Child hunger in UK tops 25% as surge in food bank dependance deemed 'unacceptable'

The Trussell Trust reported that 27% of children are growing up in food-insecure households, where families are forced to skip meals or reduce the quality and quantity of food due to financial hardship.

About three in 10 (31%) children aged five and under were likely to be in this situation, according to the charity’s latest Hunger in the UK report.

Among those referred to Trussell's food banks, 30% belong to a household where one member is working, with a Trussell support noting that "paid work isn't enough to protect people from hardship."

It comes amid mounting pressure from the charity to scrap the controversial two-child benefit, which was introduced by the Conservative government in 2017 and restricts child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most households.

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Trussell's report - based on its analysis of an Ipsos survey of almost 4,000 adults referred to UK food banks - paints a picture of the situation with hunger in the UK when Labour came into Government and the charity said there are no signs things have improved since then, with living costs having continued to rise.

The data comes ahead of the Government’s strategy on tackling child poverty, which is expected to be published this autumn, having been delayed from spring.

Among its recommendations, Trussell repeated a call for the two-child benefit limit to be done away with, estimating this would lift around 670,000 people out of severe hardship, including 470,000 children, by 2026/27.

Overall, the number of people facing food insecurity across the UK grew, from 11.6 million people in food insecure households in 2022 to 14.1 million people in 2024, including 3.8 million children.

Succession actor Brian Cox, who has spoken about facing poverty in his own youth, branded the report’s findings shocking.

The Trussell supporter said: “From my own experience, I know the harsh reality of growing up in poverty and the lasting impact it has. The constant worry of how to put food on the table is a feeling that never leaves you.

“No child should have to know what a food bank is, let alone need one. But shockingly, in the UK today, families with young children face the highest risk of hunger and needing to turn to a food bank to get by.

“When 30% of people referred to food banks in the Trussell community are part of a household where someone is in work, it’s clear that paid work isn’t enough to protect people from hardship.”

While Trussell said it is difficult to make precise comparisons between regions and UK nations, its research suggested the North West of England had the greatest food insecurity (26% of households), followed by the North East of England (23%), and Northern Ireland (21% of households).

Yorkshire and Humberside had the lowest food insecurity (10% of households) while for Wales and the South East of England the proportion stood at 12% for each.In Scotland, 15% of households were deemed to be food insecure.

Helen Barnard, director of policy, research and impact at Trussell, said: “Hunger and hardship are increasingly seen as a normal part of everyday life in the UK. This is not an inevitable trend, but the result of systems that urgently need updating – particularly our social security system.

“It isn’t right that millions of people from all walks of life – including pensioners, disabled people, working families, and carers – are struggling to make ends meet. Nobody in the UK should face hunger.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “This Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in food bank dependence.

“In addition to extending free school meals and ensuring the poorest children don’t go hungry in the holidays through a new £1 billion crisis support package, our Child Poverty Taskforce will publish an ambitious strategy later this year.

“We are also overhauling Jobcentres and reforming the broken welfare system to support people into good, secure jobs, while always protecting those who need it most.”