Support with food
Please see below for infromation about places where you can access free food, such as food banks, community fridges or other food aid providers.
If your child is currently a hospital inpatient, please see pages 22-23 (‘hospital costs’) of our Charity eBook, for more information about support which may be available.
Please also check that you’re in receipt of the welfare benefits that you’re entitled to via our Welfare Benefits Calculator, which may support with meeting household costs.
Use the map on this page, to find your local Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) member. As IFAN member foodbanks are independent, they will have different policies about how to access their services (e.g., whether you need a referral or not), or whether they are able to provide baby formula. Please contact your local foodbank to find out more about how they operate.
Trussell provide emergency food parcels, containing at least 3 days worth of meals, at food banks across the country.
You can search for your local Trussell food bank, by entering your postcode on the search tool on this website.
The website will bring up details of your closest Trussell food banks, and information about where to get a food bank voucher, to access support from that food bank.
Use the map on this page, to find your local community fridge.
Community fridges are open to all and anyone can share or take food.
Ask your Local Authority (Council)
Ask your Local Authority about support available in your area.
They may also be able to offer support through their Local Welfare Assistance Fund.
FoodCycle offer free nutritious meals to anyone who would like to join, this can be for food or for company. You can find your local Community Meal here.
Please note that FoodCycle isn’t a foodbank or pantry, they provide meals to sit down and eat together, rather than providing ingredients for you to take home with you.