Millions of people across Britain are struggling to afford food as the cost of essentials continues to rise, with a new poll finding that three-quarters of people have worried about food prices in the past year or know someone who has.
The poll, conducted by Amnesty International UK, found that 75 per cent of people had experienced concern about the cost of food. A further 70 per cent said they had changed their eating or shopping habits, while 66 per cent believed the next generation would find food less affordable than it is today. More than eight in 10 respondents said there should be a legal right to food.
The figures come as food prices have risen by 39 per cent over the past five years. Since 2022, nearly three million additional people have been pushed into food poverty, defined in the source as being unable to access essential and nutritious food. The number has risen from 11.6 million to 14 million.
For some households, the pressure has meant reducing meals or going without food altogether. Lowri Williams, 56, a single mother from Lancashire, said she had become reluctant to enter shops because she feared spending money she did not have. Her father died last year, and she said he had previously helped keep her household financially afloat.
“You’re literally spending all your energy and time looking at the bank balance… it’s a regular thought: ‘I’ve got no money,’” Williams told The Independent.
Laura, 39, a single mother and private renter from the Wirral, said she receives universal credit because of back pain and sciatica but faces a £125 monthly shortfall in meeting her bills. She said she prioritises rent to ensure she and her son retain their home.
“That means sometimes I don’t eat or I’ll not eat for a few days. Or maybe if [my son’s] not eaten something I’ll eat what he’s left. And it’s awful to have to live like that,” she said.
The charity Trussell said demand for food assistance had also increased, distributing 2.6 million emergency food parcels in 2025, 45 per cent more than before the pandemic. Helen Barnard, its director of policy and research, said food banks were supporting thousands of people every day who lacked sufficient income to afford essentials.
“For people on the very lowest incomes, going without food or heating is already a daily reality,” Barnard said. She added that food and energy consumed a larger share of the budgets of poorer households, leaving them with little capacity to absorb further price increases.
Tyler, 23, who lives with his mother and sister in London, said he believed his mother was sometimes skipping meals so that he and his sister could eat. He said the situation affected him mentally and that he was seeking more hours at work to contribute to household expenses.
Amnesty International UK has called on the new prime minister to introduce a Right to Food Bill, which would place a duty on the government to ensure access to food. Jen Clark, the organisation’s economic, social and cultural rights lead, said the polling demonstrated widespread concern about whether families could afford what they needed.
Trussell has separately called for an “essentials guarantee” within universal credit to ensure benefits cover necessary living costs. The government said household incomes had risen 5 per cent in real terms, food bank usage had fallen and food insecurity was down. It also cited measures including higher minimum wages, increases to universal credit, suspended tariffs on everyday staples and a £1 billion crisis and resilience fund available to councils to tackle food poverty.
