Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England

Researchers: Dr. Carolyn Snell (SPSW), Dr. Hannah Lambie-Mumford (Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute, University of Sheffield), Professor Elizabeth Dowler (University of Warwick) Funder: Communities and Culture Network+ Duration: October 2014 to June 2015

Background

Working with Dr Hannah Lambie-Mumford from the University of Sheffield and Professor Elizabeth Dowler from the University of Warwick this project looked at the theme of food and austerity through the lens of one of the most high profile, yet under-evidenced, phenomena in the current era of austerity: the decision to ‘heat or eat’. With a particular focus on rural communities, the research investigated the contemporary lived experience of household budgeting within the context of poverty.

Aims

This research had two main aims. The first aim was to assess whether the heat or eat dilemma discussed within policy debates was part of the lived experience of rural poverty in the current era of austerity. Specific objectives of this were to:

determine whether low income rural householders have ever had to make choices between food and heating
understand how food and heating costs are prioritised in household budgeting decisions
ascertain whether the concept of heating or eating reflects lived experiences.

The second aim was to critically assess existing rural community-based and (local and national) policy support, and to identify the most appropriate policy responses for addressing the root causes of these experiences. Specific objectives were to:

identify key rural areas with both high levels of fuel poverty and uptake of food banks where a more strategic response may be required
come to a better understanding of how community stakeholders are responding to these experiences locally and what the most effective policy responses do/should look like.

Final Report

Lambie-Mumford, H. Snell, C. & Dowler, E., ‘Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England. Final Report‘. Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.6 (August 2015).

Executive Summary

Key findings

I. This project has found clear evidence of a relationship between food and fuel expenditure and/or consumption. Our research suggests that there is a ‘heat or eat’ dilemma but there are nuances to this which make it hard to distinguish this as a discrete and standalone dilemma, notably that:

Some people are in desperate circumstances where they cannot afford sufficient food or fuel.
There is nothing in the (albeit limited) literature which indicates that one is entirely sacrificed for another or that price spikes in one commodity might affect spending on the other.
All interviewees described their home as not being warm enough
Almost all interviewees described substantial deficiencies in their diet as a result of cost.
The qualitative analysis also found that householders tended to prioritise energy uses such as lighting, cooking and hot water above heating, suggesting a far more complex set of decisions being made than simply ‘heat or eat’.

II. Being behind on fuel bills and fuel payment method appear to be particularly important factors in relation to people being able to afford enough food. Those interviewees on pre-payment meters (PPMs) described a ‘top up or eat’ situation, with cases of selfdisconnection being reported.

III. Structural drivers of food and fuel poverty and the ‘heat or eat’ dilemma are key, particularly challenges resulting from rurality (increased costs and distances and being ‘off the energy grids’), (low and insecure) income and (inadequate, low quality, rented) housing.

IV. There appears to be a lot of activity in the case study area designed to help people in food and fuel poverty. However, it was impossible from this pilot study to gauge the extent to which is reaches people. Furthermore, this provision is not on the whole focussed on root causes or structural drivers.

V. The evidence base on the ‘heat or eat’ dilemma is highly limited and key questions remain about: the exact nature of the concept of ‘heat or eat’; the best methodological approach for measuring and understanding it; and the need for greater understanding about the impact of energy billing periods on food security.

Interim Report

An interim report is available from the project website:

Lambie-Mumford, H. Snell, C. & Dowler, E., ‘Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England. Interim Report‘. Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.5 (April 2015).

Please contact Dr Carolyn Snell for more information.