The number of people struggling with hunger has risen so much food banks say they can barely cope.

According to the latest Trussell Trust statistics more than 14.1 million people in the UK went hungry in the last year because of poverty – up from 11.6 million in 2022.

Nourish Community Foodbank, which helps people across Tunbridge Wells, and south Tonbridge, in Kent, said things had reached “crisis point”.

The UK government had previously said it would tackle the increase in food bank dependence.

Dawn Stanford, Nourish’s operations director, said the charity was at a crisis point.

“It’s a pretty depressing picture,” she said. “We are facing the worst crisis since we started 13 years ago.

“I think we have seen a 37% increase in referrals this year.”

She said the monetary donations they were getting were “not enough”, adding: “We are facing hard decisions in the coming months to ensure we will be here next year.”

The cost of living crisis, she added, meant people were not able to donate in the way they once could – it was once sustained entirely by them.

Ms Stanford said: “Now we are getting about 25% donated and we are having to purchase 75% to cover referrals.”

At Faversham Food Bank chairman of trustees, Dominic Deeson, said they had also seen a drop in donations.

“This is the cost of living crisis, food inflation and so forth,” he said.

“People are kind to us but they are struggling themselves in some cases.”

They were still getting enough, but things were getting harder.

Mr Deeson said: “We are getting closer to having to buy food to keep up with demand.

“We have not quite got there but I can see it coming. For the first time we are asking people in Faversham to give us financial donations.”

This summer Kent County Council (KCC) started a food voucher scheme for struggling families, but applications for that closed on 26 August.

In May the Trussell Trust said a 56% increase in food parcels given to families with children in the South East in the last five years should be a “wake-up call”.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “This government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in food bank dependence.

“In addition to extending free school meals and ensuring the poorest children don’t go hungry in the holidays with £1bn to reform crisis support, our Child Poverty Taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy later this year.”

KCC has been approached for comment.