Food Poverty
Food poverty or insecurity affects 5,000,000 people in the United Kingdom, the sixth richest country in the world.
For the majority of families, the loss of a job, falling ill or some other financial crisis will in as little as two months force that family into Food Poverty.
Okehampton Food Bank is blessed not only by its volunteers who keep the wheels turning but by a wonderful network of donors who provide us with the resources to keep going.
Food poverty includes both the affordability of healthy food and its accessibility within local communities.
The Department of Health considers food poverty as,
‘the inability to afford, or to have access to, food to make up a healthy diet.’
What is food poverty?
According to Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, Centre for Food Policy, City University of London
‘Food poverty is worse diet, worse access, worse health, and a higher percentage of income spent on food and less choice from a restricted range of foods.’
Professor Elizabeth Dowler Emeritus Professor of Food and Social Policy in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick has said food poverty is
‘The inability to consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.’
Causes and impact.
Food poverty can be triggered by a:
- crisis in finances and or
- personal circumstances.
It can also be a long-term experience of not being able to access or have the facilities to prepare healthy food.
Families, where both parents work, but their lower wages do not keep up with the cost of living.
A disability that prevents an individual from earning enough to access healthy food as needed.
Once triggered, food budgets are often the first thing to be cut. Money is spent on rent and fuel rather than on healthy food.
Poor diet impacts negatively on health causing a higher risk of dietary illnesses and diseases. This is because healthy and nutritious food is often more expensive than food high in fat, salt, and sugar.
Who is most at risk?
5 million people in the UK lived in food poverty between 2019 – 2020 according to the Government’s latest Family Resources Survey
In 2020, this was 8% of the population. According to figures from The Food Foundation, food insecurity levels rose to 9% of the population in January 2021.
The Trussell Trust has also seen an increase in foodbank use of 123% over the past five years.
The Independent Food Aid Network reported a rise of 110% between 2019 and 2020.
Food poverty in the UK is rising, and it can affect anyone.
- Children who are unable to access free school meals during the holidays
- Individuals who are using food banks for the first time after a job loss
- Older people unable to prepare meals without support
- Parents on low incomes who skip meals so their children can eat
- People who suffer a debilitating illness
- People with no recourse to public funds who are excluded from most welfare support
- The terminaly Ill
All of these instances are a symptom of inadequate and insecure incomes. They highlight holes in the welfare safety net, increased living costs, rising debt, and financial problems for households living on lower incomes.
In Okehampton, the number of families using our food bank are increasing weekly. Since July, we have changed how we record our statistics. We no longer count the number of families we have registered with us. We have taken the decision to use the number of weekly food parcels we distribute. This gives a better view of food insecurity in our town and surrounding villages.