In today’s world, financial inclusion is an important step towards giving everyone a chance to succeed. In the heart of communities, where financial insecurity often hits hardest, efforts are being made to bridge the gap.
One vivid example of how financial insecurity is affecting families is their ability to afford essentials like food.
More than 14 million people in the UK are living in poverty—including 4.5 million children.
Food banks like Trussell have become a lifeline for people facing hunger and hardship. Trussell exists so everyone in the UK can be free from hunger. They're an anti-poverty charity, with a network of 1,400 food banks that provides emergency food and practical support to people left without enough money to live on.
Last year Trussell distributed 3.1m emergency food parcels, the most ever in a single year. They've seen a 94 percent increase in foodbank use during the past five years.
Emergency food can be a lifeline to someone facing hardship but it's a symptom of a deeper problem involving poverty and financial inclusion. With L&G's help, Trussell are expanding the support they provide to tackle the root causes of poverty.
The number of people in the UK living in poverty
14 million
The number of Trussell foodbanks in the UK
1,400
The number of emergency food parcels Trussell distributed last year
3.1 million
Improving financial inclusion in the heart of communities
In December 2024, we started supporting Trussell’s Income Maximisation programme, a support service aiming to improve the financial situation of people referred for emergency food.
The Income Max programme provides advice to help increase someone’s income by unlocking social security payments and grants people are eligible for, as well as helping to reduce the amount of money going out. Advisers also signpost and refer people to other services available in the local area to ensure they get wrap-around support. This advice is provided through Trussell’s community of food banks, and in partnership with other local advice organisations, which means people facing hardship can access support tailored to their local area, from organisations they trust.
The use of foodbanks to provide this service is an important feature. Trussell report that foodbank users are more trusting of foodbank staff and volunteers than they are of local government or other sources of support. Trussell are leveraging this trust and the infrastructure to help more people improve their financial wellbeing and decrease their dependence on foodbanks.
A shared commitment to financial wellbeing
“The need for foodbanks in the UK is fundamentally an income problem, not a food problem. That's why we're pleased to be supporting the work Trussell is doing to improve financial inclusion, alleviate hardship and ultimately prevent as many people from needing to rely on foodbanks.”
Community Engagement Manager
Our partnerships reflect a strong commitment to improving financial wellbeing and delivering targeted support where it's needed most. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, L&G is focused on building resilience and helping people take control of their financial futures.
