Question follow-through · 30016

Food Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the reasons behind the increase in food bank usage, as reported in the Family Resources Survey 2022-23.

answeredDepartment for Work and Pensions

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Work and Pensions
Tabled
7 Feb 2025
Target answer date
11 Feb 2025
Answer
17 Feb 2025 · 10 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Recorded timeline

  1. 7 Feb 2025

    Question tabled

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the reasons behind the increase in food bank usage, as reported in the Family Resources Survey 2022-23.

  2. 11 Feb 2025

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 17 Feb 2025

    Answer published

    This Government is committed to addressing poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels, which is why we published official estimates of foodbank use. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into pov...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

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11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making changes to military compensation so that it is not considered as income for the purposes of calculating means-tested benefits.

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Unemployment: Young People

11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the level of unemployment in young people aged 16-24 in the latest period for which data is available.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Unemployment: Young People

11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Employment: Young People

11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of youth employment on the mental health of young people.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Employment: Young People

11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to encourage employers to hire young people.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Unemployment: Young People

11 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make a comparative assessment of the rates of youth unemployment in (a) the UK and (b) other OECD countries.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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12 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the age people can receive full Carers allowance above retirement age.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Unemployment Benefits: Young People

13 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of recent trends in the number of 18-24 year olds claiming unemployment benefits.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pension Credit

27 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Pension Credit was paid out in the latest reporting period; and what proportion of this was subject to fraud or error.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Pension Credit

27 Feb 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time is for Pension Credit applications; and what the target processing time is for the coming financial year.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Employment

3 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support working age non-graduates find permanent employment.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Small Businesses: Sick Pay

4 Mar 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the rate of statutory sick pay on financial costs for small businesses.