Claims by the country 's biggest food bank network that it served a million hungry people in a year were exposed as false yesterday . After the Labour Party and Trades Union Congress seized on the figure , with shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves describing it as 'shocking ' , the Trussell Trust admitted in a climbdown that 'these are not all unique users ' . It emerged last night that its true number of users is likely to be no more than half a million – and possibly lower still . Scroll down for video . It emerged last night that the true number of food bank users is likely to be no more than half a million . File image used . The claim was widely reported by newspapers , while the BBC ran a headline on its website stating : 'Food banks used by `` more than one million people '' . ' But the Corporation also retreated yesterday , toning down its coverage as the one million figure unravelled . In the announcement of its food bank users , the Trussell Trust – which has 445 food banks run in its name – declared that 'more than one million people received three days ' food ' . However the Trust has now acknowledged that the claim was based on the number of food parcels given out , and not the number of individuals asking for help . It admitted that fewer than half its claimants come forward only once , and 15 per cent make more than three visits to a food bank in a year . It said that the average claimant uses two of the vouchers that entitle them to a food parcel in a year . The Trust , a charity which has expanded rapidly in recent years and which aspires to run a food bank in every town , found itself under fire from Tories over its claims . Claims by The Trussell Trust that it served a million hungry people in a year were exposed as false yesterday . Charlie Elphicke , the Conservative candidate for Dover and Deal , said : 'Their use of unverified figures is irresponsible and borders on scaremongering . Food bank usage is a serious issue – not something that should be used and misused for PR purposes . What the Trussell Trust would do better to highlight is that the best route out of poverty is to get a good job that gives you a regular pay packet . ' One fact-checking think-tank , Full Fact , said last night : 'The claim that over a million people are using Trussell Trust food banks is inaccurate . 'It comes from confusing the number of different people using Trussell Trust food banks in a year with the number of times they use the food banks . ' Full Fact said that even Trussell Trust 's figures for the number of food parcels handed out – from 913,138 in the 2013/14 financial year to 1,084,604 in the financial year which ended in March – did not mean that demand for free food was going up . It said the increase may reflect that more people are becoming aware of food banks , or people who were already in need have taken advantage of the opening of a new food bank in their neighbourhood . Trussell Trust chairman Chris Mould said : 'The number of times people were given three days of emergency food rose over a million during the year . 'Some of those people have eaten that food on more than one occasion during the year . We should not lose sight of the fact that a large and increasing number of people have been referred to food banks . ' Mr Mould added that the charity would review the way its publishes its figures in future .
The Trussell Trust admits that the one million were not all 'unique users ' It had previously claimed that it served a million hungry people in a year . Labour Party and Trades Union Congress were quick to seize on the figure . Trust has said the figure was based on the number of parcels handed out .