Get emergency foodCost of Hunger and Hardship - final report
This report explores the full cost of the need for emergency food in the UK, and shows that ending hunger and hardship is not only a moral imperative, but would have substantial benefits for society, the economy and the public purse.
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This is the second and final report from our research exploring the scale and cost of hunger and hardship in the UK. Our previous report found that that a record 9.3 million people are facing hunger and hardship in the UK, with some groups bearing the burden more than most, including people living in disabled families. We showed there are a range of solutions that would make a tangible difference to hunger and hardship in the UK.
The current report builds on this to explore:
- The costs of hunger and hardship to public services, the economy, and the public purse
- How these are projected to change over the next five years
- The human cost of facing hunger and hardship through exploration of the day-to-day experiences of people with lived experience of hunger and hardship
- The impact of a range of policies on reducing the costs of hunger and hardship
This research finds that the public finances and the UK economy could benefit by up to £75 billion each year if people were protected from hunger and hardship. People facing hunger and hardship described the deep and long-lasting impacts of living with insufficient income – particularly how it worsens mental and physical health. The scale and cost of hunger and hardship will continue to increase without urgent action.
Policy modelling demonstrates that there are options available which, if implemented, could mean that millions fewer people face hunger and hardship, driving huge benefits, not just to individuals, but for us all. Most impactfully, we found that implementing the Essentials Guarantee would drive £17.6 billion in annual economic and fiscal benefits, whilst lifting 2.2 million people out of facing hunger and hardship in 2026/27.
We know that there’s a clear way forward to ensure a future without the need for food banks, and here we provide the robust evidence on the case for change, and the policy solutions needed to tackle the problem.