USERS of Barrow's food bank have told the service they would have resorted to shoplifting or suicide had it not been for their help. 

New statistics from the Trussell Trust, which runs Barrow food bank and satellite offices in Millom and Ulverston, show that between April and September 2015, Barrow foodbank gave 63,044 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, compared to 75,768 in the same period last year.

Despite the fall in users, those behind Barrow's service say hunger is "still an issue".

Ann Mills, project manager of Barrow foodbank said: “We welcome the small decrease in people using the foodbank as shown in our mid-year figures but we are aware that hunger is still an issue particularly when clients are being moved over to the Universal Credit.

There is a six to seven week delay before the Universal Credit is paid as it is paid in arrears and very often the claimant is not told that they can get advanced payments. Here at Barrow foodbank, we are very fortunate to have a support worker to help our clients to work out solutions to their budgeting and resolve benefit payment issues. We are beginning to see an increase in the number of working families accessing the foodbank as hours

are cut and people are getting into debt. Giving food meets immediate needs but it is only a sticking plaster, so it is important that we can offer advice on budgeting, debt and benefit issues while they are here at the

foodbank.

"We have recently done an audit of how the clients felt their needs were met and what they would do if the foodbank was not here. A high response of clients said that without the help of the foodbank they would have resorted to shoplifting or taking their own lives.”

Across the North West, the half-year figures also reveal:

Between April and September 2015, food banks in the North West gave 73,563 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis compared to 74,591 in the same period last year.  

In the North West, benefit delays and changes remain the biggest cause of food bank use accounting for 50 per cent of total referrals (34 per cent benefit delay; 16 per cent benefit changes), the same as last year. Low

income still accounts as a referral cause for 20 per cent.

- The Evening Mail's Tonnes of Tins campaign trailer, which welcomes both food and cash donations, will be in the Tesco Extra car park in Barrow on Thursday from 10am until 2pm. 

This year the Evening Mail aims to raise three tonnes of tins for Barrow Foodbank.