Socioeconomic risks of food insecurity during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK: findings from the Understanding Society Covid Survey

Background We estimated socioeconomic factors associated with food insecurity during the first year of the Covid pandemic in the UK and explored potential mechanisms explaining these associations. Methods Data were from the April, July, and September 2020 waves of the UK Understanding Society Covid Survey. Food insecurity was measured as 'not having access to healthy and nutritious food' and 'reporting being hungry but not eating'. Logistic regression estimated the relationship between socioeconomic factors and food insecurity. A decomposition approach explored if financial vulnerability and having Covid-19 explained associations between socioeconomics factors and food insecurity. Results Single parents and young people aged 16-30 years had a higher odds of reporting both measures of food insecurity. Financial insecurity explained 5% to 25% of the likelihood of reporting being food insecure for young people and single parents depending on the food insecurity measure used. Experiencing Covid-19 symptoms explained less than 5% of the likelihood of being food insecure for single parents but approximately 30% of not having access to healthy and nutritious food for young people. Conclusion Policies providing additional financial support may help to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on food insecurity in the UK.

Automated summary

This study estimated the socioeconomic factors associated with food insecurity during the early stage of the Covid pandemic in the UK and explored potential mechanisms explaining these associations. The findings revealed a higher probability of reporting food insecurity among single parents and young people aged 16-30 years. Financial vulnerability was identified as one of the important factors explaining these associations.