Dad-of-three turns to food bank after job loss

A father of three who lost his roofing job has turned to Worcester Foodbank for help, praising its volunteers as "absolutely brilliant" as he tries to feed his children while navigating unemployment and housing upheaval. Luke Harborne, 30, said he moved back to his parents in Worcester after losing his job in December, and that without access to the food bank he "really doesn't" know what would happen. "The people here are absolutely brilliant, they're such lovely people and all of them have a heart of gold to do what they do," he said.

Harborne had been living in shared accommodation in Kingstanding, Birmingham, but fell behind with rent after becoming unemployed and slept on the streets before his parents offered him a place in Worcester. "It's very, very tough [providing for three children]. It's hard to survive off benefits, it really is," he said. He noted he had been struggling even while employed; "I managed to cope with the wages I had coming in but all my money was going on rent and bills," and the rest went on food. He wants to re-enter employment but finding full-time work is hard due to child arrangements; "You need a really good job, that pays really well just to get a one-bedroom flat. But I will get there. It's just hard to survive."

Grahame Lucas, Worcester Foodbank's manager since 2014, said the charity has grown "out of all recognition." He described the food bank's reach: from feeding about 3,000 people a year before the pandemic to about 9,000 during Covid, and now about 18,000. "We're now braced for the autumn rush," he said, as energy bills rise. He noted the center provides about 250,000 meals annually at a cost of £500,000. The service also supplies cooking parcels with herbs and spices and a toiletries hamper. "Clients have said to us that we're lifesavers and without us people have admitted they would be forced to shoplift just to survive," Lucas said.

Susan Campbell, Worcester Foodbank's deputy warehouse manager, said the number of people using the food bank has "got much, much worse." Lucas added the charity serves "all age groups" including the retired; he argued the state pension system works relatively well while the welfare system remains deficient, calling the system "broken." He described the need for policy change as an "oil tanker moment" that would be a long-term project; Run Worcester Foodbank costs £500,000 each year, staff said.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said it was "unacceptable" that more people were using food banks and that the department is "determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in food bank dependence." They added that a child poverty taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy later this year and that the government is overhauling job centres and reforming the welfare system to support people into good, secure jobs, while always protecting those who need it most.

The rise in demand is not confined to Worcester. Officials say the trend reflects broader pressures on households, including housing costs and benefit delays. Food banks like Worcester describe a health-related dimension to the crisis, noting that without reliable access to nutritious food, families face additional stress and risk to well-being, especially among children, as winter approaches. The charity emphasizes that many users are not homeless; many are working but cannot afford to live. Staff say the situation highlights the fragility of the safety net and the ongoing need for sustained support while policies catch up with the reality of rising living costs.