The government has announced nearly £10 million to be invested in 45 communities across England to improve access to healthy, affordable food in areas with the highest levels of deprivation.

The funding will be provided to 45 local authorities identified as having the greatest levels of deprivation and childhood obesity, which each local authority receiving £222,000 to develop solutions that meet local needs.

The Good Food Neighbourhoods funding could be spent on 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.

In 2024/25 9 per cent of people lived in food-insecure households and children living in the most deprived communities are significantly more likely to experience obesity and related health inequalities.