New data has revealed that one million adults across the UK went an entire day without food last month due to the cost of living crisis.
According to The Food Foundation – which surveyed 4,200 adults between 18 and 20 January 2022 – said some 4.7 million adults, or 8.8% of households, experienced what is described as food insecurity in the last month – which is an increase from 7.3% in July 2021.
Of those surveyed, the charity said that one million people reported that they, or someone in their household, had to go a full day without eating.
This was as they could not afford food, or did not have access to food.
These recent statistics highlight the impact of the rising cost of living, with more than one in five households saying they have already faced a ‘heat or eat’ dilemma.
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The charity said 62% of households have experienced higher energy bills, 16% have had to cut back on the quality or quantity of food to afford energy bills, and 59% of households said they were worried that increased energy prices will mean they have less money to afford enough food for themselves or their family.
➡️1mn UK adults went a full day with no food in past month ➡️People limited a lot by disability are x5 times likelier to be food insecure ➡️People on UC are x5 more likely to be food insecure in last 6 months
“There is little doubt that the cost of living crisis is putting very real pressure on the ability of many to afford a healthy diet and is set to widen health inequalities further unless the Government acts now,” the charity said.
Anna Taylor – Executive Director of The Food Foundation – added: “If the Government wants to really get to grips with the issue, a comprehensive approach to levelling-up must tackle food insecurity head on.”
A Government spokesperson said in response said:“We know this has been a challenging time for many people.
“This is why we’re providing support worth around £12bn this financial year and next to help households with the cost of living, including putting an average of £1,000 more per year into the pockets of working families, and we have announced a further £9bn to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.”
Data has revealed that 8.8% of households experienced food insecurity in the last month / Credit: The Trussell Trust
This shocking data comes as food writer and anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe praised supermarket retailer Asda for cutting the cost of products in its ‘Smart Price’ range and making them more widely available after she shared evidence in a viral Twitter thread that the price of the cheapest pasta in her local supermarket had risen by 141% in one year, while rice cost 344% more.
Asda said it had taken her comments on board, and vowed to “help our customers’ budgets stretch further” by stocking ‘Smart Price’ in all 581 stores and online.
‘Prolific’ South Manchester burglar jailed for thefts which included peanuts…
Daisy Jackson
A ‘prolific’ burglar has been jailed for just over two years, for numerous thefts including sunglasses, airpods, and peanuts…
The man was caught red-handed inside someone’s property, where he claimed he was just wanting a glass of water – but was found by police officers to have the resident’s car keys in his pocket.
Fazal Alnesi, 26, from Moss Side, was then linked to a number of other burglaries, attempted burglaries, and thefts across South Manchester.
Fazal was sentenced to 27 months at Manchester Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to offences including six counts of burglary in June of this year.
He was arrested on 12 June, when a man returned to his home in Fallowfield in the early hours of the morning and discovered Fazal inside his address.
He claimed he was there because he wanted a glass of water but subsequently refused to leave, which led to police being called.
Officers placed Alnensi in handcuffs and found the resident’s car keys in his pocket, as well as indications that he’d been rummaging through the man’s drawers.
He was later linked to other thefts include a wrench set from a car, a pedal cycle worth £350, airpods, sunglasses – and even peanuts from one address.
He additionally took an electric bike charger from one address worth hundreds of pounds.
PC Jon Holden, from GMP’s City of Manchester district, said: “Alnensi took various items from several homes and cars across a two-week period earlier this year, making off with hundreds of pounds worth of goods.
“Ultimately, Alnensi left people feeling unsafe in his own home, and I am glad he is now behind bars.
“Our team will investigate all burglaries, and I would encourage people to get in touch with us – all intelligence helps us lock up criminals and bring them to justice.”
The top 10 ‘happiest’ places to live in the North West in 2026 have been named
Emily Sergeant
The top 10 happiest places to live in the North West have been named for 2026.
It comes as Rightmove has published its annual ‘Happy at Home’ index this week, just as it has done for the last 14 years now, exploring exactly what it is that makes people feel content about where they live, and highlighting the happiest places nationwide ahead of the new year – with thousands of residents across more than 200 locations providing feedback.
The residents told the leading property listing platform what they love (or don’t love) about their community, from the friendliness of their neighbours, to job opportunities, access to green spaces, and so much more.
The survey also outlined the differences in happiness in rural, urban, and suburban environments, as well as the way our sense of ‘home happiness’ changes as we age.
So, when it comes to the North West as a whole then, where do we have in the top 10?
Well, to kick things off, you may have already seen that one Lancashire market town has earned its place in the top 10 nationwide, not just for the North West region – and that’s Chorley.
Closest to the Bolton and Wigan boroughs, Chorley – which is is about a 40-minute drive outside of Manchester, and sits on a direct train route into the city centre.
But aside from the national top 10, when it comes to the regional top 10, the next two towns following Chorley in second and third are both in Greater Manchester.
The North West’s top 10 happiest places to live 2026
Chorley
Stockport
Altrincham
Chester
Macclesfield
Southport
Kendal
Wirral
Northwich
Carlisle
Altrincham has been named one of the North West’s happiest places to live / Credit: The Manc Group
The ever-thriving Stockport comes in at number two, followed by Trafford favourite Altrincham directly behind it at number three.
Other of the region’s inclusions like Bury, Bolton, Wigan, and the Manchester borough itself all ranked towards the bottom.
Speaking on this year’s list, Colleen Babcock – a property expert at Rightmove – explained: “The balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings. Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.
“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Wikimedia Commons)
Emily Sergeant -
16th February 2022 
