Growth in UK children living in households with food insecurity
These children are at risk of poor physical, emotional, mental, and social outcomes In March 2024, the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reported new data on household food insecurity for 2022-23 as part of its official statistics on poverty.1 Food insecurity, as measured by routinely used survey instruments, is a sensitive indicator of material poverty, capturing households’ experiences of not always having enough food, or not being certain of this, because of a lack of money. As it focuses on a basic requirement—always having enough to eat—food insecurity is a simple and validated measure of access to an undeniable need and human right. The latest data show the alarming reality faced by children in the UK: an average of 2.4 million children a month (or 17% of all children) were living in food insecure homes during 2022-23.1 An additional 10% were living in homes with marginal food security. These figures, collated with reference to experiences over 30 days, reflected a rise