Labour stopped food vouchers for the unemployed

You might remember this posting, I wrote in January, about a visit to the remarkable Harlow Foodbank. It is hard to believe, but the last Government stopped local Job Centres from handing out Food Bank vouchers to the unemployed. The prohibition of Foodbank vouchers in JobCentre Plus offices increases the severe poverty and malnutrition in Harlow and other areas. This has hit the poorest families hardest, especially those whose benefits or incomes are delayed through no fault of their own. We must get this decision changed. For this reason I have urged the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith to consider allowing Jobcentre Plus staff to issue Foodbank vouchers. This would mean that local families in crisis get the support they need immediately - instead of being referred to another agency - thereby delaying the process. I have also tabled a Motion in the House of Commons noting that delays in receiving benefits can cause serious problems for families on the breadline, if referral to charities such as Foodbanks is not allowed. I very much hope that the Government will amend the regulations, so that Job Centres can be part of local Foodbank schemes once again. P.S. You might be interested in the below notice from Harlow Foodbank: Harlow Foodbank has just provided food for its 1,158th client since the project opened in April 2009. The foodbank works with churches, schools and frontline care professionals to provide three days of emergency food to local people in crisis. As an increasing amount of people need emergency food, more people in the local community are stepping up to help meet the need by supporting the foodbank. All food given out by the foodbank is donated by the public, with frontline care professionals such as Harlow Welfare Rights, Citizens Advice Centre, Harlow & Broxbourne Women’s Aid and many others identifying those most in need. So far, no client referred to Harlow foodbank has been turned away empty handed. Harlow foodbank director of community services Gary Knott said: "Harlow foodbank continues to provide a valuable service to local people who find themselves in crisis, often through no fault of their own, through losing a job, being made redundant or through an unexpected sickness or bereavement in the family. "The service is rapidly growing since we opened and we now need over a tonne of donated food each month to meet the increasing demands from local people in crisis on our town." Harlow foodbank will be collecting donated food at ASDA on Saturday, June 26; Sainsbury’s on Saturday, July 31; and Tesco (Church Langley) on Friday and Saturday, August 6 and 7 (Edinburgh Way) and Friday and Saturday, September 24 and 25.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com