scholarly journals How COVID-19 has exposed inequalities in the UK food system: The case of UK food and poverty

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Power ◽  
Bob Doherty ◽  
Katie Pybus ◽  
Kate Pickett
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Household Incomes

This article draws upon our perspective as academic-practitioners working in the fields of food insecurity, food systems, and inequality to comment, in the early stages of the pandemic and associated lockdown, on the empirical and ethical implications of COVID-19 for socio-economic inequalities in access to food in the UK. The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened the profound insecurity of large segments of the UK population, an insecurity itself the product of a decade of ‘austerity’ policies. Increased unemployment, reduced hours, and enforced self-isolation for multiple vulnerable groups is likely to lead to an increase in UK food insecurity, exacerbating diet-related health inequalities. The social and economic crisis associated with the pandemic has exposed the fragility of the system of food charity which, at present, is a key response to growing poverty. A vulnerable food system, with just-in-time supply chains, has been challenged by stockpiling. Resultant food supply issues at food banks, alongside rapidly increasing demand and reduced volunteer numbers, has undermined many food charities, especially independent food banks. In the light of this analysis, we make a series of recommendations. We call for an immediate end to the five week wait for Universal Credit and cash grants for low income households. We ask central and local government to recognise that many food aid providers are already at capacity and unable to adopt additional responsibilities. The government’s - significant - response to the economic crisis associated with COVID-19 has underscored a key principle: it is the government’s responsibility to protect population health, to guarantee household incomes, and to safeguard the economy. Millions of households were in poverty before the pandemic, and millions more will be so unless the government continues to protect household incomes through policy change.

scholarly journals How Covid-19 has exposed inequalities in the UK food system: The case of UK food and poverty

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine Power ◽  
Bob Doherty ◽  
Katie Pybus ◽  
Kate Pickett
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Household Incomes

This article draws upon our unique perspective as academic-practitioners working in the fields of food insecurity, food systems, and inequality to comment on the empirical and ethical implications of Covid-19 for socio-economic inequalities in access to food in the UK. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the profound insecurity of large segments of the UK population; increased unemployment, reduced hours, and enforced self-isolation for multiple vulnerable groups is likely to lead to an increase in UK food insecurity, exacerbating diet-related health inequalities. The social and economic crisis associated with the pandemic has exposed the fragility of the system of food charity which, at present, is a key response to growing poverty. A vulnerable food system, with just-in-time supply chains, has been challenged by stockpiling. Resultant food supply issues at food banks, alongside rapidly increasing demand and reduced volunteer numbers, has undermined many food charities, especially independent food banks. In the light of this analysis, we make a series of recommendations for social security policy, ‘emergency’ food provision, and retailers. We call for an immediate end to the five week wait for Universal Credit and cash grants for low income households. We ask central and local government to recognise that many food aid providers are already at capacity and unable to adopt additional responsibilities. We urge supermarkets to commit to paying their employees the Real Living Wage to mitigate against food insecurity amongst their staff now and in the future. The government’s -- impressive -- response to the economic crisis associated with Covid-19 has underscored a key principle: it is the government’s responsibility to protect population health, to guarantee household incomes, and to safeguard the economy. Millions of households were in poverty before the pandemic, and millions more will be so unless the government continues to protect household incomes through policy change.

Healthy Start: The Use of Welfare Food Vouchers by Low-Income Parents in England

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia J Lucas ◽  
Tricia Jessiman ◽  
Ailsa Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Healthy Start ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Additional Protection ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Self Service ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Social Security Benefits

The Healthy Start scheme provides food welfare to pregnant women and children under four years old in the UK. The Government provides vouchers to families living on a low income that can be exchanged for infant formula, plain cow's milk and fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables. This article reports on a qualitative study of parents using Healthy Start in England. Interviews were conducted with 107 parents from thirteen areas in England. Most found the scheme easy to use, but some vulnerable groups were unable to access the scheme. The vouchers provided a vital source of food at times of crisis, and put purchase of fruit and vegetables within reach for some. Parents reduced stigma by using self-service tills and by only visiting retailers known to accept the vouchers. Healthy Start provides additional protection by sitting outside of other social security benefits. To continue to provide this essential protection, their value should be reviewed and increased.

