BENEFIT problems have been blamed for driving up the number of emergency handouts from foodbanks across the region.

According to the country’s biggest foodbank provider, the Trussell Trust, it gave out 64,209 emergency food packs in the North-East between April 2017 and March this year.

That represented a 4.1 per cent increase on the previous year’s figure of 61,567.

The rise was steeper in Yorkshire where 77,411 emergency food packs were given out, compared to 69,280 in 2016/17 – a 10.5 per cent jump.

The Trussell Trust said there had been a record rise in its foodbank figures and the introduction of Universal Credit was a significant factor along with the fact that levels of benefit were not keeping pace with the cost of household essentials.

Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah said: “Universal Credit has left many vulnerable adults and children with no other option to use foodbanks.

“This is unacceptable in a country with so much wealth.”

Though not part of the Trussell network, North Yorkshire-based Hambleton Foodshare, a community partnership which provides emergency food parcels for people, said it too experienced a surge in demand last year.

Margaret Brice, project co-ordinator, said: “We usually average about a thousand a year [food parcels], last year we did 1,300, which was quite a bit of an increase.

“Universal Credit is a factor in people coming forward because it takes a minimum of six weeks to get the benefits in place.

“These are people with young children as well, so it can be really dire. We are in a fortunate position in Hambleton where people are very generous and do give food.

“We recognise how hard it is come to a foodbank and there is a stigma still attached. A lot of people are also surprised that we require a foodbank in this area, but there are still people in need here, even if it may be hidden poverty.”

Emma Revie, chief executive of The Trussell Trust, said: “It’s vital we get [Universal Credit] right and ensure levels of payment keep pace with the rising cost of essentials, particularly for groups of people we know are already more likely to need a foodbank.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said there were complex reasons why people used foodbanks.

She said: “The link to Universal Credit is based on anecdotal evidence from a small, self-selecting sample of claimants whereas Universal Credit is working for the vast majority who claim it.”