Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many foodbanks have been officially recorded as being in operation in each year for the past 10 years.

Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any role in their operation and therefore does not hold data on the number of foodbanks in operation.

The Government recognises that the level of household food insecurity in the UK is unacceptable. We have already announced action to expand free school meals, support parents with the cost of healthy food outside of school and transform our food system to ensure it delivers access to affordable, healthy food.  Our plan to Make Work Pay is part of the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all.

To further support struggling households, £742 million of funding was provided to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 in England, plus additional funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.

From 1 April 2026, we are introducing a new Crisis and Resilience Fund in England. This fund aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis, to support our ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

The Government has also taken further action to support low-income households including through the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour from April 2025, boosting the pay of 3 million workers.