Hunger-Driven A&E Admissions Surge Amid UK Cost-of-Living Crisis

Published: 21 August ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Emergency departments across the NHS are facing an unprecedented surge in patients seeking urgent care due to hunger, according to recent analyses of national health data. Over the past five years, admissions linked directly to lack of food have more than tripled, rising by nearly 219 percent between 2018-19 and 2023-24, as rising food prices and poverty levels placed increasing strain on households across England.

Experts have long warned that the UK’s cost-of-living crisis is driving families into deepening hardship, forcing some parents to go without food so that their children can eat. Food bank use has soared to record levels, and charities continue to report worrying trends of adults and children skipping meals. The NHS figures provide a stark numerical reflection of these social pressures, highlighting how hunger is increasingly translating into urgent medical needs.

In 2018-19, only 70 patients required emergency treatment due to hunger, but by 2023-24, that figure had risen to 230, demonstrating a 218.5 percent increase. Paula Lingard of the ID Band Company, which conducted the NHS data analysis, described the rise as “particularly concerning,” noting that it underscores the growing food insecurity in England. She emphasized that ensuring basic nutrition must be recognized as a central component of public health strategies, alongside traditional medical care.

Beyond hunger-related admissions, the NHS data also reveals significant increases in other emergency care causes. Adverse reactions to standard medical procedures saw the largest absolute rise in numbers, climbing from 40,881 cases to 103,295 over the five-year period, a 144.9 percent increase. Environmental pollution-related illnesses produced the second-highest proportional growth, with patient numbers tripling from 16 to 48. Surgical errors similarly increased sharply, with emergency interventions rising 179.9 percent, from 1,418 patients in 2018-19 to 4,094 in 2023-24. Cardiovascular equipment failures more than doubled during the same period, from 325 to 775 cases.

Meanwhile, some categories of emergency admissions declined. Cases of self-harm, particularly deliberate drug overdoses, fell by nearly half, from 12,298 to 6,499, while gun and rifle injuries dropped from 56 incidents to just 17. These reductions indicate a mixed pattern across the spectrum of urgent medical needs, contrasting sharply with the rise in poverty-related and procedural admissions.

The Resolution Foundation has highlighted that the outlook for UK living standards remains bleak for much of the 2020s, predicting that this could become the first decade in modern history with no meaningful improvement in disposable incomes. Analysts argue that the spike in hunger-related emergency care is a direct symptom of these broader socio-economic pressures.

A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care described the situation as “utterly unacceptable,” emphasizing that no one should have to enter a hospital because they lack food. The spokesperson pointed to government interventions, including the introduction of free breakfast clubs in primary schools and the extension of free school meals to an additional half a million children, aimed at addressing nutritional needs. Additionally, changes to Universal Credit are set to provide a £420 boost to over a million of the poorest households, as part of efforts to alleviate poverty and improve public health outcomes.

The rising numbers of hunger-driven A&E admissions offer a stark reminder that socio-economic crises can quickly manifest in the healthcare system, affecting not only overall well-being but also placing unprecedented pressure on hospitals. Health experts continue to stress the urgent need for coordinated strategies that combine social support, nutritional interventions, and accessible healthcare to protect vulnerable populations.