Millions of children across the UK are growing up hungry with over one in four living in households facing food insecurity, according to the charity Trussell Trust.
In 2024, 3.8 million children lived in households struggling to afford enough food, with the youngest most affected: one in three children under five now faces food insecurity.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos, highlights that food insecurity is no longer limited to unemployed households. Three in 10 people referred to food banks in the Trussell network have at least one working adult, often in manual or service roles such as bus drivers or care workers, yet still cannot meet basic needs.
Trussell points to low incomes and flaws in the social security system as the main drivers of child hunger. Families using food banks are left with just £104 a week after housing costs, which is just 17% of what the average UK household has left after rent or mortgage payments.
Brian Cox, actor and Trussell supporter, said: ‘From my own experience, I know the harsh reality of growing up in poverty and the lasting impact it has. The constant worry of how to put food on the table is a feeling that never leaves you.
‘No child should have to know what a food bank is, let alone need one. But shockingly, in the UK today, families with young children face the highest risk of hunger and needing to turn to a food bank to get by.’
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