In the heart of the United Kingdom, a quiet crisis is unfolding within its emergency services and support networks, revealing the immense strain that hunger, poverty, and mental health challenges are placing on both individuals and the institutions designed to help them. Recent data and firsthand accounts paint a stark portrait of a nation grappling with rising deprivation, an overstretched National Health Service (NHS), and a beloved charity at a crossroads.
Admissions to NHS Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments due to hunger have soared at an alarming rate. According to an analysis of NHS data by the ID Band Company, the number of patients requiring emergency care for hunger in England has more than tripled over five years—from just 70 in 2018-19 to 230 in 2023-24, marking a staggering 218.5 percent increase. This surge, as reported by The Telegraph, makes hunger the fastest-growing cause of A&E admissions, outpacing even adverse reactions to medical procedures and environmental pollution-related illnesses.
The reasons behind this grim trend are not hard to find. The UK’s cost-of-living crisis has sent food prices and household bills skyrocketing, pushing countless families into poverty. Charities have observed parents skipping meals so their children can eat, while food bank usage has hit unprecedented highs. In 2022, health experts warned that millions faced a “significant humanitarian crisis” as poverty and fuel bills spiraled out of control, a warning that seems more prescient with each passing year.
Paula Lingard of the ID Band Company, which conducted the NHS data analysis, underscored the gravity of the situation: “The significant rise in admissions related to lack of food is particularly concerning and may reflect growing food insecurity in England, highlighting the importance of addressing basic needs as part of our approach to public health.”
Other A&E statistics also reveal troubling patterns. Cases of adverse reactions to standard medical procedures rose by 144.9 percent over the same five-year span, while environmental pollution-related illnesses increased by 191 percent, and surgical errors jumped 179.9 percent. Even issues with cardiovascular equipment more than doubled. Yet, in a small glimmer of hope, self-harm cases and gun injuries have declined, with deliberate drug overdoses nearly halved and firearm injuries dropping to a fraction of previous levels.
The government, for its part, has acknowledged the unacceptable reality of hunger-driven hospital visits. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told The Telegraph, “It is utterly unacceptable for anyone to walk into hospital due to hunger in the 21st century. These figures demonstrate the rising levels of poverty this government inherited, and which we are determined to tackle.” The government’s so-called Plan for Change includes free breakfast clubs at every primary school, an extension of free school meals to half a million more children, and a £420 boost to Universal Credit for over a million of the poorest households. Whether these measures will be enough to stem the tide remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the Resolution Foundation think tank has delivered a sobering forecast: the rest of the 2020s could become “the first decade of the modern era to witness no improvement in disposable incomes across Britain.” Household debts, already high, have continued to rise into 2024, amplifying the sense of economic insecurity for millions.
Against this backdrop, the Samaritans—a charity often described as the UK’s “fourth emergency service”—has emerged as a lifeline for those in emotional distress. The charity’s 24/7 anonymous helpline answers a call every 10 seconds, offering hope to people at their lowest ebb. But even this stalwart institution is facing unprecedented challenges.
Emma’s story illustrates the Samaritans’ vital role. After her partner Pete spiraled into severe depression following the birth of their daughter in 2024, culminating in a night spent contemplating suicide on a bridge, Emma turned to the Samaritans when Pete refused to seek medical help. She later recounted, “I didn’t hear what they said, but later that night he had a shower and got into bed with me, and after a couple of calls he finally agreed to go to the GP, which was how he got onto anti-depressants.” Emma credits the charity with saving Pete’s life and, by extension, her family’s future.
Yet, the Samaritans now faces a proposed overhaul that could see its 201 branches cut by at least half within the next seven to ten years, shifting to larger regions and embracing virtual volunteering. CEO Julie Bentley, who took the helm in 2020, has argued that the charity’s existing footprint is “not sustainable,” citing three consecutive years of spending exceeding income and donations falling from £27 million in 2022 to £24 million in 2024. With over £15 million of its £24.6 million income spent on wages for 305 employees, Bentley insists the restructure will allow Samaritans to “answer more calls, have more volunteers on duty, and be there for more people in their darkest moments.”
Not everyone is convinced. Volunteers have raised concerns about the emotional toll of remote work, potential confidentiality breaches, and the loss of peer support that comes from working alongside colleagues. Deborah, a volunteer from Northern Ireland, warned, “Many people won’t have access to a confidential space where they won’t be overheard, or where they won’t have any background noise.” She also highlighted the importance of in-person support, especially for new volunteers handling emotionally heavy calls.
The planned changes would also see Samaritans withdraw from activities such as school talks and its emotional support line for veterans, raising fears that decades of community engagement and outreach could be undone. “They’re dismantling something that has worked for 70 years,” one volunteer told the BBC, expressing doubt that the changes would improve the charity’s effectiveness. Others have warned the move could “rip the heart out of this life-saving institution.”
Financial pressures on mental health charities are compounded by broader trends. Only three percent of Britons regularly support mental health causes, compared to much higher rates for health and children’s charities, according to the Charities Aid Foundation. As Ashling Cashmore, the foundation’s head of impact, explained, “Even though stats show one in four people have been touched by mental health issues, there is still a bit of stigma around it – so it becomes something that people are more hesitant about donating to.”
For now, the fate of the Samaritans’ restructure hangs in the balance, with a board meeting scheduled for September 2025 and potential changes to take effect the following April in the UK and in 2027 in Ireland. The thousands who rely on the charity, and the millions facing economic and emotional hardship, can only hope that the right balance is struck between financial sustainability and the deeply human touch that has defined the Samaritans for decades.
In a country where hunger is sending people to the hospital and mental health crises are on the rise, the value of a listening ear—whether in person or on the phone—has never been clearer, or more desperately needed.
