Food parcels were given to more than 9,400 people last year in Bath and North East Somerset. The Trussell Trust said the number is up nearly a quarter (22 per cent) compared to five years ago. Between April 2023 and March 2024, a total of 9,469 emergency food parcels were distributed. The staggering figure included support for more than 3,000 children.

Dan Norris, West of England Mayor, said: “These figures are scandalous. Food banks are a symptom of 14 years of failure.

“Ministers must offer real help to working people across Bath and North East Somerset struggling to feed themselves.”