Food Banks and the UK Welfare State

This chapter forms the land case study for the UK. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in the UK: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in the UK and the implications of this.