Date published: 2024-10-01 | Category: Adult Social Care and Health, Equalities, Focusing on prevention, information and advice, Public Health, Wellbeing support
Household food insecurity in Bath and North East Somerset is the focus of this year’s Director of Public Health annual report.
Tackling Food Insecurity in B&NES: Rising to the Challenge covers the increasing challenges of food insecurity and its damaging consequences.
It also celebrates the broad and coordinated effort of the many people and organisations in B&NES working to reduce and prevent it and offering support to those affected.
It is estimated that 4,200 people a week in B&NES receive food from affordable food projects and figures show that between 2019 and 2023, those who sometimes or often did not have enough to eat increased from 1.4% to 5% of the local population.
The report highlights how the lives of people who do not have enough to eat are impacted, and the support available locally to address the issue.
In the report, the council’s Director of Public Health, Becky Reynolds, sets out how addressing food insecurity leads to people being more able to fight infection, sleep well and have good mental health. It can also improve relationships, work opportunities and has the potential to reduce demand for NHS services.
The key causes of food insecurity are low income, difficult life events and lack of support networks. When people are affected by these issues and struggle to find healthy food at an affordable price in their area, food insecurity is much more likely.
The report recommends that the food support and food equity work that is already happening in B&NES is strengthened and that a local food strategy is explored which helps to address household food insecurity.
It also recommends that the council’s Children & Young People’s Plan has food insecurity embedded within it and that initiatives such as free school meals have wider criteria.
Becky Reynolds said: “Food is a fundamental part of all our lives, and good food is an essential building block for good health. When people have enough nutritious food to eat and can access a variety of food that is also culturally appropriate, they are so much more able to lead a healthy and active life. We want to see an end to severe effects of food insecurity like slowing down babies’ rates of development or adults suffering disability and disease in later life.
“Our Voicebox Survey in 2023 showed that 5% of residents in B&NES – more than 8,000 people – sometimes or often did not have enough to eat, up from 2% in 2021. There was also a further reduction in people having enough of the kinds of food they wanted at 66%, down from 76% three years previously. This reflects the national picture that rising numbers of people are seeking support to meet their basic needs.
“Communities and organisations in our area have risen to meet this challenge by developing a wide range of support alongside the council, from emergency food provision to affordable food clubs, community fridges and cafes, and community-led growing projects. Equally, B&NES organisations offering financial support and benefits advice work closely together to help people maximise their income, find affordable products and services and budget their money. Much of this support is co-ordinated by the B&NES Fair Food Alliance. I would like to see this excellent work expand so that everyone in our community can live healthy lives without limitations placed upon them by lack of food.”
Councillor Alison Born, cabinet member for Adult Services including Public Health, added: “I hope this report will raise awareness of the damaging consequences of food insecurity and the action being taken to address it. Sufficient, varied food is essential to live a healthy life, but sadly our research shows thousands of our residents aren’t able to access it. Since low income is a key cause of food insecurity, I urge people to check they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to by using recommended sites turn2us or entitledto. This report helps us to look at the bigger picture of public health across B&NES and how the council can support people to thrive better.”
The report will go before the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board on November 7.
Find a list of food clubs and pantries in Bath and North East Somerset on the BANES Food Finder website.
ENDS