Issued by: Department for Food, Environment & Rural Affairs

Almost £10 million will be invested in 45 communities across England to improve access to healthy, affordable food in areas with the highest levels of deprivation

Some of England’s most disadvantaged areas will benefit from almost £10 million to improve access to healthy and affordable food, helping families and communities get the room to breathe they need on the cost of living.

The new funding will be provided to 45 local authorities identified as having the greatest levels of deprivation and childhood obesity. Each local authority will receive £222,000 to develop solutions that meet local needs, putting decision-making and resources directly in the hands of local leaders who know their communities best.

Funding could support initiatives such as community food shops, mobile greengrocers, lunch clubs, community kitchens, and cooking and nutrition programmes, as well as helping local authorities strengthen their capacity to plan for and meet local food needs.

The investment responds to stark figures: 9% of people lived in food insecure households in 2024/25, while children living in the most deprived communities are significantly more likely to experience obesity and related health inequalities.

The intervention comes as the government acts to give people more room to breathe by improving access to affordable food, while delivering power to communities.

This programme has been developed following the work of the Citizen’s Advisory Council, and conversations with civil society organisations, to understand what would work best for local communities.

Alongside government funding, the programme will work with businesses, charities and philanthropy to build on existing community projects, reach more people and bring additional funding into local areas.

Through the Government’s Good Food Cycle, the programme will help communities access healthier food and build a more resilient future.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The recipient councils include:

• Ashfield District Council

• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council

• Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

• Bassetlaw District Council

• Birmingham City Council

• Blackpool Council

• Bolsover District Council

• Boston Borough Council

• Burnley Borough Council

• City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

• City of Doncaster Council

• Enfield London Borough Council

• Fenland District Council

• Gloucester City Council

• Great Yarmouth Borough Council

• Royal Borough of Greenwich

• Halton Borough Council

• Harlow Council

• Hartlepool Borough Council

• Hull City Council

• Knowsley Council

• City of Lincoln Council

• Liverpool City Council

• Luton Borough Council

• Manchester City Council

• Mansfield District Council

• Middlesbrough Council

• Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

• Newham Council

• North East Lincolnshire Council

• North Lincolnshire Council

• Nottingham City Council

• Pendle Borough Council

• Peterborough City Council

• Rossendale Borough Council

• Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

• Salford City Council

• Sandwell Council

• South Tyneside Council

• Sunderland City Council

• Walsall Council

• Wolverhampton City Council

• Stoke-on-Trent Council

• Slough Borough Council

• South Holland District Council

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