A study by the UK’s biggest food bank network, Trussell, estimates one in seven of the UK population are struggling in a category of deep poverty it calls “hunger and hardship”. But what does it mean, who is affected by it, and why?
What is hunger and hardship?
The term was created by Trussell to define a group of 9.3 million people (including 3 million children) whose low household income and financial vulnerability makes them most likely to be using food banks or at risk of using them.
What are the characteristics of a family in this category?
They are on low incomes, have little or no savings and may also have debts. Typically they struggle to afford enough food, energy bills and basics such as new clothes. An unexpected financial crisis, such as job loss, a large bill or the breakdown of a fridge or cooker, can swiftly trigger reliance on food banks.
Why did Trussell come up with this new definition?
It was designed in part to hold the government to account over Labour’s 2024 election manifesto pledge to “end mass dependence on emergency food parcels”. In effect it is saying to ministers: target financial support at this group, and you cut reliance on food banks.
How does it relate to other measures of poverty?
The hunger and hardship cohort is in effect a subset of a bigger group (14.4 million) of the UK population in relative poverty. A family is said to be in relative poverty if their income is below the poverty line of 60% of median income. A family facing hunger and hardship is typically more than 25% below the poverty line.
Who is likely to be in hunger and hardship?
One in five UK children are in this group, including – strikingly – one in four of all 0-four-year-olds. More than half of people (5 million) facing hunger and hardship are from a household where someone is disabled. More than one in three (36%) people living in families claiming carer’s allowance face hunger and hardship. Black, African and Caribbean households are disproportionately likely to be in this group.
Why doesn’t the social security system protect people from this kind of poverty?
Trussell argues that repeated cuts to benefits have damaged the safety net . The rapid rise in food bank use – a record 3.1 million in 2023-24 – is driven largely by low incomes, including inadequate benefits. It estimates almost four in 10 people on the UK’s main low-income benefit, universal credit, face hunger and hardship.
Is paid work a way out?
Not always, says Trussell. It estimates 5.4 million people in families where at least one person works face hunger and hardship. Only low-income households where two adults work full-time (or where all adults are retired) are at relatively low risk of food bank reliance. Good jobs – rather than “any job” – is the way out of this kind of poverty.