Caritas Westminster contributes to landmark report calling for action on food poverty

Report launch in Parliament

A major new report calling for urgent action to end food insecurity in the UK by 2035 has been published, with Caritas Westminster helping to bring the voices of people experiencing hardship into the national conversation.

The Right to Food UK Commission's report, A Roadmap to Delivering Food Security for All by 2035 - officially launched in parliament on 20th October - highlights the scale of food insecurity, affecting more than 14 million people in 2026, and the wider financial pressures driving it, with Iman Nasser, our Food and Financial Support Coordinator in attendance.

The Commission was established with the involvement of Ian Byrne MP for Liverpool West Derby, who leads the Right to Food Campaign in Parliament and serves as the Commission's Vice-Chair, alongside the University of Westminster, trade unions and other partners.

Its recommendations include:

- introducing a legally enforceable Right to Food
- establishing a funded programme to eliminate food insecurity by 2035
- strengthening wages and social security
- investing in community food provision

Caritas Westminster are pleased to have contributed to the Commission's evidence-gathering process, helping to convene community groups our network of parishes and schools. In July, Iman Nasser, Food Programme Support Officer at Caritas Westminster, was also invited to the presentation of the Commission's interim findings in Parliament.

On the launch of the report, Iman said: "Through our work with parishes, we see the difficult choices people face when they cannot afford life's essentials. It has been important to bring those experiences into this national conversation and contribute as a faith-based charity, to demonstrate the role of the faith sector in the right to food.

The report highlights why we need both immediate support for people facing hardship and lasting action to tackle the causes of food poverty."

Caritas Westminster's involvement reflects its wider work supporting people facing food insecurity and financial hardship. Across the diocese, Caritas supports parish and school food projects, including food banks, alongside practical financial assistance through emergency grants and supermarket vouchers.

The report reinforces the importance of addressing the root causes of poverty while ensuring people experiencing hardship can access food and support with dignity, which is the core of Caritas Westminster's work.

To read the report, please click here: Right to Food UK Commission report.

For more information on how Caritas Westminster may be able to support those facing food insecurity, please contact imannasser@rcdow.org.uk or click here: https://caritaswestminster.org.uk/financial-support/