The Rise of Food Insecurity in England: Using Food Ladders to overcome the barriers

<p dir="ltr"><b>Key points</b></p><p dir="ltr"><b>Problem:</b> Household food insecurity is rapidly increasing in the UK, affecting 1 in 4 adults. This means they can't afford or access healthy food.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Two approaches:</b></p><p dir="ltr"><b><i>Current Approach</i></b><b>:</b> Solutions like food banks and ‘cash first’ provide emergency help, but don't address long-term needs nor are they preventative.</p><p dir="ltr"><b><i>Social Development Model</i></b><b>:</b> This approach sees food insecurity as a lack of resources (money, skills, knowledge, health, wellbeing). As food insecurity rises, these resources decline, creating a cycle of poverty and poor health.</p><p dir="ltr"><b>Food Ladders:</b> This community-based strategy offers a three-pronged approach:</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Catching:</b> Immediate support (food parcels, mental health help).</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Capacity Building:</b> Skills training, food clubs, voucher programmes to increase food knowledge and access.</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Self-organising:</b> Community gardens, urban agriculture projects to create sustainable food systems.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr"><b>Solutions:</b></p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Community Support:</b> More resources and industry collaboration needed for community food programmes that help to build resilience.</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Local Authority Action:</b> National mandate and funding for local food strategies.</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Data Collection:</b> Improved tracking of food insecurity at the local level.</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Levelling-Up Strategies:</b> Invest in social development programmes to ensure people have the capability to live a healthy life.</p><p dir="ltr">• <b>Adequate Income:</b> Businesses need to offer living wages and advancement opportunity, and government needs better income support for those unable to work.</p>