ot- use of foodbanks

[TruBlue]

TBG posted the other day that this government has made it a lot easier for people to get parcels from foodbanks and if you make it easier for people to do something then more of them will do it.

I don't know what the answer is - if the government go back to making it harder to get parcels and the figures fall then I imagine they would be called heartless but if they make it easier they are castigated for leaving others behind.

What does this mean?

in May 2010 you had to have permission from the job centre (IIRC) to get a food parcel, now you don't. If the government went back to that process it would be harder for people to get food parcels and we could see the numbers drop (then again we might not).

but if that did happen then you can be sure that some would claim the government are trying to massage the figures, ignoring the fact apples are now being compared with apples rather than oranges

[Mrs Steve R]

TBG posted the other day that this government has made it a lot easier for people to get parcels from foodbanks and if you make it easier for people to do something then more of them will do it.

I don't know what the answer is - if the government go back to making it harder to get parcels and the figures fall then I imagine they would be called heartless but if they make it easier they are castigated for leaving others behind.

What does this mean?

in May 2010 you had to have permission from the job centre (IIRC) to get a food parcel, now you don't. If the government went back to that process it would be harder for people to get food parcels and we could see the numbers drop (then again we might not).

but if that did happen then you can be sure that some would claim the government are trying to massage the figures, ignoring the fact apples are now being compared with apples rather than oranges

It's The Trussel Trust who run the Foodbanks, they say which professionals and agencies are allowed to refer people to them for parcels. I highly doubt TBG knew what he was saying when he said it was "easy" to get a food parcel, it sounded like he thought people just turned up and asked for one.

It appears nobody on this thread has been unfortunate enough to use a food bank. I haven't myself, maybe we should listen to someone who has, scroll down the link, press the arrow and listen about the subject first hand.

Mike aged 35 from new cross London..

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/feeding-brita in-lbc-radio-caller-shocks-listeners-by-describing-how-he-ca nt-afford-to-eat-9911138.html

[dandywarhol]

The people that can refer you to a foodbank are :-

young girls doesnt turn up for job centre interview because she found herself a job interview at the same time.result she got the job but was santioned for rest of week .

[Feedback]

It appears nobody on this thread has been unfortunate enough to use a food bank. I haven't myself, maybe we should listen to someone who has, scroll down the link, press the arrow and listen about the subject first hand.

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

TBG posted the other day that this government has made it a lot easier for people to get parcels from foodbanks and if you make it easier for people to do something then more of them will do it.

This government has no say in the "easiness" of getting food parcels. Foodbanks exist to cater for those that have not received the help they need - largely (but not exclusively) because of government policy and the pressures put on the DWP to impose sanctions. I don't know what TBG said, but if as you claim, he said that the government was making access to foodbanks easier then he was wrong.

The Lord Freud argument that the rise in demand for foodbanks is because "Food from a food bank--the supply--is a free good, and by definition there is an almost infinite demand for a free good" has already been widely condemned.

Freud also said, incidentally, that there was "actually no evidence as to whether the use of food banks is supply led or demand led."

I didn't say that you could 'just go and get this free stuff' and I am not arguing that there isn't a genuine 'need' - but any need couldn't be satisfied whatsoever if food banks weren't set up in the first place. For every food bank that is set up more food will inevitably supplied to those poor souls in need.

[Dr Tim Muff]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

[Feedback]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

[Jimmy Jimmy]

"Although, If a GP saw that a child was malnourished, would you be against him making a referral which would take less than 30secs to complete?"

If a GP saw a child that was malnourished I would expect them to call social services immediately and investigate the parents rather than fill out a food bank referral form.

[Dr Tim Muff]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

No matter.

[Feedback]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

If it is "of no relevance to the thread", it seems reasonable to enquire why you made the statement (in the thread!!!) in the first place?

I was being polite and trying to defuse a potential argument. Try reading between the lines Every now and then.

[Dr Tim Muff]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

If it is "of no relevance to the thread", it seems reasonable to enquire why you made the statement (in the thread!!!) in the first place?

No matter.

I do, sweetie

[dandywarhol]

"Although, If a GP saw that a child was malnourished, would you be against him making a referral which would take less than 30secs to complete?"

also we give food for 3-4 days ,for 3 weeks max then hopefully benefits would have come through or the client has found work

[Dr Tim Muff]

"Although, If a GP saw that a child was malnourished, would you be against him making a referral which would take less than 30secs to complete?"

Feed the feckin kids in the meantime eh?

[dandywarhol]

"Although, If a GP saw that a child was malnourished, would you be against him making a referral which would take less than 30secs to complete?"

If a GP saw a child that was malnourished I would expect them to call social services immediately and investigate the parents rather than fill out a food bank referral form.

yeah fancy doing a couple of hours at a foodbank it can be arranged

[Packerman]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

If it is "of no relevance to the thread", it seems reasonable to enquire why you made the statement (in the thread!!!) in the first place?

No matter.

I was being polite and trying to defuse a potential argument. Try reading between the lines Every now and then.

jilted girlfriend syndrome

[Dr Tim Muff]

Saying all of that we don't know the callers personal background so we have no idea of his history and how he arrived where he is today.

Out of interest, what difference would/could it make - for you?

It is of no relevance to the thread and you will clearly find fault with whatever is said so if it's the ok with you I will abstain.

If it is "of no relevance to the thread", it seems reasonable to enquire why you made the statement (in the thread!!!) in the first place?

No matter.

I was being polite and trying to defuse a potential argument. Try reading between the lines Every now and then.

I do, sweetie

[Mrs Steve R]

All the food at the Cardiff foodbank is donated, is that the case for most foodbanks?
http://cardiff.foodbank.org.uk/how-it-works

[Observer]

Andrew Marr brought up this issue last Sunday and the Prime Minister intimated that he didn't give a toss if people are suffering.

[Observer]

[Heisenberg]

"Although, If a GP saw that a child was malnourished, would you be against him making a referral which would take less than 30secs to complete?"

In this hypothetical scenario, there would be more than likely already be social services involvement anyway... But in the meantime, where's this kid's next meal coming from?

[Heisenberg]

It appears nobody on this thread has been unfortunate enough to use a food bank. I haven't myself, maybe we should listen to someone who has, scroll down the link, press the arrow and listen about the subject first hand.

I've been unfortunate enough to have to use them on numerous occasions on behalf my service users. I hear these stories first hand.

[Feedback]

It appears nobody on this thread has been unfortunate enough to use a food bank. I haven't myself, maybe we should listen to someone who has, scroll down the link, press the arrow and listen about the subject first hand.

Mike aged 35 from new cross London..

email me or if you still don't have it send me a PM.

[Feedback]

Sorry not 'you asked...' I meant to sat 'it was asked...'

[redjk]

Just to be clear, the conclusion of the linked document is that an increase in food bank usage has been caused by people facing harsh sanctions on their benefits and being unable to feed their families. Not an increase due to the number of food banks or how easy it is to access them.
Many of the sanctions quoted are ridiculous, starving people if they attend their own fathers funeral or the still birth of a child, or impossible to avoid like attending two simultaneous meetings in different places.

I don't think any of this was the intention of the Tories in making benefit sanctions tougher, and you would have thought that in all of these cases some common sense would have avoided a lot of suffering.
However, now this data is out there shouldn't someone be trying to rectify this?