New Research:
Review of studies on food insecurity in the UK
Food insecurity—defined as the lack of reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food—remains a pressing issue in the UK, affecting up to 25% of households. Despite decades of pledges and policy efforts, the problem has worsened, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. A recent scoping review published in Nutrition Bulletin sheds light on the breadth of community-based interventions aimed at supporting adults facing food insecurity, especially those living with severe mental illness.
Categories of intervention
The review highlights the diversity of grassroots responses across the UK, ranging from emergency foodbanks and charitable meals to mobile food stores, cooking classes, and voucher schemes. These interventions are categorised using Blake’s Food Ladders model, which outlines three levels of support: crisis response, capacity building, and self-organised community change.
While foodbanks remain the most common intervention, the review reveals concerns about their nutritional adequacy. Many parcels exceed recommended levels of sugar and salt, and often lack essential nutrients like vitamin D. In contrast, initiatives such as community cafés and cookery classes show promise in improving diet quality and boosting participants’ confidence in preparing healthy meals on a budget.
Importantly, the review identifies key elements that contribute to the success of these interventions. These include the ability to cater for special dietary, cultural, and religious needs; offering financial advice and debt support; removing barriers like mandatory referrals; and creating welcoming spaces for social interaction. Such features not only enhance the feasibility and acceptability of interventions but also foster a sense of community and empowerment among participants.
Fragility of programmes
However, the review also underscores the fragility of these efforts. Most interventions rely heavily on volunteers and donated or surplus food, raising concerns about sustainability and consistency. Moreover, there is a lack of robust data on the long-term impact of these programmes, particularly in reducing food insecurity and improving health outcomes.
Key learning
As public health leaders and policymakers seek to address this growing crisis, the findings call for a shift from ad hoc charitable responses to fully commissioned, evidence-based services. Investing in community-led, inclusive, and nutritionally sound interventions could be a vital step towards ensuring that every adult in the UK has access to the food they need—not just to survive, but to thrive.
References
Smith J, Green EL, Lang AA, Thompson SB, et al. Community-based food insecurity interventions for adults in the United Kingdom: A scoping review. Nutr Bull. 2024;49(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.70026