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# Food bank leaders warn more needs to be done despite announcement of increase to national living wage
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/food-bank-leaders-warn-more-needs-to-be-done-despite-announcement-of-increase-to-national-living-wage/
- Published: 2023-10-02T13:17:37.000Z
- Updated: 2023-10-02T13:17:51.000Z
- Description: Food bank leaders have welcomed moves to increase the national living wage – but have warned more needs to be done to help those facing hardship.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:01, News

Food bank leaders have welcomed moves to increase the national living wage – but have warned more needs to be done to help those facing hardship.

[The government has outlined plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-announces-major-increase-to-national-living-wage?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk) to lift the figure to £11 an hour from £10.42 from April

It comes after recommendations from the Low Pay Commission, with forecasts suggesting more than two million low paid workers across the country will be £1,000 better off.

But Helen Barnard, director of policy, research and impact at the Trussell Trust – which operates food banks including ones in Lichfield and Burntwood – said the increase alone was not enough to keep people from needing such facilities.

> “It’s right to raise the minimum wage in line with the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation, to improve the protection work provides from hardship.  
>  
> “But the government also needs to act to reduce job insecurity, which is a key driver of hunger and debt, by bringing forward the long-promised Employment Bill. This should also help break down some of the barriers to work, particularly for disabled people and carers, by improving flexible working.”  
>  
> Helen Barnard, Trussell Trust

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has also told the Conservative party conference that would look to create changes to the benefits sanctions scheme to ensure claimants were actively looking for jobs.

He said:

> “Those who won’t even look for work do not deserve the same benefits as people trying hard to do the right thing.”  
>  
> Jeremy Hunt

The Trussell Trust have warned, however, that stiffer punishments could have severe consequences for some sections of society.

> “At a time when more than half of Universal Credit claimants are not able to afford to eat properly, it is disheartening to hear that the Chancellor and government may choose to prioritise harsher benefit sanctions.  
>  
> “Universal Credit is falling so far below the level needed to afford just the essentials that is damaging people’s health, increasing strain on the NHS, and holding people back from being able to get and sustain work.  
>  
> “Increasing benefit sanctions is only likely to increase hardship and push more people to the doors of foodbanks.   
>  
> “Today was an opportunity for the government to address the escalating cost of living crisis for those on the lowest incomes, so it is disappointing to see them focus instead on a policy that will do nothing to open up more jobs to the many who would like to work and ignores the shocking levels of hunger and hardship across the UK.”  
>  
> Helen Barnard, Trussell Trust