Vital Signs MK 2025 - Report - Page 14
Poverty & Disadvantage
MK Food Bank - Key Stats
•
Vouchers & Emergency Parcels:
» 13% decrease from 2023 but still 5% higher than
2022.
» Emergency parcels down 9% from 2023 (adult
parcels ↓11%, child parcels ↑6%).
» Despite this drop, demand is 15% higher than
in 2022.
•
Rise in Top-Up Shop Visits:
Vital Voice:
“Breaking the cycle of poverty in MK requires
an approach that addresses various underlying
causes and, as well as expanding our Top-up
Shop model, our Beyond Food collaboration
with MK Money Lifeline and MK Community
Foundation aims to transition priority service
users into 昀椀nancial stability and self-su昀케ciency.
By addressing the root causes and providing
support to those a昀昀ected, we aim to break and
subsequently prevent the cycle of poverty,
creating a more inclusive and prosperous MK.”
» 33% increase from 2023.
» 270% surge compared to 2022.
•
Overall Food Support Demand:
» 5,000 households received 35,000 instances of
food support in 2023.
Vital Action:
» Total demand aligned with 2023, but 43% higher
than 2022.
Water Eaton Community Hub is a welcoming and inclusive
space dedicated to supporting the local community
through a variety of initiatives.
Looking ahead, MK Food Bank aims to further encourage
top-up shop usage while reserving emergency parcels for
acute crises. This shift re昀氀ects a stark reality: what was once
seen as a short-term crisis response has now become a
long-term way of life for many families across Milton Keynes.
The increasing reliance on top-up shops highlights how
poverty is no longer a temporary hardship but an ongoing
cycle, requiring sustained support rather than one-o昀昀
interventions.
By adapting its approach, MK Food Bank seeks to balance
service dignity with e昀케cient resource allocation, ensuring
families can access food in a way that promotes stability
rather than survival.
Observations from organisations such as Water Eaton
Community Hub, further highlight the range of people
seeking support with basic necessities, further illustrating
the growing pressures faced by local families.
“More and more people are coming to us who are lowincome working, but recently we’ve started see teachers,
nurses, care workers, all needing our help.”
“Recently a young couple came to us with their two young
children. They work all the hours they possibly can but were
in tears when they said they couldn’t a昀昀ord to feed their
families. They’d made the decision to starve themselves for
two days In order to feed their children. This is not a one-o昀昀
example.” – Debbie Fletcher, Water Eaton Community Hub
14
Louisa Hobbs, MK Food Bank
Vital Signs MK - 12th Edition 2023/2024
The Hub Larder o昀昀ers a membership scheme that
provides surplus supermarket food at a昀昀ordable prices,
making healthy food accessible to everyone, regardless
of their 昀椀nancial situation.
By listening to the needs of its members, Water Eaton
Community Hub creates a supportive environment that
empowers individuals with the resources and
connections they need.
“With help from our Cost-of-Living grant from MK
Community Foundation, we’ve given out 217,800 food
items, supported 29,280 families and poured 96,000
cups of tea for people in need in our community.”
- Water Eaton Community Hub
The £9,840 Cost-of-Living grant made a signi昀椀cant
di昀昀erence in the growth of Water Eaton Community
Hub, allowing it to expand its services and reach more
people in need. With additional funds, the Hub
was able to purchase more food, ensuring a consistent
and diverse supply of healthy options
for the community.
Vital Question:
How can we work as a community to
address these underlying issues and
create a Milton Keynes where everyone has
the opportunity to thirve, not just survive?
