Today’s Spending Review marked a crucial opportunity for the Government to invest in its manifesto commitments to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history and end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
This opportunity comes amid sobering findings from the newly published National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2019–2023), which reveals that less than 1 in 10 children aged 11-18 years eat five portions of fruit and veg a day. Fruit and veg consumption among adults has also declined, likely due to the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
At Alexandra Rose Charity, this data sadly mirrors what we hear every day from families who are struggling to access the healthy food they need to thrive.
Today’s announcements offer some hope. We welcome the creation of a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, with £842 million per year allocated to help families facing financial hardship. As the first multi-year settlement of its kind, this is a promising step towards reducing reliance on emergency food provision. We now urge the Government to embed a cash-first approach as a core principle of the Fund. As demonstrated by our Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg projects, this approach provides dignity and choice, making it easier for families to access healthy food that fits their needs and tastes.
We also welcome the expansion of Free School Meals to all children in households receiving Universal Credit, a move that could lift 100,000 children out of poverty. However, we are disappointed by the lack of action to improve diets in the early years. The failure to expand or increase the value of the Healthy Start scheme is a missed opportunity to support children before they reach school age. In addition, no further commitments were made to extend funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme beyond March 2026.
As the Government prepares to publish its Child Poverty Strategy this autumn, we urge them to address these gaps. Ensuring every child, no matter who they are and where they live, can access healthy food to give them the best start must be a central pillar of this strategy.
Reacting to the Spending Review announcement, Jonathan Pauling, CEO of Alexandra Rose Charity, had this to say:
“This Spending Review is a chance to reset how we support families through hardship and invest in prevention. But if we are serious about tackling health inequalities, improving access to fresh fruit and veg, especially in the early years, must be front and centre.”