UK food bank accessibility modelling for the Trussell Trust

The Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) co-develops an analytical tool with the Trussell Trust to predict accessibility and future demand for current food bank centres

The main aim of the project was to co-develop with the Trussell Trust an analytical tool to predict accessibility to current food bank centres in the Trussell Trust Network and potential future demand from open-source datasets such as Universal credit claimants and the 2021 Census for areas in England and Wales. The tool can be run for any local area in England and Wales to produce maps and metrics corresponding to food bank accessibility and deprivation. Ultimately, these can be used to suggest new food bank locations or to suggest centres that could be better placed.  

The analytical tool was co-produced with the Trussell Trust with experts from the Strategic Intelligence team to which it has been adopted by the team since. The project, working closely with two local food bank networks within the Trussel Trust, also utilised the tool to provide impactful analysis on operations and strategies. This led to the uncovering of new focus area of food banks - hubs – which directly led to the development of new collaborations with Citizens Advice and a major Canadian food bank network. 

Further funding to continue research work has been secured from the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account and UCL Innovation and Enterprise and is due to commence from January to August 2024. The project anticipates expanding beyond food to include other services such as health, housing and finance. Following on from this, there are also plans to investigate food bank referral paths, the impact of high street bank closures on food bank use and the emergence of food bank hubs.  

In collaboration with the Trussell Trust and Citizens Advice, alongside food bank networks in Scotland, Wales, and a major Canadian food bank advisory network, the project hopes to better understand the complex sets of needs of food bank clients. 

Following on from this, we have submitted (Sept 2023) an outline bid to the Nuffield Foundation (£329k or £630k FEC) to expand our relationship with the Trussell Trust and Citizens Advice to investigate food bank referral paths, the impact of high street bank closures on food bank use and the emergence of food bank hubs. We will work with two large Trussell Trust food bank networks in Scotland and Wales as well as a major Canadian food bank advisory network. 

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