Food insecurity amongst families seeking asylum in England: A qualitative study

Food security is difficult to obtain for many families seeking asylum in the UK. Sufficient food and diet quality are integral to health. This study aims to explore descriptions of food insecurity amongst these families, to identify barriers to food security and consider how to mitigate them. We recruited parents or parents-to-be seeking asylum (or who had recently received refugee status) and stakeholders working or volunteering at organisations that support asylum seekers. We conducted eight semi-structured interviews; four with stakeholders, and four with mothers seeking asylum. We inductively coded the qualitative data, and iteratively derived common themes from them using thematic analysis. Five themes were constructed: lack of income, culturally inappropriate food interventions, inaccessibility due to cost of transport services, lack of support settling in and resulting poor mental and physical health. The situation is so bleak that some families are forced to choose between food or necessities like nappies. Tackling food insecurity amongst families seeking asylum is essential to enabling a healthy start in the host country. Potential interventions to consider include matching the money allowance to inflation and giving monthly rather than weekly instalments, allowing families to budget. Families seeking asylum also need more support through culturally-appropriate services.