A new study from the University of Liverpool says we need to do more to help workers struggling to get enough food.

The study, done with Feeding Liverpool, looks at workers in Liverpool who use food banks. It gathered their stories with the help of law students.

The report uses these stories. Some of them are turned into short videos, to be shown at events in the House of Commons and online.

“For many decades, U.K. welfare policy has been based on the idea that ‘work is the best route out of poverty,’ the researchers explain. “However, this work has highlighted that, for many, paid work does not ‘pay’ and people in low-paid and insecure jobs are being pushed into deeper levels of poverty. There needs to be real systemic policy change to ensure that people aren’t going hungry.”

Insecure existence

One story is about a guy named “Louis” (not his real name), who works in a restaurant on a zero-hour contract. His hours got cut suddenly because the restaurant has fewer customers due to the cost of living going up. Louis is stressed and worried about feeding his kids. He doesn’t even know if he’s getting paid enough because he doesn’t get any payslips. This is against the law, but he’s scared to speak up in case he loses even more hours.

Unfortunately, Louis’s situation is becoming more common. In 2023, a record 1.8 million people were on zero-hour contracts. In Liverpool, one in three working-age adults doesn’t have enough food, and over 2,100 emergency food parcels are given out every week by groups working with Feeding Liverpool.

The researchers have some suggestions for the government, the Department of Work and Pensions, local governments, employers, and trade unions. They want welfare benefits to be easier to get, the minimum wage to be looked at again, and employers to create jobs that help workers with their mental and physical health.

“Food support spaces across our region do incredible work but the risk of food insecurity is being made worse by a deficit of justice: people can’t draw on their legal rights if they don’t know what their rights are or if they don’t have access to appropriate signposting, support, or legal representation,” the researchers conclude. “For many, their income from work and welfare provision still doesn’t provide enough to make ends meet.”