Ed’s story: It’s embarrassing that I don’t have enough money to buy food

As today is World Food Day (16 October 2025), we thought it would be a good opportunity to highlight how difficult it is for people on universal credit to eat properly.

In the space of a year, we have referred 29,000 customers to food banks, as the money they have coming in fails to cover even their basic needs.

Many of these customers are in receipt of universal credit, and they fight a battle every day just to get by.

Indeed, a study by the University of Nottingham published earlier this year found 85% of universal credit claimants struggle to cover the cost of a healthy diet, with 73% reporting they go whole days without food, 39% never eating fruit and 16% never eating vegetables.

The report also revealed that taking away the weekly £20 uplift given to claimants during the pandemic led to twice the number turning to food banks.

Our customer Ed has been claiming the standard element of universal credit since 2017 and, despite his best efforts, has only managed to secure infrequent, temporary work during that time.

He explained that removing the £20 uplift isn’t the only deduction that can make getting by on universal credit a battle.

“My weekly payment is lower than it would be because they take off money for arrears I owe and for an advance I was given. It makes it really difficult to cover the cost of even the basics.”

He added that people also lose money if they’re sanctioned by their work coach.

“I was sanctioned because I was late for my fortnightly appointment. They can be quite harsh.”

Ed confirmed that he finds it difficult to afford to eat healthily and sometimes goes hungry.

“I have to go for food that fills me up rather than healthy stuff. I don’t eat as much fruit and veg as I should.”

According to Ed, focusing on cost rather than nutritional value has probably harmed his health.

“I know I’m overweight. Maybe it’s a good thing I can’t afford public transport and I have to walk everywhere.”

Even paying for cheap, filling food can stretch Ed’s budget.

“Sometimes if I’m really struggling for cash, I’ll pawn my phone so I can afford to eat. Then I’ll go and buy it back later when I’ve got a bit more money.”

To try and keep food costs down, he buys the discounted yellow-stickered items and batch-cooks meals to freeze.

Yet, despite his thrifty ways, Ed estimates he has been forced to turn to food banks on roughly eight separate occasions.

“The food parcels you get are for emergencies, really. I was told I shouldn’t be relying on them. I don’t want to rely on them, it’s embarrassing that I don’t have enough money to buy food.

“The people who work there are mostly volunteers, so they’re basically the nicest people on earth but I still feel embarrassed.”

Ed said the effect of job rejection after job rejection combined with constant money worries has had a damaging effect on his mental health.

“I haven’t worked since 2021. I get really down about it but you just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and get on with it, don’t you? What else can you do?”

Dr Simon Welham, one of the researchers behind the University of Nottingham study, is calling for the government to offer more support to people like Ed.

“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.”