Local authorities’ policy responses to food insecurity in a crisis support context in the UK: a human rights analysis

Under international human rights law (IHRL), local governments complement the national government in undertaking their human rights obligations. Regarding the right to food, local authorities in the UK have taken up a pivotal role in addressing food insecurity in a crisis support context. Research that examines such policy responses from a human rights perspective is limited. Drawing upon interview data and policy document analysis in two English cities, this article examines how local authorities should undertake their obligation to fulfill the right to food – as defined in IHRL and by local actors – in a crisis support context, and how their obligations relate to those of the national government. This article argues that while local authorities have obligations to implement rights-based policy responses within their remit, the national government retains its primary obligation to create an enabling environment for local authorities to fully discharge their right to food obligations.