Guarantee Our Essentials: Barking Foodbank Joins Nationwide Campaign at Westminster

On 18 June, Barking Foodbank joined more than 700 campaigners, foodbank teams, and community advocates at Westminster to lobby MPs for an Essentials Guarantee—a proposed policy that would ensure Universal Credit covers the cost of life’s basic essentials.

The event, organised by the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, brought together foodbank staff, volunteers, and people with lived experience from across the UK. The campaign calls for the government to introduce a legal minimum level of Universal Credit, ensuring no one is left unable to afford food, heating, or transport.

Why the Campaign Matters

Foodbank staff in Barking and Dagenham see daily the effects of rising living costs and inadequate benefit levels. Many of those turning to Barking Foodbank are in work but cannot cover their bills due to low wages, insecure employment, and the absence of London weighting in their pay.

For single adults, Universal Credit currently provides around £92 per week—a sum that, after rent, utilities, and essential bills, leaves little to nothing for food. The Essentials Guarantee campaign argues that this amount should be raised to at least £120 per week, based on independent research into the real cost of living.

In-work poverty is a growing issue locally, particularly among people in ill health or those on zero-hour contracts who lack job security. Many residents are left facing eviction, debt, and destitution when work becomes unavailable.

Lobbying for Change at Westminster

At Westminster, campaigners gathered outside Parliament before meeting MPs inside. Although Barking’s local MP was unable to attend, Barking Foodbank representatives engaged with Sir Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, and raised concerns about the inadequacy of Universal Credit, deductions for debt repayments, and the increasing number of working families relying on foodbanks.

While Sir Stephen confirmed that recent reforms would increase Universal Credit rates, campaigners expressed concern that these changes would not go far enough to reflect inflation or protect households from further hardship.

The day provided an important opportunity to share experiences from across the UK and demonstrate the widespread support for an Essentials Guarantee.

The Local Impact in Barking and Dagenham

Rising living costs and stagnant incomes are driving families in Barking and Dagenham into long-term financial insecurity. Staff at Barking Foodbank report that visits are no longer one-off emergencies but have become regular for many households. The consequences are clear: mounting debt, worsening mental health, and an unsustainable reliance on charitable food aid.

Foodbank workers describe the levels of poverty they see as reminiscent of Dickensian Britain.

A Call to Action

Over 9.3 million people in the UK, including 3 million children, face hunger. Campaigners stress that poverty is not inevitable but the result of political choices. Introducing an Essentials Guarantee would be a simple, achievable step toward ensuring dignity for everyone.

Local people can play their part by:

Writing to their MP in support of the campaign
Sharing campaign materials to raise awareness
Donating to Barking Foodbank to meet urgent local needs
Volunteering their time to support frontline services

Public backing for reform is strong. Recent polling shows 72% of people in the UK support the Essentials Guarantee, cutting across political divides.

Building a Fairer System

The Essentials Guarantee is designed to ensure Universal Credit provides a real safety net. Campaigners argue that welfare reform must also be considered alongside immigration and employment policy, to ensure that economic growth benefits everyone, not just corporations or select groups.