Labor fund backs £15m rescue fund to tackle food waste and feed those in need
Labor ministers have thrown their support behind the government’s £15m scheme to rescue leftover food from UK farms – often thrown away or fed to animals – and distributed to homeless shelters, food banks and charities, especially during the festive season.
The fund, which was promised by Michael Gove in 2018 and again by Rishi Sunak in 2024, has not been launched despite repeated calls from charities. Following renewed pressure this autumn, including an open letter from chef Tom Kerridge and hundreds of non-profit organisations, the Labor government has confirmed that grants starting at £20,000 will be available to non-profit groups redistributing food in England.
Under this program, these organizations can invest in equipment to collect and process large produce, develop technical solutions that connect farms and charities and provide valuable IT training. About 330,000 tons of completely edible food is currently thrown away or fed to animals each year. With festive staples such as brussels sprouts and potatoes in high demand at Christmas, charities say the new funding could make an impact in time.
Mary Creagh, regional economic minister, said: “As families gather to celebrate Christmas and New Year, it is important to remember those who may be hungry this holiday season. No one wants to see delicious food go to waste—especially farmers, who work hard to put food on family tables.”
Charlotte Hill, chief executive of the Felix Project, and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, head of FareShare, jointly welcomed the announcement: “We’re delighted to see this fund working so well. We are happy that the government has realized that a lot of food is wasted on our farms, and it should be redistributed to feed the people who need it.”
Harriet Lamb, chief executive of Global Environment NGO Wrap, added that the initiative “provides a good start to the new year” and helps both food aid organizations and the agricultural sector to develop immediate and long-term solutions. More details about the fund and the eligibility process will be released early next year, while the newly formed “circular economy taskforce” is set to publish a comprehensive strategy aimed at halving food waste by 2030.
