HUNGER and hardship in Britain have reached record levels, with three million children affected, a shocking new report has revealed today.
Research by the anti-poverty Trussell charity has found that 9.3 million people are struggling financially — one seventh of the population.
Unless the government takes action, the numbers in difficulty will increase by a further 425,000 by 2026-27, the report highlighted.
It also showed that 58 per cent of those struggling to survive are from families who have someone in work, and 53 per cent are living in a disabled family.
The report found that 46 per cent more children are facing hunger and hardship than two decades ago, meaning that one in five children in Britain are trapped in poverty.
The charity is calling for the social security system to be updated, including universal credit, and the removal of the two-child benefit cap.
“Measures to increase support for children would also have a significant impact on levels of hunger and hardship across the UK,” the report states.
Trussell Trust director of policy, research and impact Helen Barnard said: “This research highlights the shocking reality that one in seven people in the UK are facing hunger and hardship — that is a million more people than five years ago.
“This should not be the case in one of the richest countries in the world.
“We need urgent action on hunger in the UK because, if nothing changes, the number of people facing hunger and hardship will only increase.
“People are turning to foodbanks because they don’t have enough money to live on. But we know it doesn’t have to be this way.”
She said the government “has an opportunity to start delivering on its manifesto commitment to end the need for emergency food this autumn.”
A government spokesperson said that the government is taking action through its new child poverty taskforce, which they said is “developing an ambitious strategy to give children the best start in life — through work, housing, education, health, childcare and the social security system.”
They added that it has extended the household support fund to the most vulnerable and committed to reviewing universal credit.
