THE MANAGER of PATCH, the charity running Pembrokeshire’s food bank, has expressed concern following reports in the national press that the Department for Work and Pensions is now banning Job Centres from referring those in need to food banks.
According to The Independent, some Job centre staff have been ordered not to refer Universal Credit claimants to food banks, in a move campaigners have said is preventing vulnerable people from getting vital help and “hiding” those who are in need.
A leaked email from two Job centres,, said the DWP policy “does not permit” food bank referrals and that the local job centre had been advised to “verbally signpost” people to charities who can formally refer them instead.
Tracy Olin, who runs the charity said: “This is terrible news, I am intending to write to our local MPs to ensure they are aware of the situation, and we may have to re-think our referral system.”
“This [move] is possibly just to manipulate figures” she added.
PATCH have confirmed that local Job Centres have already been stopped from holding parcels for emergencies, in a move which the charity slammed as “just awful.”
But volunteers said many who needed support would not approach charities because of the additional stress and embarrassment of asking for help for a second time.
Tracy Olin told The Herald: “We have seen so many referrals because of the Universal Credit roll-out and with so many hit by sanctions, but I guess we’re blessed in Pembrokeshire because we do have so many brilliant support agencies such as CAB, PATH and Gwalia.”
She added: “Most of the people I speak to at the job centre are so good and really want to help the client.
“I think this would be so hard for the Job Centre staff, not just the client.
“How horrible for them if they have to send someone away that’s in genuine need!
“Things like this do seem to take a bit of time to reach here, but I hope it is not implemented any time soon.
“I will email our MPs on Monday to express my concerns.
“The poor staff at the job centre. I would find it unbearable to send away someone in need.”
A DWP spokesperson told The Pembrokeshire Herald that their policy on food bank referrals had not changed. “Jobcentres will signpost people to food banks and other services according to their individual circumstances, as part of their support to help people manage their finances and get into work,” the spokesperson added.
