MORE than 10,000 more food parcels were handed out by one food bank organisation in Gwent over the past 12 months than in the previous year, new figures show.

Figures from the Trussell Trust show it handed out 35,990 parcels in Newport, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, and Caerphilly, over the 12 months to March, up 43 per cent on the previous year, when it gave out 25,215.

The charity, the country's leading operator of food banks, says the rise is a product of problems with the UK's welfare system – not just the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

The rise was most severe in Caerphilly County Borough, where 14,357 parcels were handed out – up 67 per cent from 8,599 the year before.

The rise was lower in Newport, but still significant, with the number of parcels given out up 21 per cent from 4,033 to 4,879.

Torfaen saw a steeper rise, with 6,740 parcels given out over the last 12 months, up 43 per cent on the previous year’s figure of 4,728.

In Monmouthshire, 5,152 parcels handed out – up 32 per cent on the previous year, when 3,898 were distributed.

And in Blaenau Gwent 23 per cent more parcels were handed out – with 4,862 distributed, compared with 3,957 the year before.

Across the UK, a total of 2,986,203 emergency food parcels were given out between April 2022 and March this year – up 37 per cent on the year before.

And, across Wales as a whole, 185,320 parcels were handed out in the year to March – up 41 per cent from 131,663 the year before, and the largest increase of any of the UK's four home nations.

These figures cover parcels handed out by the Trussell Trust itself, but do not include emergency food supplies provided by other charities and organisations.

Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, called the statistics "extremely concerning".

She said: "The continued increase in parcel numbers over the last five years indicates that it is ongoing low levels of income and a social security system that isn’t fit for purpose that are forcing more people to need food banks, rather than just the recent cost of living crisis or the Covid-19 pandemic."

“Food banks were set up to provide short-term support to people in an emergency, they are not a lasting solution to hunger and poverty, and more than three quarters of the UK population agree with us that they should not need to exist," she added.

Along with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, an anti-poverty charity, the Trussell Trust is urging the UK Government to adopt an 'essentials guarantee', ensuring Universal Credit payments always cover the cost of basic essentials.

Research by the two charities suggests the current £85 Universal Credit standard allowance is £35 short of this target.

“For too long people have been going without because social security payments do not reflect life’s essential costs and people are being pushed deeper into hardship as a result," Ms Revie added.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “We are committed to eradicating poverty and we recognise the pressures of the rising cost of living, which is why we have uprated benefits by 10.1 per cent as well as making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month.

“This is on top of changes already made to Universal Credit which mean claimants can keep more of their hard-earned money – a boost worth £1,000 a year on average."

“We are also providing record levels of direct financial support for the most vulnerable,” they added.