Independent Food Aid Network

Are you at #SNP25 this weekend? Come and join #EndChildPoverty's fringe event to hear from speakers including Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to explore what must happen now to meet the 2030 child poverty targets
Today Saturday 11th October 12:30-13:30 #Aberdeen @trussellscot.bsky.social

We could not agree more with this infographic from @ifanuk.bsky.social, an organisation we are members of.

👉 Food waste can't solve food poverty.
👉 Surplus food is the result of a wasteful system.
👉 People need cash and be able to afford and choose the food they want. #cashfirst #plentytoshare

The Independent Food Aid Network was one of 86 charities signing this joint statement on the UC & PIP Bill bit.ly/4nuLQ8X

On 18th June Chipping Barnet Foodbank went to Parliament to take part in the “Guarantee Our Essentials” Lobby Day led by @trusselluk.bsky.social & the @jrf-uk.bsky.social‬, supported by other anti-poverty organisations, including @ifanuk.bsky.social‬, @feedingbritain.org, Caritas and many others.

Can Labour end the need for food banks? The Crisis and Resilience Fund could support the government’s ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

The new Crisis and Resilience Fund has the potential to support the Government's ambition to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels but we need to reframe the concept of crisis...#CashFirst @sabinegoodwin.bsky.social for @bigissue.com

www.bigissue.com/opinion/labo...

📣 What did we actually do?
Our Cash First trial ran for 4 weeks.
30 people received direct cash support — shaped by community voices, not top-down decisions. 1/3
@sabinegoodwin.bsky.social @ifanuk.bsky.social

Great to be united in our message to #guaranteetheessentials @trusselluk.bsky.social @ifanuk.bsky.social

1/6 The UK government can spin its "welfare reform" legislative package as much as it likes. But these aren't welfare "reforms". inasmuch as they are "cuts" to social security support for people with disabilities. There is no shying away from that truth, or the bottom line motivating it.

So good to take part in this today! Hundreds of food aid workers coming together for a day of hope, solidarity and action, calling for an #essentialsguarantee.

Thanks to @trusselluk.bsky.social and @sabinegoodwin.bsky.social for organising...an incredible effort.

The government has introduced legislation today to implement cuts to disability & health benefits

There have been no substantial concessions on how the proposals were originally presented in the Green Paper

Here is what we know about the impact these cuts will have... 🧵

Good to be united in our calls for an #EssentialsGuarantee in Westminster today @bcfoodbank.bsky.social @jencoleman1.bsky.social @deewoods.bsky.social #CashFirst

We're glad to be in Westminster today calling for an #EssentialsGuarantee @ifanuk.bsky.social member representatives from across the UK are meeting with their local MPs to urge them to act #CashFirst @charlottemwhite.bsky.social @trusselluk.bsky.social @trussellscot.bsky.social

Cash first leaflets – Independent Food Aid Network Find 'Worrying About Money?' resources for your local area

Today is @abbypreston01.bsky.social's penultimate day with the @ifanuk.bsky.social...We are very grateful to Abby for her hard work and outstanding commitment to IFAN's 'Worrying About Money?' resources project (www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/cash-first-l...)

Labour reveals £1bn plan to replace household support fund for poorest families Labour laid out plans to spend £1bn a year replacing the household support fund with a new crisis and resilience fund at the spending review.

“If we are to see a reduction in dependence on emergency food parcels, the universal availability of crisis support via cash payments alongside advice and support to prevent financial insecurity is critical." #CashFirst @bigissue.com @liamgeraghty.bsky.social

www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

We are in Week 2 of 4 of our Cash First trial – 30 participants are receiving direct cash payments.
Building on findings from our 2021 pilot, this research helps us understand what method of payment works — and why

@ifanuk.bsky.social @sabinegoodwin.bsky.social #CashFirst

The Government also announced the Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme last night - £13 million to 12 food charities across England to redistribute fresh produce directly from farms might temporarily alleviate food poverty but it won't 'fight' or address it #CashFirst @ifanuk.bsky.social

Over half a million more children to get free school meals New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.

