Zero Hunger City

MARCH 2013

Tackling food poverty in London

1We met with a wide range of organisations, including London boroughs and food aid charities. We also visited a school breakfast club, a food bank, charity Kids Company and a food aid project in Bristol.

The London Assembly’s Health and Environment Committee has been investigating the issue of food poverty in London.

2Evidence gathered during our investigation showed that low income, welfare reform, rising prices and food deserts all play a part in driving food poverty. Food poverty is likely to increase in London.

Thousands of Londoners are at risk of food poverty – children, working age adults and older people.

3Our report says that the London Food Board should take on strategic responsibility for addressing food poverty in London – aiming for a Zero Hunger City.

There is a powerful response to hunger in our communities but there is a lack of strategic oversight and coordination across London.

4We recommend that the Mayor take an active role in supporting healthy school meals by calling on the Government to expand access to free school meals and provide funding for free meals for all children.

The Mayor should play a key role in London becoming a Zero Hunger City.

5We recommend that Health and Wellbeing Boards in all London boroughs lead a food poverty action plan and designate a food poverty link worker.

Our investigation looked at how some London boroughs are responding to food poverty in their areas.

6We recommend that all schools identify and address hunger throughout the school day and support families who experience food poverty.

The scale of hunger among school children is of serious concern. Our survey of London teachers found that more than 95% of teachers reported children in their class arriving at school hungry.

7We recommend that emergency food aid organisations identify ways to systematically make sure people have access to the advice and support to which they are entitled.

Food banks and other forms of emergency food aid provision play a part in meeting immediate needs but the underlying causes of food poverty should be addressed.

To read the report & find out more about the investigation, please visit:

www.london.gov.uk/zero-hunger

Click on report to visit investigation page