A report out this morning suggests that food insecurity is growing in the U.K.
According to the Social Market Foundation Family food insecurity in the UK is concerningly high.
The report Growing up hungry: Measuring UK child food insecurity in 2026 found that
over the past 12 months, 15% of parents reported not having enough food at some point, including 4% going without regularly.
Since the SMF last looked at child food insecurity, the economic landscape has shifted considerably. There have been seismic global conflicts, major domestic political and policy changes, spanning four prime ministers
Children are being directly impacted. 1 in 5 parents said their children are being affected by food insecurity– defined here as experiencing either a lack of food for their children, being unable to provide them with a balanced meal, or relying on a few low-cost foods for their children “always” or “often”.
Child food insecurity varies sharply across regions, household types, and family size – with levels the highest in London (27%), the North West (22%) and Wales (22%), compared to 21% nationally.
There are signs food insecurity is worsening over time. Almost half of parents polled said they struggle more today than they did five years ago, with just 20% struggling less.
Support services may not be reaching all the families that need them. Despite higher uptake among food insecure families, use of these forms of support is still lower than might be expected given their experiences, with 21% reporting that they used none of the above, suggesting there may be unmet need or untapped access to support.
The report calls on the Government to tackle hunger, particularly among children, saying:
“Food insecurity is, at its core, driven by poverty and insufficient income to afford adequate food. There are a wide range of public policy measures at the government’s disposal, including action to address living costs such as through energy and housing, wider welfare changes, and employment support.”