Very welcome news on free school meal expansion that will help ease the pressure on families but ultimately free school meals should be available to all children while Universal Credit remains dangerously low and the two-child limit still in place #CashFirst

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Find out about our 'Worrying About Money?' resources project in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and the work we undertook in 2024...
bit.ly/wam-england-...
@abbypreston01.bsky.social @emmaosterberg.bsky.social #CashFirst

We’re live!

The Cash First Trial starts today.

@ifanuk.bsky.social @sabinegoodwin.bsky.social

Why welfare reforms don’t need to happen ‘Please tell me they won’t take away my benefits, there’s no way I can go back to work. My health has deteriorated so badly’.

Writing in today’s Herald I discuss the UK Govts proposed welfare reforms that are set to cause widespread harm to disabled people.

This does not need to happen. We must keep raising our voices.
Write to your MP. Urge them not to vote for this.

www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2518...

No 10 delays child poverty strategy with tens of thousands more facing hardship Exclusive: Flagship policy put back until at least autumn amid fears cost of removing two-child benefit cap will outweigh political benefit

"If this government is serious in its commitment to the nation’s children, it can’t keep waiting for the stars to align before taking action. It must urgently invest in children and their families, starting with scrapping the two-child limit.” @cpaguk.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

🚨 NEWS: Labour’s "flagship" child poverty strategy delayed until at least the autumn while child poverty hits its highest level since the turn of the century.

John Bird reacts.

✍️ Sign our petition demanding Keir Starmer make poverty reduction a legal obligation shorturl.at/5sI6z

We’re excited to launch the next phase of Cash First- A Participatory Action Research (PAR) project tackling food insecurity in Lewisham with direct cash support.
Designed with the community, with the aim to drive policy change. @sabinegoodwin.bsky.social @ifanuk.bsky.social

Image of chart showing percentage of PIP recipients at risk of losing under the Government's proposed disability benefit cuts, broken down by Parliamentary constituency and primary health condition. 'At risk' means they scored less than 4 points in every daily living activity at their last assessment. Figures are for working-age recipients of PIP daily living component.

New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis of disability benefit cuts by Parliamentary constituency and health condition.

Select your constituency from drop-down menu on the chart at the following link, to see how many PIP recipients are at risk of losing out: jrf.org.uk/social-secur...

Charities step up pressure on Keir Starmer to scrap two-child benefit cap Exclusive: Survey commissioned by children’s charities shows UK voters want to see families prioritised Charities and a Labour-aligned pressure group are ramping up calls on Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child limit on benefits, as polling shows support for action on youth poverty remains high, and is equally solid among Labour voters tempted by Reform. As discussions continue in government ahead of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, a survey commissioned by a coalition of charities suggests voters want to see families prioritised. Continue reading...

Charities step up pressure on Keir Starmer to scrap two-child benefit cap

Want to find out a bit about what's happening in rural Aberdeenshire to challenge food insecurity? Why not come along to our online session.

Register here:
lnkd.in/eE7DXEQR

@ifanuk.bsky.social @nrnepartnership.bsky.social @swaberdeen-cab.bsky.social @cfine.bsky.social @povertyalliance.org

Keir Starmer promised to end food bank Britain. What happened?

Food bank volunteers are having to face facts, writes Sabine Goodwin, director of the Independent Food Aid Network.

Keir Starmer promised to end food bank Britain. What happened? Food bank volunteers are having to face facts, writes Sabine Goodwin, director of the Independent Food Aid Network.

'Food bank volunteers might not be able to go on strike, but they can imagine a better future. And they can continue to urge the government to stick to its manifesto promise to end the ‘moral scar on our society’ that has swept them up in its wake.' @bigissue.com

www.bigissue.com/opinion/keir...

Paving the way for permanent crisis support in England IntroductionIn the Autumn of 2024, the Chancellor announced a year-long extension to the semi-permanent Household Support Fund (HSF) in England from March 2025. For years, local authorities have endur...

Read our @abbypreston01.bsky.social's blog on Paving the way for permanent crisis support in England and find out more in our joint report Shaping the Future of Local Welfare and Crisis Support in England - childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/o...
#CashFirst
www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/post/paving-...

Book your place on our joint Scotland-wide Money Counts training course running next Wednesday 21st of May from 10-11am

➡️ bit.ly/moneycounts-...

@citizensadvicescot.bsky.social @trussellscot.bsky.social
#CashFirst