New research has unveiled a distressing reality for individuals relying on Universal Credit in the UK, highlighting a growing crisis of food insecurity that casts a long shadow over their well-being. Of course, amid the Labour government’s plans for £5bn of cuts to chronically ill and disabled people’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits, the new research is even more concerning.
DWP Universal Credit is leaving people in severe food insecurity
Conducted by the University of Nottingham’s Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, the Benefits and Nutrition Study (BEANS) presents alarming statistics that reveal the severe challenges people claiming DWP Universal Credit face in accessing adequate nutrition.
The study, which surveyed 328 adults aged 16 to 65 across the UK, found that a staggering 85% of DWP Universal Credit claimants experience food insecurity, meaning they struggle to get enough food consistently. This troubling figure suggests a broad spectrum of inadequacies in the food supply available to the most vulnerable in society.
Shockingly, 73% of DWP Universal Credit claimants reported going whole days without eating, raising serious concerns about their health and nutrition.
The results, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, indicate a particularly alarming trend: 39% of respondents did not eat fruit at all, while 16% reported never consuming vegetables.
These figures are indicative of a dire situation where households are forced to make unbearable compromises when it comes to their food choices. Notably, the study revealed a reliance on what participants described as a “beige diet,” primarily consisting of bread and devoid of essential nutrients.
Not surprising
Dr. Simon Welham, who led this research, remarked on the dire findings – which, for anyone with experience of DWP Universal Credit will not be a surprise at all. Welham said:
Although we know that there is a link between food insecurity and poverty, we were surprised by the results as it showed clearly that nearly everyone claiming Universal Credit faced food insecurity over the period of the study.
His comments underline the acute health risks that accompany such food deprivation, with vital micronutrients like vitamin A, iron, selenium, potassium, iodine, and magnesium often falling far below the recommended dietary requirements.
Worryingly, the report highlighted the specific deficiency of selenium, an essential micronutrient that plays a crucial role in protecting the body from oxidative stress. Welham noted that “almost 70% of Universal Credit recipients consumed below this lower reference nutrient intake level,” leading to concerns about long-term health issues including heart disease and certain cancers.
Economic factors exacerbated the problem, as the loss of the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit during the COVID pandemic resulted in an almost doubling of dependence on food banks.
For those households subsisting on less than £200 per week, the threat of food insecurity is particularly acute. These individuals often find themselves at the mercy of limited resources, further compounded by geographical barriers to affordable grocery stores, which can force them to rely on over-priced local shops.
DWP Universal Credit is broken
Dr. Welham also emphasised the importance of addressing the root causes of food insecurity, stating:
This is a complex issue to solve, and there are many reasons why people can’t access better food. But this study shows that interventions are needed to ensure that everyone can obtain an appropriate diet at an affordable price, or large numbers of society’s very poorest people will experience a rapid decline in health.
Of course, it’s not really that complicated. Give people enough money to live comfortably on, do not force them into jobs or a system that makes you jumps through hoops for a pittance, and provide people with something to live for – and people’s diets will invariably improve.
The findings from the BEANS study come at a critical time when the rising cost of living puts further strain on vulnerable groups. Yet now, Labour want to cut even more money from people’s DWP benefits.
The research not only illustrates the harsh realities faced by DWP Universal Credit claimants but also raises pressing questions about the effectiveness of current policies in combating food insecurity and promoting health and well-being for all citizens.
Ultimately, it shows that far from supporting claimants, the DWP is effectively abandoning them to a life of poverty and misery – and sometimes even death.
Featured image via the Canary
