One in seven skipping meals and going without food

One in seven people in the UK are skipping meals or going without food, a new TUC poll has revealed today

The poll carried out for the TUC by Opinium showed that 14% people across the UK are having to skip meals or go without food to make ends meet.

However, in nearly 50 (47) parliamentary constituencies this number rises to 1 in 5 (20%) or above.

Birmingham Ladywood has the highest (29%) number of constituents having to skip meals or miss out on food, followed by Dundee West (27%), Glasgow (24%) and Rhondda (24%).

In the Cities of London and Westminster – home to Parliament and Downing Street – well over a fifth (23%) of local people are missing out on meals and food.

The proportion of people across the UK skipping meals is the same for people in work and people out of work (14%).

The survey also reveals that over two-fifths (44%) of Britons are having to cut back on food spending.

This proportion varies again in different parts of the country.

In Bootle, Birmingham Ladywood and Liverpool Walton, 6 in 10 constituents are cutting back on food spending.

However, in wealthier constituencies like Richmond Park and Chelsea and Fulham this still affects 3 in 10 local residents.

The poll, published in the same week the government reduced long-term support for energy bills – shows households across Britain are still deeply worried about rising bills.

Over half (55%) of the population are cutting back on heating, hot water or electricity.

One in twelve (8%) of those polled report missing payment of a household bill.

However, this number skyrockets to one in three for constituents living in the Cities of London and Westminster (33%), and to 1 in 5 in Birmingham Ladywood, Barking and Hendon

The TUC says the findings were a “stark reminder” of the cost living pressures facing households throughout the UK.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said “No one should have to worry about putting food on the table or heating their homes. But millions of families are struggling to cover even the basics, and now face huge uncertainty over their energy bills after the Chancellor said support may end in April.”

“This polling lays bare Britain’s cost of living emergency. Food and energy bills are soaring, but real wages are plummeting. Unless we get pay rising across the economy – and ensure benefits rise in line with inflation – we risk heading towards Victorian levels of poverty.”

“The Conservatives should be working with unions to help households get through this crisis. But they want to make it harder for working people to win better pay and conditions.”

“Instead of giving bungs to bankers, ministers need to get money into people’s pockets. That’s the best way to boost spending in local economies and to deliver lasting growth.”