Universal Credit could “drive more families into poverty” according to a top Greenwich councillor, as a new report reveals an increasing reliance on foodbanks.

The use of foodbanks has surged nationally in the last few years as thousands of households depend on charities such as the Trussell Trust to have a healthy diet.

According to a new Greenwich Council report, set to be heard next week, there is a growing number of people experiencing food poverty at a “crisis” level.

Charities have warned the impact of Universal Credit – which is designed to make claiming benefits easier – has actually driven up the demand for foodbanks.

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“Findings reflect those of national and London-level research, confirming that food poverty in Greenwich is a significant issue that has increased in recent years and is predicted to become worse with the shift to Universal Credit”, the report said.

Cllr Averil Lekau, cabinet member for adult social care, health and anti-poverty, said it was no surprise the controversial change has led to harder times for vulnerable people.

Cllr Lekau said: “The changes being made to the benefits system under Universal Credit are huge and threaten to drive more families into poverty.

“Having to wait five weeks from your claim to receive your money could be disastrous for people if they are not prepared for it and it’s no surprise that households will become more reliant on foodbanks.

“The growth of inequality now means that there were more children who went to sleep last night in poverty, in this world-class city, than all of the children in Scotland and Wales combined.

“This morning, a third of the children who woke up in Greenwich, woke up in poverty.

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“As a council, we are doing everything we possibly can to tackle poverty despite unprecedented government cuts.

“We run proactive schemes such as the Greenwich Local Labour and Business programme to help unemployed residents access training, gain skills and long-term employment.

“But ultimately the government must do more in supporting local authorities, who are doing their best with highly constrained resources, to provide a ladder of opportunity to those trapped in poverty.”

Figures supplied by the Trussell Trust – the biggest foodbank charity in the UK – “suggests an increase in food poverty in Greenwich.”

Between 2012 and 2016, the last data the council has supplied, there was a shocking 463 per cent spike in users of foodbanks.

The report explains: “Food poverty is a long-standing problem that partners have worked hard to address in Greenwich for many years.

“There is increasing national and London-level evidence of rising levels of food poverty.

“Foodbank use is a high-profile issue and Trussell Trust data documents the increase in numbers of people experiencing food poverty at a crisis level.”

Greenwich Council has set up an action plan to tackle food poverty in the borough.