scholarly journals The Impact of Covid-19 on Food Security. A qualitative analysis of the rise in London’s existing food insecurity due to the financial impact of Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-50
Author(s):  
Leandra Geyser
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Financial Impact ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Background: The lockdown, enforced by government to limit the spread of Covid-19, has resulted in economic standstill equating to decreased working hours, pay cuts and job losses which has caused an increase in food insecurity. In the latest global food security report, 3.4 million people in the UK alone were found to be moderately to severely food insecure. Since the lockdown began, 8 million people have reported food insecurity which disproportionately effects those most vulnerable. This study aims to determine who these vulnerable groups to food insecurity are in the UK and what needs to be done to facilitate positive change and minimise future inequalities. Methods: This observational quantitative study makes use of the Understanding Society Covid-19 survey data which forms part of a longstanding longitudinal study that has acted as a representative of all households within the UK since 2009. Access to raw data was granted by the UK Data Service and was analysed using the appropriate SPSS tests. The original sample was stratified to be representative of London, which then consisted of 1849 respondents. Selected questions relating to financial and food bank use were analysed using SPSS and compared between February (pre-lockdown) and April (post-lockdown). Results: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) respondents and those not born in the UK had significantly less monthly income than their counterparts in February and remained significantly lower during the lockdown. These groups also had an increased dependency on foodbanks since the start of the pandemic. Conclusion: BAME communities and those not born in the UK are revealed to be the most vulnerable groups to food insecurity. The government has taken steps to mitigate the negative financial impact of the pandemic for some, yet many had to rely on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to fill in the gaps. The current health crisis provides an opportunity for change and the UK government should act now to prevent many more becoming victims to food insecurity.

scholarly journals A Food Insecurity Systematic Review: Experience from Malaysia

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 945
Author(s):  
Norhasmah Sulaiman ◽  
Heather Yeatman ◽  
Joanna Russell ◽  
Leh Shii Law
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Welfare Recipient ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food

Living free from hunger is a basic human right. However, some communities still experience household food insecurity. This systematic literature review explored different aspects of household food insecurity in Malaysia including vulnerable groups, prevalence, risk factors, coping strategies, and the consequences of food insecurity. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty-three relevant articles were selected from scientific databases such as CINAHL, Pubmed and Google Scholar, scrutiny of reference lists, and personal communication with experts in the field. The prevalence of household food insecurity in Malaysia was unexpectedly reported as high, with affected groups including Orang Asli, low-income household/welfare-recipient households, university students, and the elderly. Demographic risk factors and socioeconomic characteristics included larger household, living in poverty, and low education. Coping strategies were practices to increase the accessibility of food in their households. Consequences of household food insecurity included psychological, dietary (macro- and micronutrient intakes), nutritional status, and health impacts. In conclusion, this review confirmed that household food insecurity in Malaysia continues to exist. Nevertheless, extensive and active investigations are encouraged to obtain a more holistic and comprehensive picture pertaining to household food security in Malaysia.

Food banks, welfare, and food insecurity in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Tarasuk ◽  
Naomi Dachner ◽  
Rachel Loopstra
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Food Assistance ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Similar to the recent emergence of food banks in other affluent nations, the genesis and ultimate entrenchment of food banks in Canada has been tightly intertwined with the dismantling of the welfare state. Through an examination of Canadian data, the authors elucidate the implications of entrenching voluntary, extra-governmental, charitable food assistance programs as an adjunct to publicly funded social assistance programs. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Publicly available food bank reports, population health survey data, and the results of a study of low-income families in Toronto are reviewed to examine the food security status of social assistance recipients and their use of food banks. Findings – In 2012, 70 percent of households in Canada who were reliant on social assistance were food insecure. Social assistance recipients comprise at least half of food bank clientele and have done so for as long as this information has been tracked, but the assistance provided by food banks appears insufficient to alter households’ food insecurity. Although food banks currently distribute over 200 million pounds of food annually, the scale of their operations pales in comparison to the food needs of those who seek their help. Originality/value – In the 30 years since food banks began in Canada, there has been considerable research into this response, as well as extensive population monitoring of food insecurity. Canada provides an informative case study of an affluent country's long-term dependency on charitable food assistance and the impact this has on the food insecurity of those reliant on social assistance programs.

scholarly journals Changing probability of experiencing food insecurity by socioeconomic and demographic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Koltai ◽  
Veronica Toffolutti ◽  
Martin McKee ◽  
David Stuckler
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Employment Transitions ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Population Prevalence ◽  
The Uk

Background: Food supply concerns have featured prominently in the UK response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We assess changes in food insecurity in the UK population from April to July 2020. Method: We analyze 11,095 respondents from the April through July waves of the Understanding Society COVID-19 longitudinal study survey linked with Wave 9 of the UK Understanding Society study. Food insecurity was defined as having used a food bank in the last 4 weeks; being hungry but not eating in the last week; or not able to eat healthy and nutritious food in the last week. Unadjusted estimates to examine changes in population prevalence and logistic regression were used to assess the association between employment transitions and food insecurity. Findings: The prevalence of reporting at least one form of food insecurity rose from 7.1% in April to 20.2% by July 2020. Some of the largest increases were among Asian respondents (22.91 percentage points), the self-employed (15.90 percentage points), and 35-44-year-olds (17.08 percentage points). In logistic regression models, those moving from employment to unemployment had higher odds of reporting food insecurity relative to furloughed individuals (OR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.20 to 4.13) and to the persistently employed (OR=2.38; 95% CI: 1.33 to 4.27), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Furloughed individuals did not differ significantly in their probability of experiencing food insecurity compared to the persistently employed (OR=1.07; 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.37). Interpretation: Food insecurity has increased substantially in the UK. Steps are needed to provide subsidies or food support to vulnerable groups.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Key Factors in Canada’s Social Policy Development

