According to Sky News, some members of the British military are increasingly relying on food banks to make ends meet in the face of soaring inflation and a cost-of-living problem.
According to one source given by the broadcaster, an unofficial food bank was established at a Royal Air Force (RAF) site in eastern England to help local citizens but was also used by service men.
Sky also reported an internal RAF memo claiming that some soldiers are being forced to pick between “food or fuel,” and that others are unable to finance flights home to see their family. The article also mentioned a single mother working for the RAF who endured four days without a hot meal because she had spent her last money on feeding her baby.
Despite the fact that their meals are funded by the government, some RAF personnel are apparently unable to pay for food. All RAF personnel are currently eligible for a weekly £38 ($48) stipend that can be used to purchase meals at bases.
According to an anonymous remark in the RAF paper, “the food bank is popular,” with a footnote explaining that while the issue “is reported across the majority of units,” it is still not prevalent.
One insider told Sky News that service members are “incredibly angry and frustrated” that some people “had to rely on charitable agencies just to exist.”
According to the research, some financially constrained service members “are struggling to afford fuel to drive to work” and are “unable to travel home each week” to see their loved ones, resulting in worse morale.
The UK Ministry of Defence conducted a survey earlier this month that indicated 42% of British military members are content with life in the services, down from 50% a year ago. Poor housing and low wages were among the reasons mentioned.
