‘The author of a Government-commissioned report into food banks has told the Independent that welfare reforms since she conducted the research are forcing many more people to resort to emergency food handouts.

The Government is accused of suppressing a piece of research into food poverty in Britain for more than seven months. It was finally published by the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs today morning amid suggestions that it had been “slipped out” while the floods were still in the news.

It concluded that there was “growing demand” for emergency food because of increased need. This directly contradicts the position of Work and Pensions minister Lord Freud, who claimed last summer that the expansion of charities such as The Trussell Trust had driven the demand.’

Read more: Government accused of suppressing the damning report that suggests its flagship welfare reforms are forcing ever more people to resort to food banks

Benefits claimants face charges to challenge decisions over payments

‘Benefits claimants whose payments have been stopped could be charged for appealing against the decision to an independent judge, according to a leaked report.

The proposal, detailed in an internal Department for Work and Pensions document leaked to the Guardian, would hit some of the poorest people in Britain with little or no income, say critics.

In the document about the department’s internal finances, officials say the “introduction of a charge for people making appeals against [DWP] decisions to social security tribunals” would raise money.’

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