The State of Hunger Report (May 2021), by the Trussell Trust, estimated that 2.5% of households in the UK needed to use a foodbank in 2019/2020 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This research starts to consider the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on household food insecurity in Hull, against the backdrop of existing high levels of deprivation in parts of the city.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been studies and reports about the increasing number of people in England needing to access a food bank or food support service. In order to think about the actions needed to address food insecurity, in this case in Hull, UK, it is important to recognise that food poverty may be as a result of the affordability of food. It may also be as a result of a lack of availability of food in an area (particularly healthy food or fresh fruit and vegetables); or perhaps household members are not able to get out of the house to buy food. A further issue may be utilising the food bought, for example, having the skills or the equipment required to prepare food.
This research reports the findings of a survey of people in Hull who have accessed a food support service, to better understand these issues.