A growing number of hospitals in the UK are having to set up foodbanks for NHS staff in need amid the rising cost of living crisis.
With inflation having now risen to the 40-year UK high of 9%, and costs continuing to increase across a broad range of areas including food, fuel, and energy bills, it has now been exclusively revealed by The Independent that six NHS trusts in England have has to set up food banks for staff struggling to afford the basics.
Others have chosen to launch food voucher schemes or emergency “hardship” loans, and some have increased the payments made to workers to help cover their travel costs.
A number other hospitals have also confirmed that they are considering making similar moves.
According to the Cavell Nurses’ Trust – an organisation supporting nurses, midwives, and health assistants in financial difficulties – there has been 140% rise in the number of people seeking help in the first four months of 2022, compared with the same period in 2021.
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Professor Alison Leary – chair of healthcare and workforce modelling at London South Bank University – also told The Independent they have been several NHS organisations who are “very concerned” about the impact of the cost of living on their staff.
“Some are looking at starting food exchanges or food banks, and others are looking at other ways to help, for example with the costs of transport,” she added.
🔴Exclusive: Hospitals across the country have set up food banks and emergency “hardship” loans as health leaders warn staff are “struggling to feed their families” https://t.co/byR65hp9oh
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also echoed the concerns of many health leaders, saying that rising costs have had it seeing staff “struggling to feed their family.”
Graham Revie – chair of the Royal College of Nursing’s Trade Union Committee – explained that many staff are being left out of pocked and also stressed that “thousands” of nurses are leaving the profession every year, citing pay among the key reasons for doing so.
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“This is an outrageous state of affairs, and a big admission that the NHS knows how its workers are struggling while the government denies them fair pay,” Mr Revie added.
Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT), Norfolk Community Health and Care, West Hertfordshire, Dartford and Gravesham have so far needed to introduce some of these services to help staff in need, with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals having already set up a staff food bank in 2020, and University Hospitals Birmingham also having had one for a number of years.
There has been 140% rise in the number of NHS staff seeking help in the first four months of 2022 / Credit: The Trussell Trust
Addressing the situation and the findings in The Independent’s report, a government spokesperson said: “We are incredibly grateful to all our NHS staff and we recognise the pressures caused by the rising cost of living.
“We are taking action worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help households with the costs of energy and to ensure people keep more of their money.
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“This includes by cutting fuel duty, raising the threshold at which people start to pay National Insurance and cutting taxes, for the lowest-paid workers on Universal Credit so they can keep more of what they earn.”
Featured Image – The Trussell Trust
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Manchester Remembers Foundation announces its return for a special anniversary charity match
Danny Jones
The Manchester Remembers Foundation has announced the return of its charity football game in 2027, which will coincide with a special anniversary close to all Mancunians.
For those unaware, the MCR Remembers charity matches were set up in memory of the Manchester Arena victims, helping raise funds for the families of the 22 who sadly died in the attack.
While the fifth iteration of what started out as an annual vision, set for this past summer, was sadly cancelled back in May and the Foundation itself seemingly shut down, the co-founders have decided they’re not ready for it all to end just yet.
Somewhat quietly confirming the return of the fundraising footy match on social media, the next fixture will be returning next year, which marks a full decade since the tragedy.
Folks, having time to reflect we’ve decided that we just couldn’t go out like we did. No matter how difficult things get we have to keep going.
We are planning a spectacular return for the 10th anniversary in 2027. Plans and talks to begin shortly pic.twitter.com/ZRTmAJalov
— The McrRemembers Foundation™️⚽️🐝 (@McrRemembers) October 2, 2025
Writing a slightly lengthier statement on Instagram, MCR Remembers creators Aaron Lee and Paul Corrigan said: “No matter how difficult things get and how little support we get from people in positions to help, we have to keep going.
“We take inspiration from the brave and courageous people who were so closely involved with the arena attack. We will continue to remember those affected and celebrate their legacy.
“We are planning a spectacular return for the 10th anniversary in 2027. Plans and talks to begin shortly We will reassess after that event. As always, thank you to those that stuck by us. We see you, and we appreciate every single one of you. Stay tuned. Aaron / Paul.”
Lee – a local and a former police officer on 22 May 2017 – set up the organisation with his friend and fellow fundraiser (10 marathons in 10 months) with the aim of not only honouring those lost but also to help raise vital funds for their families and native bereavement charities.
They’re two incredibly inspiring individuals who have done a lot to help those in and around Greater Manchester, as well as keep that date in our heads and hearts.
Although information is still scarce in these early stages, The MCR Remembers Foundation has assured that details regarding exactly when and where the game is set to take place will be shared over the coming week and months.
It goes without saying that we here at The Manc are glad to see the moving charity match being confirmed for a comeback, even if it’s only for a one-off, and can’t wait to see which ex-pros and celebrity players get involved.
Then again, who knows? A successful return could signal the start of a fully-fledged revival, and we sincerely hope it does.
Watch this space and see you next year for the anniversary edition of Manchester Remembers 2027.
Manchester given extra £3m funding to help ‘prevent’ homelessness and rough sleeping
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been handed a £3 million funding boost to help ‘prevent’ homelessness and rough sleeping across the city.
The ‘substantial’ extra funding, which was announced by the Government last week on World Homelessness Day (10 October), will be a top-up to Manchester City Council’s existing homelessness funding up until 2027 in recognition of the continuing pressures that Manchester and other UK areas are currently under.
The Council says it’s already begun to set out plans for how the extra money will be spent to make sure it has the ‘maximum impact’.
At this time, it’s expected that around £550,000 of the funding will be awarded by the Council as grants to organisations in the city’s Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector – which are supporting people who are homeless, or are at risk of homelessness.
Manchester has been given an extra £3m funding to help ‘prevent’ homelessness and rough sleeping / Credit: Gary Knight (via Flickr)
Other funding will be used to ‘bolster support’ to help people in temporary accommodation move on to settled homes.
The funding will also be used to adapt temporary accommodation for people with physical disabilities and other needs, which will meet the demand for such housing, while 180 ‘care leavers’ who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness will also be housed in shared rented homes.
Finally, part of the funding will be used to help ensure social housing in the city is available to those who need it most – including a major crackdown on tenancy fraud, back efforts to bring empty homes back into use, and help people whose existing social housing is too large for their needs to ‘right size’, freeing up larger homes for families.
Today is World Homelessness Day.
Support is available from Citizens Advice for those who've experienced or are at risk of homelessness, hear from Councillor Joanna Midgley and Jess about this help.
“Tackling the homelessness crisis is one of Manchester’s biggest priorities and, working with our community partners across the city, we are turning the tide,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“In Manchester, we are working tirelessly to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place through early help, and to ensure anyone who does become homeless gets the support they need to build new lives in settled homes.
“We welcome today’s extra funding boost from Government which, nationally, adds an extra £84 million to the billion that was committed earlier in the year.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th May 2022 
