Food inflation continues to hit new records with the latest figures out today (April 19) showing that overall inflation has fallen only slightly since February's 10.4 per cent.

UK inflation in March was 10.1%, but price rises for food, power and fuel, and clothing were much higher. The breakdown.

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages: 19.1%
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco: 5.3%
• Clothing and footwear: 7.2%
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels: 26.1%
• Furniture, household equipment and maintenance: 8.0%
• Health: 7.1%
• Transport: 0.8%
• Communication: 3.7%

Earlier this week the big supermarkets announced that they were dropping the price of milk, by at least 5p because the cost of buying in supplies was falling.

But in turn local dairy farmers say that the costs of producing milk and energy costs were increasing or staying the same, leading to them making big losses. A report on a farm near Shepton Mallet from the BBC here

According to recent figures from the Office for Health, Improvement and Disparities, more than 46,000 people in Somerset (8% of the population) suffered from food insecurity in 2021, meaning they were unable to consistently provide their household with healthy, culturally appropriate food that could sustain an active and healthy lifestyle.

These figures come as the Trussell Trust reports that the number of people across the UK using food banks in the six months to September has risen to its highest ever, with over 1.3 million food parcels distributed.

Campaign group Feeding Britain is calling for a strategy to ensure everyone can afford and access healthy food, with their national director Andrew Forsey urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to publish such a strategy.

Mr Forsey added that food clubs in Feeding Britain's network "have never seen so many people", including working families, seeking help with food.

The Trussell Trust is advocating for an 'Essentials Guarantee' that would change the law to ensure the standard rate of Universal Credit always covers the cost of essentials such as food and utilities. Rachel Bull, head of policy and research at the Trussell Trust, has called food insecurity "a deeply concerning issue that spans the whole of the UK."

A Government spokesperson said it recognises the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and is "committed to eradicating poverty".

They added: "We have uprated benefits by 10.1%, as well as making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month. This is on top of changes already made to Universal Credit, which mean claimants can keep more of their hard-earned money.

"We are also providing record levels of direct financial support for the most vulnerable – £1,200 last year and a further £1,350 in 2023-24 – while the Household Support Fund is helping people with essential costs."