Surge in baby-bank demand lays bare child poverty crisis

Celebrities, MPs and campaigners describe the situation as a national disgrace’ as they call for more support for families

- TARA COBHAM

Demand for help from baby banks from parents struggling to feed their children has surged by more than one-third in a year, The Independent can reveal, amid record-high levels of child poverty. As the cost of living continues to rise, a growing number of families are having to turn to baby banks, with new data showing that more than 3.5 million essential items were handed out in 2024, including nappies, clothes and cots – an increase of 143 per cent on the previous year.

Describing the rising need as “absolutely shocking”, actor and podcast host Giovanna Fletcher questioned how this is happening in the UK as she joined forces with MPs and children’s charities to urge the government to take action.

The new figures come after Labour delayed until autumn its flagship plan to cut child poverty, although it insists its strategy is “ambitious”. Meanwhile, ministers are debating whether or not to scrap the two-child benefit cap as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, and statutory maternity pay remains equivalent to less than half of the 2025 national living wage.

Single father Adam Coggins said the pressures of parenthood took a toll on his mental health and forced him to reach out to a baby bank for the first time, as he feared that without help he would be unable to feed his daughters, aged two and three.

The 34-year-old told The Independent: “I was so uncomfortable going there, because I’ve never had to ask for help before. I felt like a failure; that was hard. [But] without these people, we would be in trouble. They’ve saved a lot of people – [and] especially when you’ve got two young kids, you need that help. That could be the difference between getting a couple of meals for them. Getting two packs of nappies saves you money to get food for them.”