A Conservative minister has suggested military personnel were choosing to use food banks, even when they did not need to do so.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer suggested that some members of the armed forces were doing so because of personal budgeting decisions.
“These are personal decisions around how people are budgeting every month,” he told Sky News.
“I don’t want to see anyone using food banks, of course I don’t. But we’re in an extremely difficult time around cost of living.
“I’ll always advocate for service personnel to get paid more, I’d be mad not to. But it has to be within the constraints of a budget.”
Put to him that people do not choose to rely on food banks, Mr Mercer replied: “Well, in my experience that is not correct.
“I think there are some dire cases that we need to do more to wrap our arms around and make sure that there is a safety net for people.
“I don’t think food bank use is an accurate portrayal of where levels of poverty, relative or absolute poverty, are in this country.”
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The Trussell Trust, who have more than 1,300 food banks, and are the UK’s biggest provider, recently revealed that last year they distributed close to 3 million emergency food parcels — the most parcels ever distributed by the network in a year.
Between April 2022 and March 2023, the number of people that used one of their food banks for the first time was 760,000.
Plymouth Moor View MP Mr Mercer added: “I don’t want to see anybody using food banks but I think that being in the military still affords you a good wage and a good quality of life.
“And that will continue to be the case.”
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Mr Mercer was speaking as he unveiled a dedicated helpline for homeless veterans.
Ex-servicemen and women can be referred to a network of support, including housing providers, charities and local authorities, by calling the Government-funded hotline.
The £500,000 helpline – open to people in England, Scotland and Wales – is part of a two-year £8.55 million programme working towards the Government’s pledge to end veteran rough sleeping.
Mr Mercer told Sky News: “There is no need for a veteran to be sleeping rough and I don’t want to see anyone sleeping rough by the end of this year.”
The latest Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) report published last week stated that 5% of people seen rough sleeping in 2022/23 in London had served in the armed forces at some point in their lives.
Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can contact the helpline on 0800 952 0774 or visit riv.org.uk/opfortitude.
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