Feeding Britain report - The Children's Society response

Responding to Feeding Britain, the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger in the UK, due to be published on Monday 8 December, Matthew Reed, Chief Executive of The Children's Society, said:

"Families are facing a quadruple whammy of depressed wages, a malfunctioning benefits system, cuts to state support and unaffordable bills for energy, food and housing. It's a national scandal that ever more families are resorting to food banks to feed their children and it's imperative that this report's call for action is answered.

"Problem debt is a key reason why families seek support from food banks, so urgent steps must be taken to provide families who are struggling to make ends meet with an alternative to payday loans. All families in poverty must be able to access free school meals and receive help with heating their homes. And the Government must withdraw its threat to scrap national funding for Local Welfare Assistance schemes, which help thousands of the most desperate families cope with crises."

Notes to editors

· Read The Children's Society's submission to the Hunger in the UK Inquiry here.

· The Inquiry was co-chaired by Frank Field MP and the Bishop of Truro, Tim Thornton, Chairman of The Children's Society.

· For an embargoed copy of Feeding Britain please contact Andrew Forsey in Frank Field MP's office on 0207 219 6636 or 07951 821304 or at andrew.forsey@parliament.uk.

· The Children's Society has helped change children's stories for over a century. We expose injustice and address hard truths, tackling child poverty and neglect head-on. We fight for change based on the experiences of every child we work with and the solid evidence we gather. Through our campaigning, commitment and care, we are determined to give every child in this country the greatest possible chance in life.