Cost of living crisis forces UK military personnel to rely on food banks

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Inflationary pressures and soaring costs have left military personnel and their families across the UK grappling with financial hardships, with some forced to turn to food banks for assistance, according to local media reports.

The distressing situation has extended its reach to RAF Coningsby, a major Royal Air Force (RAF) base situated in Lincolnshire, where an unofficial food bank has emerged, according to Sky News.

Initially established by an aviator to aid civilians in the local community, the food bank has now become a lifeline for RAF personnel.

Internal RAF documents reviewed by SkyNews – along with interviews with military sources and charities – shed light on the far-reaching consequences of the ongoing cost of living crisis on defense personnel.

The report reveals that numerous service members are faced with the agonizing choice between "food or fuel," resulting in some individuals being unable to afford transportation to visit their families after completing their duties.

The plight of a single mother serving as an aviator highlights the dire circumstances faced by military personnel.

Struggling financially, she was forced to endure four days without a hot meal as she had depleted her funds by purchasing baby milk formula.

Prominent charities have witnessed a significant surge in inquiries directly from military personnel or on their behalf, seeking financial assistance. The number of such inquiries has more than doubled, indicating the extent of the financial strain faced by service members and their families.

The UK has been grappling with soaring consumer inflation, which reached 8.7% year-on-year in April, dropping slightly from 10.1% in March but remaining higher than the anticipated 8.2%.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has also highlighted that food prices continue to skyrocket, reaching their highest rate in nearly 45 years.

Despite the growth rate of grocery prices slowing down in the year leading up to April, it still approached a record level of 19.1%.​​​​​​​