Rupa Huq Highlights Coeliac Disease Postcode Lottery
MP hosts parliamentary event with charity to raise awareness
(From left to right) Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, Sharon Hodgson MP (Minister for Public Health and Prevention), Rupa Huq MP and Damien Hinds MP.
July 8, 2026
Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq has highlighted what she described as growing health inequalities facing people with coeliac disease, warning that the cost of living crisis is becoming a health crisis for many patients.
Dr Huq brought together MPs, patients and medical professionals at a parliamentary event on 23 June, organised in partnership with the charity Coeliac UK, to raise awareness of the autoimmune condition and the financial burden faced by those who must follow a strict gluten-free diet.
Coeliac disease affects around one in every 100 people in the UK. If left untreated it can lead to serious health complications, including osteoporosis, neurological problems, infertility and, in rare cases, small bowel cancer. The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.
However, research by Coeliac UK shows that maintaining such a diet comes at a significant cost. A weekly gluten-free food shop costs around 35 per cent more than a standard shop, with staple items such as bread particularly expensive. The cheapest gluten-free loaf can cost around six times as much as its gluten-containing equivalent.
Dr Huq used the event to highlight what campaigners say is an increasing postcode lottery in access to NHS support. While gluten-free staple foods such as bread and flour were previously available on prescription through the NHS in England, responsibility for prescribing has since been passed to local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), leading many areas to scale back or withdraw the provision.
According to Coeliac UK, around two-thirds of people with coeliac disease in England now live in areas where gluten-free prescriptions have either been restricted or removed altogether. Campaigners argue this disproportionately affects children and lower-income households, who may struggle to afford the higher cost of specialist foods.
During the parliamentary event, the local MP, alongside representatives from Coeliac UK and healthcare professionals, discussed the issue with Public Health and Prevention Minister Sharon Hodgson. They also highlighted the contrast with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where support for patients has been maintained or expanded rather than reduced.
Dr Huq said: "We face a cost of living crisis which is exacerbated for the sufferers of coeliac disease, who are paying over the odds; often six times the cost of standard gluten-containing fare. There are also glaring inequalities in how this is dealt with within the British Isles.
"A steady stream of MPs dropped in and were surprised to hear the prevalence of this condition. To top it all, it was a joy to have the public health minister Sharon Hodgson there, who has a strong campaigning record on all things coeliac and 'gets it' way more than most."
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