Thu, 05 Feb 2026

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 'Food bank usage a sad picture of our community'

Food banks say they are seeing more people using their services for the first time.

* Food banks in Guernsey report a surge in usage, particularly among dual-income households who are struggling to make ends meet.
* Chrissy Salmon, team leader at Shiloh Church, says that over 36% of lowest income households reported using food banks according to a 2024 survey, but the demographic is shifting towards those with two working parents.
* The main cause of this issue is the high cost of living in Guernsey, particularly rents, which have increased by around 60-65% since 2018 and 50% since 2020.
* Island officials are debating introducing a Goods and Services Tax (GST), including on food, which could impact donations to food banks.
* Politicians are also considering introducing a rent cap in Guernsey to help alleviate the issue of high rents.
* Experts say that tackling this problem requires addressing the root causes, such as economic growth, affordable housing, and adjusting benefit rates to protect low-income households.
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