New research from Christian-based charity the Trussell Trust suggests that taking away benefits from people as a punishment means they end up using foodbanks.
The study, carried out with researchers from Oxford University, said that 'sanctions', which see the withdrawal of benefits for breaking the rules, lead to an increase in the use of food banks, which are often hosted by churches.
The sanctions regime has been criticizsd for being too harsh, with people sanctioned for missing appointments they weren't told about or when they were too ill to attend.
Figures showed that for every 10 people sanctioned – meaning they lost their benefits for between four weeks and three years – there were five extra food parcels handed out.
The government disputes the way the research was carried out, but Trussell Trust's Adrian Curtis said: "The findings from this ground-breaking study tell us once and for all: the more people sanctioned, the more people need food banks."
However, he added: "There is much to be hopeful about - we're very pleased to see sanctioning rates have decreased and that the new Secretary of State has announced that work capability re-assessments for employment and support allowance claimants with incurable or progressive illnesses have been scrapped."
The Department for Work and Pensions said: "The reasons for food bank use are complex, and it is misleading to link them to any one issue... We're clear that work is the best route out of poverty, and the number of people in employment is at a record high, up by 2.7 million since 2010."
