A Slice of Life
We know that there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Bread and Butter member. And as part of our latest survey, we wanted to share what life really looks like for our membership.
Our members are from diverse backgrounds and household types, yet they all have one thing in common: each week, they maximise their income, connect with their community and improve their diets simply by choosing to shop with us.
This year’s survey shows that while food banks are crucial in a crisis, long-term solutions like our food clubs are key for lasting food security. However, it also highlights serious systemic challenges. Many members are in working households but still struggle with debt and unexpected expenses. The current social safety net is too complex, and there’s low awareness of available support.
Ultimately, our findings show how financial instability, food insecurity, and support systems are all interconnected and stress the importance of community.
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What’s needed
A national food security strategy that reduces need for crisis support:
The government’s upcoming food strategy must prioritise prevention, ensuring families are supported before falling into crisis. This should include expanding affordable food access, school meal programmes, and affordable nutritional initiatives. Food insecurity must be treated as a systemic issue connected to low wages, housing, and social support; not just a series of isolated crises.
Too many working families miss out on the support they are entitled to due to complex application processes. The government should simplify systems and introduce auto-enrolment where possible, using existing data to reduce bureaucracy and ensure people receive the help they qualify for.
Simplifying and streamlining access to government support:
Many working households fall through the cracks—earning too much for help but too little to cover essential costs. Life is not affordable. Expanding eligibility criteria for support schemes would provide critical relief to families struggling with the cost of living.
Raising eligibility thresholds for financial support:
Government must ensure that affordability—for food, housing, and essentials—is a core principle across all policy making. Strategies should reduce reliance on emergency support and focus on sustainable solutions that lift communities out of persistent hardship.