Half of sick or disabled people on low incomes experienced food insecurity in 2016, study shows

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Food insecurity has certainly always existed in the UK, but in light of the welfare changes that occurred over this period, it is possible the current social security system is providing increasingly inadequate protection from food insecurity for more and more people.” The researchers who produced the findings cautioned that it was an observational study, and as such cannot establish cause, but that if anything, the observed increase in food insecurity among those on low incomes was likely to be an underestimate. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It comes after figures from the Trussell Trust revealed last week that food bank use had soared to record levels, with the number of emergency supplies distributed across the UK having risen by nearly a fifth in one year, Genevieve Edwards, director of external affairs at the MS Society, said the charity was increasingly hearing from people with MS that they’ve had to cut back on food and other essentials because of problems with disability benefits. She added: “More than 100,000 people live with MS in the UK and our research shows 39 per cent of those who lost PIP support spent less on food as a result. It’s simply unacceptable that disabled people in the UK today can’t rely on our welfare system to provide the most basic level of financial security.” Jess Leigh, Policy and Campaigns Manager at disability equality charity, Scope, said the findings were "further shocking indications of the dire impact extra costs can have on disabled people".