Food, toiletries, a warm home - these are things we should all be able to afford. But at JUST £91 a week, Universal Credit simply isn't enough to cover essentials like these. That's why we're calling for change - for an Essentials Guarantee to be embedded into Universal Credit.

Let's start the week celebrating our wonderful team-mates 💗 As staff, volunteers, Trustees, supporters: together, we can achieve so much. Working with foodbanks across the The Trussell Trust and indepenent network, we want a future without the need for foodbanks. #Partnership

You can donate to us at Tesco self-checkout tills again this week! 🙌 Every donation makes a real difference. Thank you. 💚

A reminder amid reports of a possible extension of the Household Support Fund about why it's needed 👇

❗ Food banks shouldn’t need to exist. That’s it. That’s the post.

Excellent news! We The Trussell Trust are delighted the Household Support Fund has been extended. This fund enables local authorities in England to provide vital crisis support, with grants to help with unaffordable costs & utility bills, & services like debt and benefit advice. 1/3

🚨 BREAKING: The Household Support Fund has been extended! This extension will provide some relief to families on the lowest incomes this winter. People have told us that this support has meant that they can pay for energy bills, transport or buy essentials, like bedding.

BUT this is just a step in the right direction. We need the government to commit to a long-term strategy. This includes making sure all communities can access grants to help with unaffordable costs, and services that prevent set-backs spiralling into long-term hardship.

Building on today's news, the government must take urgent action in the Autumn Budget. To better protect people from hunger and hardship, the government must update our social security system so that it's fit for purpose and better protects people from hunger and hardship. 💚

My The Guardian story: UK’s poorest households face another winter of hardship, charities warn, as The Trussell Trust research shows two-thirds of working families on universal credit are struggling to afford food and energy theguardian.com/society/articl…

New vlog 👇The Trussell Trust research out today: lays bare shocking truth about the crisis of hunger & hardship across the UK, and the utter failure of Universal Credit to fulfil its most basic duty. Key findings: 🧵

Families are at breaking point. It is an emergency when millions cannot afford the essentials. 🗣️ As politicians return from summer recess, we’re asking the government to take urgent action to address hardship.

New figures from the The Trussell Trust show that half of the people on Universal Credit could not afford to buy food by the end of the month. I asked the Exchequer Secretary what the Government are doing to ensure people don't go hungry this winter.

❗️ ICYMI: 1.6 MILLION people claiming Universal Credit have needed to use a food bank in the last 12 months.

Universal Credit is falling short and pushing people to food banks. Our research shows 68% of working households in receipt of Universal Credit have gone without essentials - like basic toiletries and prescriptions - in the last six months. We're urging the Government to take