Sheffield food banks: More than 60% of food hub users worried about affording food over Christmas

A total of 66 per cent of food hub users are worried about being able to afford enough food to feed themselves or their children over the Christmas period

The Food Foundation, an independent charity and The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT), who run food clubs for people on low incomes, surveyed over 9,000 users, with analysis conducted by Dr Megan Blake from the University of Sheffield.

The survey also showed that three quarters (75 per cent) of respondents with children are worried about having to choose between buying food or presents for children over Christmas because they cannot afford them. 

This rises to 83 per cent for parents living in local authority or housing association housing

Those relying on TBBT’s food clubs are living on a knife edge, with half of all respondents saying their household has less than £50 to get them through the month after they have paid for housing and electricity. 

More than half of all respondents live in a household with income from employment, demonstrating that even those in work will find times tough over Christmas. Some 59 per cent of respondents with household incomes that include employment earnings said they have less than £100 to get them through the month after housing costs and energy bills are paid.

The Food Foundation is calling on the government to include a requirement that the cost of eating healthily and sustainably be taken into account when setting benefits levels and the minimum wage to ensure that everyone can afford a decent diet.

Dr Megan Blake from the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, said: “Many of these parents will have to choose between meals and providing for their children this Christmas.

“This will mean many will go hungry to ensure their children can eat or that they have a gift. The sad truth is that Christmas will be largely absent in many communities because so many people are just not getting by.”

Shireen Hussein, TBBT member and a mum of two, said the increase in electricity and gas bills means money is tighter than ever this Christmas.

“I’m having to find money from nowhere to get to my hospital appointments,” she said. “As a parent to children with additional needs who are in specialist education, another thing that costs a fortune is travelling to their schools to watch school shows. 

“Yesterday I paid £20 in taxis to get my daughter to her school performance. Her class sang two songs. I loved every second of it, but £20 is a huge amount of money for many families, especially this time of year. I am unwell with my health at the minute and the stress of making sure my children have something under the tree this year and a decent meal is making concentrating on getting better difficult.

“I’m wondering if this year will be the first year I couldn’t get my children what they wanted for Christmas. It’s heartbreaking, not just for me, but there are so many families in the same position and it’s the children who suffer in the end.”

Shona Goudie, policy and advocacy manager at The Food Foundation, said: "Despite inflation falling in recent months, the Food Foundation’s research tracking the cost of a weekly shop indicates that food prices remain worryingly high, leaving people struggling to afford the food they need. 

“Our Food Insecurity Tracker has shown food insecurity levels have remained high in 2023, impacting approximately one in five households.

“The survey of The Bread and Butter Thing members shows that, while Christmas is a time of celebration for some, others are feeling a huge amount of anxiety around being able to provide for their families.

“As we enter a new year, urgent Government intervention is essential to tackle unacceptably high levels of food insecurity, guaranteeing everyone has sufficient income to have peace of mind that they can feed their children all year round."

For more information, visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sustainable-food