Britons flock to food banks as COVID continues

Demand for emergency supplies at British food banks is predicted to increase 61% from October to December.

That’s six parcels handed out every minute - and a reminder of how the COVID-19 pandemic has made so many people struggle for money.

The Trussell Trust provided 1.2 million packages between April and September. They say they're also seeing a huge rise in the number of people seeking help who have never had to do so before.

Alexander Shahid Khan is a food bank volunteer in London.

"The nature of the guests who are actually queuing up you know, it's changed to families as well as those who were living on the streets. And so you can definitely see that the effects of COVID has meant there's a lot of people suffering from income and food poverty at the moment.”

The UK government has extended an emergency jobs subsidy program. But many still need extra help.

"I was working part time as a cleaner for evenings, and then when COVID started, we had to quit because everything was closed and our offices, they're not opening until 2021 because people can work from home who were working in the office. And me, you know, they don't need me now."

"I was a security guard, life was fine, then as soon as this hit, I just lost my job because it had to close down. And that’s the end of it, I’m just waiting to get by."

"Just really nice to know on a Monday, Wednesday and a Saturday, (there’s a) guaranteed a hot meal."

Latest official figures from November show Britain's unemployment rate has risen to 4.8 percent. The Bank of England forecasts it will rise to nearly 8 percent by the middle of next year.

A government spokeswoman said a 400 million pound support package would help those in need for the winter and beyond, including millions for food aid charities.