2021 ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Maria Solyanova
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Government ◽  
Near Future

Many studies focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, response mechanisms and response design. At the same time, it becomes more and more obvious that not only the study of economic policy and decisions made by the government in connection with the pandemic is acquiring relevance. As the spread of the disease continues, social problems and difficulties that political elites will have to deal with are exposed in Canadian society. Despite the fact that the government has taken unprecedented measures to expand assistance and social protection to the most vulnerable groups – low-income families, women, senior citizens, young people and children, low-skilled workers, self-employed, people with disabilities, etc. – the pandemic, however, has had a profound impact on society. The government will be forced to adapt its policies in the field of social protection and labor relations, in the field of health and education. This article seeks to explore the key social dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as factors that can influence the political decisions of the Canadian elite in the near future.

scholarly journals Impact of Welfare Benefit Sanctioning on Food Insecurity: a Dynamic Cross-Area Study of Food Bank Usage in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
RACHEL LOOPSTRA ◽  
JASMINE FLEDDERJOHANN ◽  
AARON REEVES ◽  
DAVID STUCKLER
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Unemployment Insurance ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Welfare Benefit ◽  
Household Food ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSince 2009, the UK has witnessed marked increases in the rate of sanctions applied to unemployment insurance claimants, as part of a wider agenda of austerity and welfare reform. In 2013, over one million sanctions were applied, stopping benefit payments for a minimum of four weeks and potentially leaving people facing economic hardship and driving them to use food banks. Here we explore whether sanctioning is associated with food bank use by linking data from The Trussell Trust Foodbank Network with records on sanctioning rates across 259 local authorities in the UK. After accounting for local authority differences and time trends, the rate of adults fed by food banks rose by an additional 3.36 adults per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.71 to 5.01) as the rate of sanctioning increased by 10 per 100,000 adults. The availability of food distribution sites affected how tightly sanctioning and food bank usage were associated (p< 0.001); in areas with few distribution sites, rising sanctions led to smaller increases in food bank usage. In conclusion, sanctioning is closely linked with rising food bank usage, but the impact of sanctioning on household food insecurity is not fully reflected in available data.

scholarly journals Hidden hunger? Experiences of food insecurity amongst Pakistani and white British women

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 2716-2732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddy Power ◽  
Neil Small ◽  
Bob Doherty ◽  
Kate E. Pickett
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Food Aid ◽  
Community Initiatives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pakistani Women ◽  
The Uk

PurposeFoodbank use in the UK is rising but, despite high levels of poverty, Pakistani women are less likely to use food banks than white British women. The purpose of this paper is to understand the lived experience of food in the context of poverty amongst Pakistani and white British women in Bradford, including perspectives on food aid.Design/methodology/approachA total of 16 Pakistani and white British women, recruited through community initiatives, participated in three focus groups (one interview was also held as a consequence of recruitment difficulties). Each group met for two hours aided by a moderator and professional interpreter. The transcripts were analysed thematically using a three-stage process.FindingsWomen in low-income households employed dual strategies to reconcile caring responsibilities and financial obligations: the first sought to make ends meet within household income; the second looked to outside sources of support. There was a reported near absence of food insecurity amongst Pakistani women which could be attributed to support from social/familial networks, resource management within the household, and cultural and religious frameworks. A minority of participants and no Pakistani respondents accessed charitable food aid. There were three reasons for the non-use of food aid: it was not required because of resource management strategies within the household and assistance from familial/social networks; it was avoided out of shame; and knowledge about its existence was poor.Originality/valueThis case study is the first examination of varying experiences of food insecurity amongst UK white British and Pakistani women. Whilst the sample size is small, it presents new evidence on perceptions of food insecurity amongst Pakistani households and on why households of varying ethnicities do not use food aid.

scholarly journals A critical analysis of the new politics of fuel poverty in England

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Middlemiss
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
New Politics ◽  
Efficiency Measures ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Decent Life ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk

A household is fuel poor when it is unable to afford the level of energy services required to allow its members to live a decent life. From 2010 to 2015, the UK government transformed the politics of fuel poverty, with a new definition (‘Low income, high costs’ or LIHC), indicators and targets. Using a subjectivity framework to analyse the government documentation around LIHC, I find that: a distinction between poverty and fuel poverty is reinforced by the new politics, resulting in energy efficiency measures being prioritised as the appropriate solution. The austerity maxim of ‘helping those most in need’ is threaded through this new politics, belying an acceptance that not all fuel poverty can be alleviated. Further, LIHC underplays the role of changing energy costs, which now have no impact on the headline indicator. I argue that this new politics is symbolic, and unlikely to have positive impacts for most fuel poor households.

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