10 million Brits to skip meals in January amid cost of living crisis
More than 10 million adults across the UK plan to skip meals or eat less this January in a desperate bid to save money as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
Shocking new research has revealed the stark financial reality facing millions of families across Britain, with 32% admitting they will serve smaller meal portions to cut costs during what experts are calling the most financially challenging month of the year.
More than half of Brits - 57% - expect to run out of money completely by the end of the month, with January 15 identified as the critical point when household finances typically start to run out.
The grim figures come as millions of families face a lengthy gap between December and January pay days, which can be up to six weeks for some workers, a period as long as the entire summer holidays.
In response to the crisis, Iceland Foods has launched a major Mega Deals Event, bringing back thousands of discounted products to help struggling families stock their freezers and cupboards for less.
The supermarket chain is offering deals including its famous four for £4.80 offer, buy two get one free, five for £5 deals, half price offers and better than half price deals across a huge range of products.
Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods, said: "January is a tough month for millions of families across the country. We know this is the point in the year when households are cutting back wherever they can, worrying about the weeks ahead and trying to make every pound work harder.
"That's why we're starting the year by putting real value back on shelves, with thousands of products on offer and some of our best-ever deals returning."
Mr Walker added: "At Iceland, we believe no one should have to worry about feeding their family. This Mega Deals Event is about doing our bit to help customers stock up, reduce waste and get through January with a little more certainty and a lot less stress."
The research, which surveyed 2,000 adults in December 2025, paints a disturbing picture of the financial pressures facing ordinary families at the start of 2026.
Only one in four Brits - 25% - feel in control of their finances in January, while an equal proportion report feeling stressed, worried and anxious about money.
More than 18% will rely on frozen food, which Iceland says can be more cost-effective and result in less waste than fresh food, according to the findings.
The Mega Deals Event, which runs from Friday, January 3 until Sunday, February 9, is available online and in stores nationwide at Iceland and The Food Warehouse.
Among the offers, shoppers can pick up four Goodfellas pizzas for £4.80, saving up to £7.20, while popular products like Birds Eye chicken dippers and Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire puddings are also included in the multi-buy deal.
Half-price offers include McCain Airy Fryer French Fries, reduced from £3.75 to £1.87, and Quorn meat-free mince, slashed from £2.60 to £1.30.
The five for £5 deal features items including Fridge Raiders chicken snack bites, Muller Myprotein shakes and Nestle chocolate mousses, with potential savings of up to £5.50.
Shoppers can also take advantage of buy two get one free offers on essentials like Heinz baked beans, Pepsi Max and Kellogg's Coco Pops.
The Government has rolled out some £1 billion to reform crisis support. A spokesman said: "We are tackling the cost of living and poverty head on, increasing the national living wage - worth £900 a year from next year for a full-time worker - and taking £150 off average energy bills from April, giving low-income families the support they need."
They added: "We are also addressing the root cause of poverty, removing the two-child benefit limit and introducing a wider package of measures that will bring 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, alongside the biggest employment reforms in a generation to drive opportunity and boost living standards across the country."
Last year the Government expanded taxpayer funded 'Free School Meals', which they say will lift 100,000 children out of poverty over the next four years.
The news comes as families across the country face continued pressure from rising costs, with many struggling to make ends meet as the new year begins.
In London, schemes are also in place to support families struggling with bills. A spokesperson for Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who introduced a taxpayer funded school meals program for all primary school children in London said that the Mayor "continues to work to tackle the cost of living crisis and provide support for Londoners" which includes freezing several transport fairs, and rolling out his "historic free school meal programme for all primary school children in the capital".
The scheme has seen 100million lunches, at no direct cost to parents, since 2023, which City Hall say has saved families "up to £500 a year per child."
Iceland Foods, which operates over 950 stores was named the UK's Best Online Supermarket by consumer champion Which? in 2022 and won the Good Housekeeping Awards for the UK's favourite online grocery service in both 2021 and 2022.