Full Breakdown
Three Million UK Households Skip Meals as Cost-of-Living Pressures Intensify
4/30/2026, 9:05:22 AM
The Scale of Skipping Meals
Which?’s Consumer Insight Tracker for the month to 10 April shows one in ten UK households—about three million families—are skipping meals to curb weekly food costs; 15 % report going without certain foods. Overall, 67 % of adults have altered shopping or eating habits, with 43 % buying cheaper products, 37 % choosing own-brand items and 31 % stockpiling promotions. Concern about food prices rose to 85 % and 83 % worry about fuel. Consumer confidence fell to –62, the lowest since 2022, and missed-payment rates rose to 7.5 %.
Background and Drivers
The strain follows a sharp rise in oil and raw-material prices after the Middle-East conflict, prompting retailers to plan price hikes. Higher energy costs have amplified food inflation, deepening the 2022-born cost-of-living crisis and eroding disposable income and consumer confidence in the United Kingdom.
Impact on Households
The squeeze reshapes daily life. Two-thirds of adults (69 %) have altered driving habits to curb fuel costs, reducing leisure trips and causing a 13 % drop in visits to friends and family. Missed payments indicate difficulty meeting housing, loan or credit-card obligations. Which? warns these trends threaten physical health and social wellbeing.
Official Response from Which?
Which? presented a Cost of Living Manifesto in Parliament, urging the government to uprate the Healthy Start scheme, extend eligibility to all families on Universal Credit, and encourage supermarkets to support low-income shoppers. It calls for “urgent action” to restore confidence and avert further household hardship.
Criticism and Calls for Reform
Which? argues that benefit levels have not kept pace with food inflation, leaving vulnerable families unable to afford a healthy diet. It calls for policy measures to address “unfair rip-offs” and improve access to essentials, warning that without such interventions the number of households resorting to drastic measures will rise.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our latest research highlights the deepening strain not only on household finances, but also on people’s physical and social wellbeing as cost of living pressures bite.” — Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy
- “Many are already making difficult choices, such as skipping meals.” — Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy
- “Without meaningful interventions, the number of people taking drastic measures is likely to increase.” — Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy
- “We need to see urgent action, as set out in our Cost of Living Manifesto, to address these costs and help restore confidence before even more households are pushed into serious financial difficulty.” — Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy
Outlook and Policy Prospects
Parliamentary debate on the Cost of Living Manifesto is slated for the coming weeks, focusing on reforming the Healthy Start scheme and expanding Universal Credit support. Which? will monitor missed-payment trends and household adjustments to assess any policy changes.
