‘It’s now not about teaching, it’s about keeping kids fed’: the reality of the UK’s hardship epidemic exposed

New research shows how Britain’s primary schools and GP surgeries are staggering under the weight of hardship as they divert resources to respond to the needs of those struggling to afford the essentials. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) conducted a study to discover how millions of people experiencing hardship is impacting key public services. Hardship was defined in the study as people going without essentials like food, heating, and appropriate clothing because they can’t afford it.