‘Starmer gives money to rich, we’re forced to rely on food banks’

Labour is pushing more people to rely on food banks

A group of people sit round tables in St Andrew’s church in Hackney, east London on a Wednesday evening. They aren’t here for the hymns. They are waiting for the food bank to open.

It’s become an ever more frequent scene—and Keir Starmer is going to make it worse.

Food bank use is  up by 50 percent in the last five years. And in London has doubled—increasing by 123 percent. This is according  to a report by Trussell Trust, which runs the largest network of food banks in Britain, released this week.

Construction worker Angelo was homeless for a year and a half and now lives in a hostel. “I’ve been using a food bank for a few years as I’m on and off work,” he told Socialist Worker.

“I want to work full-time but I can’t find a stable job. Sometimes for a couple of months I can’t find work. I’m by myself and this keeps me going.”

Angelo is trying to put some money on the side so he can start renting privately. “But the government doesn’t give you a chance to save money for accommodation. As soon as you start earning, it cuts off support.,” he said.

The Trussell Trust provided more than 455,000 emergency food parcels through its food bank in London from April 2024 to March 2025. This number rises to nearly three million for the whole of Britain.

The Trussell Trust found that 75 percent of people who are turning to food banks are either disabled themselves or live with someone who is.

Simon is 61 years old and long-term unemployed due to health issues. “I am worried about what the government says about Personal Independence Payments (Pip) and getting back to work,” he told Socialist Worker. “I can’t work—and I’m just poor.”

Simon argued that the government “gives with one hand and takes back with the other”. He said, “Energy, gas, electric bills, hundreds of pounds a month.

“I’ve got half price water bills due to illness. They are £93 a month—imagine if they were full price.”

He added, “I thought Starmer was going to nationalise energy. He is going after disabled people, cutting winter allowance, going after pensioners.

“Why don’t they think about people? They talk about the £22 billion financial blackhole, all politicians are corrupt by the end of the day. There’s money for the rich and the poor get poorer.”

The benefit system isn’t fit for purpose. They seem to make it deliberately difficult.

James described the food bank in Hackney as “a life saver” and comes frequently. “I’m on Pip and Pip isn’t enough,” he told Socialist Worker.

James suffers with severe mental distress and can’t work due to the medication he takes. He said Labour is making it harder to get Pip “so you can’t be bothered to try” to claim benefits.

If the government denies you Pip, you can go through an appeal process at a tribunal, but it can be a very slow process.

“I don’t want to have to go through a tribunal to get Pip. It would mean six months where I will have no money. I won’t be able to insure my car, pay rent, pay for my mobile phone,” he explained.

The Trussell Trust charity has reported that food banks across Britain are struggling to meet local needs.

Around two-thirds of London food bank providers expect demand to increase in the coming year, according to food distribution charity The Felix Project.

And some 21 percent said they expect a significant rise in demand. Around 85 percent of food bank providers said that demand has risen since last year. Almost half reported an increasing number of first time users.

Around 40 percent of food bank providers expressed fear that they will not have the capacity to keep up with growing needs.

A volunteer at the food bank said that through the work they have “learnt about the benefits that are available”. “It was eye opening to see how the government is cutting benefits. It is getting busier here,” they told Socialist Worker.

“The benefit system isn’t fit for purpose. They seem to make it deliberately difficult. If you have to appeal it is a long process. For a disabled person it is even more difficult.”

The volunteer thought the government should tax the top 1 percent and use that money to invest in communities. “People clearly aren’t being looked after by this government,” they said.

James blasted the government as “only about themselves”. “They are not people who come from our background. They don’t know what it is like to be in our situation. They come from money,” he argued.

“Why do the rich pay less and the poor pay more? I want the government to help people who need help.”

Labour promised in its manifesto to end the need for emergency food. In reality, it’s making the social emergency facing working class people worse.