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Did increasing the UK’s Universal Credit and working tax credits by £20 per week in 2020–2021 reduce food insecurity?

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  • Loopstra, Rachel
  • Baumberg Geiger, Ben
  • Reeves, Aaron

Abstract

This paper evaluates the UK Government’s decision to increase the main form of social security by £20 per week during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, exploring whether increasing the generosity of social security for some, but not all, claimants affected food insecurity. Using the Family Resources Survey, we found a decline of about 7 percentage points in food insecurity amongst benefit claimants affected by the uplift compared with claimants not affected (95% CI −13.9 to −0.9%). This association did not change substantively following adjustment for covariates, nor when the model was re-estimated using matching methods. Results were not driven by changes in the composition of claimants over time. These analyses suggest food insecurity could be reduced if the generosity of the social security system increased. In actuality, the UK government went in the opposite direction, removing the £20 uplift in October 2021, potentially exposing claimants to higher rates of food insecurity again.

Suggested Citation

  • Loopstra, Rachel & Baumberg Geiger, Ben & Reeves, Aaron, 2025. "Did increasing the UK’s Universal Credit and working tax credits by £20 per week in 2020–2021 reduce food insecurity?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 127501, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:127501
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/127501/
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alisha Coleman-Jensen, 2010. "U.S. Food Insecurity Status: Toward a Refined Definition," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 95(2), pages 215-230, January.
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    4. Nord, Mark & Prell, Mark A., 2011. "Food Security of SNAP Recipients Improved Following the 2009 Stimulus Package," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, pages 1-8.
    5. Nord, Mark & Prell, Mark, 2011. "Food Security Improved Following the 2009 ARRA Increase in SNAP Benefits," Economic Research Report 262242, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Yunhee Chang & Swarn Chatterjee & Jinhee Kim, 2014. "Household Finance and Food Insecurity," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 499-515, December.
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    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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