SIR – A recent announcement by food banks agency the Trussell Trust that its distribution of food parcels has increased in the last year from 317,000 to 913,000, has received a not totally unexpected response from a government source.

The Trussell Trust claims that delays in benefit payments was the main cause due to welfare changes instigated one year ago. The government responded by saying, “There was no evidence that welfare reforms could be linked to use of food banks.”

Of course (so-called) lack of evidence (in the Government’s view) doesn’t mean welfare reforms aren’t the cause and some might say if it isn’t the hold up or temporary stoppage of payments, then what else is the likeliest reason? The Government declined to suggest an alternative reason.

It was also revealed that after delays/temporary stoppages of welfare payments, the second reason given by users for the upsurge in food bank use was “low income”, and of course some of these are in low-paid jobs.

We are always being told by the Government of “the recovery” and that “work pays”, but as Chris Mould, chairman of the Trussell Trust, said: “In the last year we’ve seen things get worse not better, for many people on low incomes.”

David Hornsby, West View Avenue, Wrose