On‑campus food poverty in England: student hunger and free food provision

In 2023, one in four UK universities was reported to be operating a food bank for their students amidst a ‘cost-of-learning crisis. With nearly half of students facing financial difficulties, student food poverty has become a vital issue in higher education. However, little is known about wider free food provision that universities have implemented to support their students. Our research explored the provision and use of on-campus free food across English universities.

Student finance in England is coming under renewed scrutiny with concerns over the costs of a university education and the increasing burden of student debt. With the recent cost-of-living crisis, many students across England are facing day-to-day financial struggles while undertaking their degree. Given the growing number of students reported to be experiencing food poverty, there is an urgent need for universities to examine their roles and responsibilities towards their student body and for policymakers to address student finance to ensure the alleviation of food poverty.

There is a lack of public and political acknowledgement of food poverty as a critical issue affecting young people across England. Understanding the scale of the problem across English university campuses is an important step in raising awareness of, and affecting change for, a cohort of young people facing challenges with everyday basic needs.

Our research, funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme, involved a survey of university staff, and staff and student interviews, to discuss student food poverty. We explored the multiple ways in which free food was provided and experienced.We define free food provision as that which is free at the point of collection and consumption and is based on presumed and/or evidenced student need.

Key Findings:

Food poverty is acknowledged as a big issue for universities, affecting students across the country, and is driven by multiple intersecting factors impacting student finance
Universities are putting in place an array of interventions to support their students, including emergency hardship funds and free food provision
Some of these are based on ‘presumption of need’ and are open and inclusive to all without questions asked. Others are based on a required ‘evidence of need’ with access closely scrutinised and restricted
Food banks and food vouchers are most common forms of support used by 63% and 59% of universities respectively. Other forms of food support include free food bags, parcels or ‘giveaways’, free meals, tea and coffee, and food pantries
Provision of free food is considered central to student wellbeing, on par with mental health and financial support
Students are positive and appreciative of the free food provision and the multiple points at which this happened and forms that this takes.

Meet the Principal Investigator(s) for the project

Dr Ellen McHugh - Ellen McHugh is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education. Ellen joined Brunel University London in 2017 and teaches on the undergraduate education programme. She is a member of the Human Geography: Space, Place and Society research group and Fellow of Advance Higher Education. Ellen studied Geography and Archaeology at the University of Manchester and completed an MA in Tourism, Environment and Development at King’s College London. In 2007, Ellen was awarded a studentship from the University of Reading to undertake a PhD in Geography. Ellen’s research since joining the Department of Education has focused on higher education and student experience. She has worked on a number of research projects including students from a widening participation background; social housing and resident engagement; commuter students; the growth of tuition centres; students and children from Armed Forces families; and doctoral students negotiating the shift to an academic position. Ellen also has particular expertise with hard-to-reach groups. In 2023, Ellen and her colleague Professor Emma Wainwright were awarded a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant to look at free food provision for university students. Prior to academia, Ellen worked for Tourism Ireland, the body established under the Good Friday Agreement to market the island of Ireland overseas.

Dr Emma Wainwright - Emma is Professor of Education, Space and Society within the Department of Education at Brunel University of London. A geographer by background, she is co-lead of the Human Geography: Space, Place and Society research group (with Nicola Ansell and Monica Degen) and the Education, Identities and Society research group (with Utsa Mukherjee). Emma studied Geography at the University of Aberdeen and, after completing her PGCE (Secondary) at the University of Edinburgh and a brief period of secondary teaching, was awarded a scholarship by the University of St Andrews to undertake her PhD in Social and Historical Geography. Prior to working at Brunel, Emma was a Research Executive in the Social Research Institute at MORI (now part of Ipsos). Emma's research interests focus on the geographies of education, training and welfare, and educational access and engagement. In particular her works explores higher education and student experience; social housing and resident wellbeing; family, parenting and home-school partnership; embodiment, body work and emotional labour. Emma's research often engages low-income, marginalised and 'hard to reach' groups. Research has been funded through external grants awarded by the ESRC, the British Academy, the City of London Corporation, Barclays, the Froebel Trust, the Learning and Skills Council, and the Money Advice Service. Emma has successfully collaborated with various social housing providers across London and the South East including A2Dominion, Catalyst and East Thames (now L&Q) to deliver research and evaluation projects. The impact of this research was captured in a REF 21 case study. For six years, Emma was editor of the British Educational Research Journal (Jan 2018- Dec 2023). She has been external examiner at the University of Hertfordshire (BSc Geography), University of Newcastle (BSc Geography) and Cardiff University (MSc Education and MSc Childhood and Youth), and acts as a regular reviewer for various academic journals. In 2006 Emma was awarded the Newbigin Prize by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for her paper published in the Scottish Geographical Journal. Recent work has been published in Area, Educational Review, Education 3-13 and Population, Space and Place. Emma has worked at Brunel for 23 years, the majority of which has been part time. She currently works 4-days a week (Monday, Wednesday to Friday). Qualifications PhD, Geography, University of St Andrews PGC in Higher Education, Brunel University London PGC in Secondary Education (Geography and Modern Studies), Moray House, University of Edinburgh MA (Hons) Geography (1st Class), University of Aberdeen Awards and Prizes Brunel Colleage of Arts, Law and Social Sciences award for Research Group of the Year, 2026 Brunel Impact Award nomination for Enhancing Research Culture, 2025 BERA Conference Award for Best Paper in the Educational Policy and Educational Research SIG, 2023 BERA Conference Commendation for Best Paper in the Alternative Education SIG, 2021 Brunel Teach Award for Innovative Assessment, 2018 University's Student-Led Teaching Award for Outstanding Feedback, 2017 Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Newbigin Prize, 2006

Partnering with confidence

Organisations interested in our research can partner with us with confidence backed by an external and independent benchmark: The Knowledge Exchange Framework. Read more.

Project last modified 24/09/2026