together, with the food banks in our network, local churches, corporate partners and other supporters and partners, we can build a future where none of us need a food bank.
Our Vision
A UK without the need for food banks
where levels of hardship are so low, and ongoing financial and relational support is readily available, such that large-scale emergency food distribution is no longer needed.
The Situation
The need for food banks continues to increase
2.1 million
emergency food parcels were distributed to people facing hardship by food banks in the Trussell Trust network between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
14% increase
in the number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell Trust network compared to the same period in 2019/20.
How we’re making a difference
We’re helping unlock even more of the potential of food banks to become places where the underlying drivers of acute poverty are addressed, and supporting food banks to develop strategies to reduce the need for emergency food locally.
We’re gathering robust evidence to drive policy change so that everyone can afford the essentials, and no one needs to use a food bank.
Lasting change happens when wider society thinks and acts differently about an issue, so we’re building understanding and empathy about the drivers of food bank use, and calling greater numbers of people to take action.
Changing
Communities
Grants worth £29.5m were committed to food banks in our network to develop strategic plans, improve their facilities and support their local activities.
There are 36,000 volunteers across the food bank network.
92% of volunteers feel they are making a difference to other people.
Over 35,000 people have accessed advice via the Help through Hardship helpline for support to increase their incomes by ensuring they are receiving the benefits they are entitled to. £19.2 million of income gains have been identified for people facing hardship.
Changing
Policy
Data from our food bank network helps to make the case for changes to our benefits system that better protect people from destitution:
Following specific calls from our supporters as part of the Hunger Free Future campaign in advance of the elections to the Scottish Parliament in May 2021, First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon committed the Scottish Government to set out a plan to end the need for food banks within the first year of the new parliament.
The APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) on Ending the Need for Food Banks is now in its second year, discussing the solutions that are needed to end the need for food banks, as well as making recommendations to the relevant government departments to achieve this shared vision.
We released Debt to Government, Deductions and Destitution, a participatory research report exploring the experiences of people with government debt, its impact, and ways towards a fairer approach.
Changing
Minds
25,000 people wrote to their MP to ask them to help stop the £20 a week cut to Universal Credit and Keep the Lifeline.
Over the course of the year, the Trussell Trust was mentioned 16,837 times in broadcast, online and press media, which is 48% higher than in 2019/20, helping to increase public awareness and understanding.
Across all aspects of our work, we have been working with 80 people with lived experience of hardship and using food banks, who are influencing our strategies, our programmes and our policy priorities.
Read more about the difference we’re making, together with food banks in our network and other partners, in our 2021-2022 Impact Report.