9 million UK households cannot afford healthy food
New data reveals that 9 million UK households cannot afford healthy food, prompting calls for a Good Food Bill to address food insecurity.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
New data reveals that nearly 9 million UK households cannot afford healthy food, a figure that has prompted renewed calls for a Good Food Bill to tackle rising food insecurity. The figures, released today, show that 6.5 million adults and 2.2 million children are living in households that lack access to enough affordable, nutritious food. More than a third of households say it is now harder to afford food compared to last year, and almost one in ten have used food support in the past six months.
For families like that of Dan White, who cares for his disabled daughter Emily, the weekly shop is a constant struggle. He described being "priced out" of buying good quality fruit, vegetables and meat, leading to an over-reliance on processed food. This, he said, has a "detrimental effect" on Emily's health because of her underlying conditions.
Charities and campaigners are warning that the situation is likely to worsen. They point to rising inflation, global conflicts and climate shocks as factors that have left the UK's food system "dangerously exposed". The proposed Good Food Bill would set legally binding targets to make healthy food more affordable and accessible, and to strengthen domestic food production. Without such measures, experts say food insecurity will only get worse.
Food banks remain a critical lifeline. One in Bristol described how people often turn to them during crises, whether short-term or long-term, when benefits or illness make it impossible to afford essentials. The new data underscores the scale of the problem and the urgency of political action.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| 6.5 million adults and 2.2 million children are experiencing food insecurity. | |
| More than a third of UK households say it is harder to afford food compared to last year. | |
| Nearly 9 million UK households cannot afford healthy food. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the human impact of food insecurity through the personal story of a father caring for his disabled daughter. It uses local footage from a food bank in Bristol and includes calls for a Good Food Bill. The tone is concerned and urgent, highlighting the systemic pressures on families and the need for government action.
- “Weekly we tend to want to buy good quality food like good fruit and veg, good meat products, things like that. But unfortunately we're pretty much priced out of doing that.”
- “We're really concerned that the food insecurity situation is going to deteriorate in the coming months. Part of the problem is that our food system is now really dangerously exposed to some of these big international shocks.”
- “You need to improve the accessibility of food systems. You need organisations like the Food Foundation to enact what they're trying to put through parliament which is a food bill which will bring the costs of good quality food down but also unify the food industry to make it accessible and affordable for all.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.