Food insecurity is a ‘major challenge’ facing UK

Experts are urging the government to commit to reduce child food insecurity levels in its upcoming Child Poverty Strategy, including expanding free school meals

A new report, published by The Food Foundation has revealed that one in ten (11.3%) households struggle to afford food — rising to one in seven (15%) households with children.  The findings show that food insecurity in the UK has remained high over the last half decade.

The data also shows that it is often more nutritious foods like fruit and vegetables which are sacrificed in food insecure households. More than three quarters of the population also said that they would eat more healthily if these items were more affordable.

The Food Foundation findings also show that children from the most deprived fifth of the population are nearly twice as likely to be living with obesity as those in the least deprived fifth by their first year of school.

Similarly, children in their last year of primary school in the most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to have experienced tooth decay in their adult teeth compared to those in the least deprived areas. 

The Food Foundation has tracked food insecurity levels since March 2020. Over this time frame, food insecurity levels have remained high, but have also varied from 7% of the population to 18% of the population.

Shona Goudie, Policy and Advocacy Manager at The Food Foundation said, "Food insecurity in the UK is a political choice, not an inevitability. The government must demonstrate its commitment to tackling this issue by setting clear targets to protect people from food insecurity and building national resilience.  

"Over the last five years overall levels of food insecurity have remained persistently high but have fluctuated considerably demonstrating how rapidly conditions can change –either for the better or worse.

"These fluctuations reflect external events, but also policy measures taken by the government.”

The Food Foundation is calling on the government to commit to reduce child food insecurity levels in its upcoming Child Poverty Strategy. This includes setting a target to halve levels of food insecurity and removing the two-child limit.

It also called to “strengthen the nutritional safety net schemes” that support low-income families, such as expanding Healthy Start to all families on Universal Credit and making it easier for eligible children to register for, and benefit from, free school meals.

“Policymakers must act; expand free school meals, strengthen a good food cycle, and ensure access to nutritious food is protected as a basic right.” 

Lindsey Marston, Policy and Campaigns Manager at the British Dietetic Association (BDA) agreed that food insecurity is a critical point for public health. “Cutting back on healthy options like fruit and vegetables due to cost leads to malnutrition and increased risk of chronic illness. Policymakers must act; expand free school meals, strengthen a good food cycle, and ensure access to nutritious food is protected as a basic right.”

She added that the BDA strongly supports The Food Foundation’s call to halve UK food insecurity. “Poor access to nutritious food directly contributes to malnutrition, impaired child development, and long-term health inequalities. To achieve this aim, the Child Poverty Strategy must work with dietitians to create a nutritious and healthy future for the generations to come.”

Vic Harper, CEO of The Bread and Butter Thing, which runs affordable food clubs using surplus food said the situation wasn’t just a cost of living crisis. "Food insecurity has become chronic for many families. We’re now seeing people impacted who traditionally you wouldn’t have thought would be struggling to afford food.

"It’s people who are working and doing everything society asks of them, but they still can’t make ends meet.” 

The Food Foundation’s Basic Basket Tracker, which measures the weekly price of a basket of food for an adult male and adult female as part of a reasonably-costed, adequately-nutritious diet, shows that from April 2022 to October 2025 the price of the woman's basket (non Clubcard) has risen by 27.4% and the price of the man's basket (non Clubcard) has risen by 30.1%. 

Harper added, "This is much bigger than a one-off crisis now. We need structural change."