Food Bank Inquiries Soar As More Slide into Poverty

An "alarming" 78% rise in food bank inquiries has taken place over the last six months, as people with jobs start using them to provide emergency supplies until their next pay day.  The figures from Citizens Advice will raise serious concerns that more people are sliding towards the poverty line and are finding it difficult to feed themselves. They reveal significant regional disparities in demand for information about food bank services in England and Wales, suggesting certain parts of the country are suffering considerably more than others.  The worst affected area is the West Midlands, where there has been a 142% increase in inquiries – 779 in total – since February. The figures show a rise in inquiries about food banks in Citizens Advice bureaux in almost every region of the country.  Read more on the Guardian website.