Urgent action on hunger needed across the UK

Millions of people in the UK face food insecurity and are going without food because they cannot afford it, finds a report released by the Trussell Trust.

The publication, ‘Hunger in the UK 2025’, examines the extent, nature and drivers of hunger in the UK and outlines solutions aimed at reversing these trends and improving people’s lives in the long term.

According to the report, an estimated 9.3 million people across the UK are experiencing hunger and hardship, including three million children. Additionally, despite falling inflation, the report estimates that 14.1 million people are food insecure, resulting in the widespread use of food banks.

The Trussell project is the result of a multi-year mixed-methods research programme delivered in partnership with Ipsos and food banks in the Trussell Trust community.

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The report findings actively involve people who have needed to access emergency food, enabling researchers to understand the reasons behind the increased use of food banks and to help find solutions to these challenges.

Hunger and hardship affects young children

The researchers found that nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of emergency food parcels provided by Trussell’s network go to families with children, and it is often young children who face hunger issues.

The findings show approximately 24 per cent of children up to the age of four are facing hunger and hardship, the highest rate among all age groups.

A child growing up in the most deprived areas of the UK was found to be twice as likely to be in a food-insecure household as a child growing up in the most affluent areas. Households in the most deprived areas of the UK were three times as likely to be food insecure as households in the least deprived areas (27 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively).

In addition, people from ethnic minority communities were more likely to be affected by food insecurity in 2024, with 38 per cent of people who were Black or Black British affected compared to 14 per cent of White people.

Chronic food insecurity and health

Individuals who face food hardship are more likely to require healthcare services, and the report estimates that £6.3 billion is spent in the UK due to hunger-related healthcare issues. Chronic food insecurity can also lead to developmental delays in children and exacerbate existing health conditions.

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Primary care can play a key role in addressing some of the issues raised in the report. Nurses and healthcare workers can engage in conversations about food security during health assessments and provide resources and advice where appropriate.

Young children, especially those under five, are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity, and healthcare workers could play a vital role in identifying early signs of hunger issues during routine visits and connecting families with wider support to ensure patients know how to access emergency food.

Solutions require multidisciplinary approach

The report suggests that addressing the broad issues of hunger and food poverty requires a multi-disciplinary approach, and patients could also benefit from being directed to support services such as social services and resources offering financial advice.

The report emphasises that hunger is not simply a ‘food problem’ but an ‘income problem.’ To end reliance on food banks, the UK must ensure that ‘people have enough to live on’.

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The researchers call on the Government to reform the social security system, deliver coordinated support services, provide affordable housing, and create opportunities for secure employment.